I once heard that blogging is good for the soul… that getting your feelings out on paper, or in this case, the World Wide Web, may somehow make whatever you are feeling at that moment make much more sense. Let’s see if that works…

The last blog left our readers hearing that yes, Carl did indeed lose his job.  So since that revelation a week ago, a lot has been happening.  We have been in fast forward mode, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be letting up any time soon.

Carl has been applying at jobs here in WI and also in FL.  What he has found is that our area is still quite stale for jobs, whereas FL has several hundred jobs in his field.  We have learned that unless you LIVE in FL or have some type of residency started most jobs won’t even consider you. Carl has called several recruiters in the Orlando area, and we did get a bite today that has potential for an interview.

We have come to a very serious fork in the road, and every day we talk about what we should do.  Carl has been unemployed off and on for a year now, and has had several bites on jobs, this last one being the one we hoped was “it.”  Once again the economy struck, and Carl was again an unemployed man.  The unemployment benefits will be gone VERY soon and we are at defcon 1.  If we decide to stay in WI, we will most likely have to move anyways. We rent a very nice place, and will not be able to afford it on my job alone. The savings we do have would either sustain our living another month or 2 here, or get us to Florida and start our first month living there. 

Carl would love to just get a job and still look, but most of the hourly jobs are going to those who not only have done them before, but they get leary of people like Carl who get paid high for IT and then want to work at Target. They are scared that they will get trained, work a month, get their higher paying job, and bolt. I understand the concept, but it sucks when you are just trying to make a living.

Originally the plan was to have Carl head down to FL with Belle and check things out for a week. Great plan, but it doesn’t make us residents, which is what we need for Carl to get serious interviews and such.  Also the money involved on him driving or flying down, to rent a car, a hotel, and eating could be used better for all of us moving down officially.

It has been a rough week. We are trying to research everything in Orlando, and we do appreciate the support and truths about how tough relocating can be.  We have been over the pros and cons a billion times and we keep coming back to the main point- we need a job to live.

We don’t want to lose the excitement of WHY we want to live in Florida. We want to see this as a great opportunity for change. It’s the stress that is difficult to deal with sometimes.  We are leaving it in the Lord’s hands and if he wants us there, we will be there.

Any tips on schools, jobs, and apartments would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks again to all of our Disney friends and supporters-you make this journey easier.

 ~ Ellie Peters