Goodbye Menlove!

Boy what a day! It started out pretty good, and ended even better! The middle part, we're learning to accept! This afternoon I stopped by Dan's work after a doctor's appt. that didn't have the best of news (another surgery, next week?) to get a little pep talk on the way to my class, and arrived just in time (We're talking 1 minute) before Dan's boss called him in to his office and told Dan they were "getting rid of his department, and no longer needed his services!". What a kick in the gut for Dan, but what a celebration for our family!
Dan was so down this afternoon, I've never seen him like this before-it unnerved me a bit, and feeling like such a failure, until his (drunk(?) yes, I was accused of this-thanks Rob!, no I hadn't had a drop of liquor!) wife decided he needed a pep talk! Poor Dan has had to deal with getting laid off and an insaine, sarcastic wife all day! Poor guy!
I decided we can either let this get us down and depressed, which he was enough of for the both of us, or we can make this into a positive thing. So being the (oh what's the word for the one who always looks on the bright side?-not pessimist, but___?)that I am :) I tried cheering him up and showing him all the great things he has to look forward to...like
.....I don't think our house will ever be cleaner again! He now has all day to make it look the way he wants it to look!
......now I can be the one asking "So, what did You do all day?" as I look around the house in disgust! :P
......"Now you can spend more time with our kids, and see how they really act all day, and why I'm so grumpy when you get home!" :)
......"You don't ever have to work for that bald, jerk again!"
....."We get to live on unemployment for a while, while you have a nice, well deserved, stay-at-home vacation!" Yippee! :)
.....We get to have a Menlove shirt burning bon fire! Anyone for hotdogs and smores?
....."You get to start all over and be anything you want to be...Dan, what are you going to do, now that you have more free time on you're hands?" Disneyland was not his answer...I'm forbidden from posting his real answer, so any of you that know Dan, feel free to insert what you think he said here ___________!
.....He decided that today we leave on a much deserved, long awaited "spur-of-the-moment" camping trip! Not so "spur of the moment" if we have to wait till the next day, when the kids get out of school-if you ask me, but whatever you want honey! Enjoy it while it lasts (for the next hour!)
....and lastly for me, a two month, unlimited spa gift certificate? Thanks Dan, but you really shouldn't have, we really should be using this money for food! (No, he really didn't-but maybe now that he's reading this post....;) I do need somewhere to go and get away from All of you now and again!
I know some of you are probably reading this thinking I've fallen off my rocker, but I haven't. I'm just excited to finally (after 10 years) get to be a somewhat "normal" family. My kids finally get to have a Dad that is home when they get home from school, goes on "family" vacations with us, eats dinner with us, and gets to know just how crazy our life really is!
Dan I am proud of you for standing your ground and refusing to be walked on anymore! I don't know how you put up with those morons for that long anyway! Lord knows I never could have done it! They would have been put in their place long ago!

We'll keep you updated in the coming weeks, as for now...we're off to see the world! (Well, Southern Utah at least!)