We Are Fam-i-Ly

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I was laid off.  Yep', we all know it now.

We know I blubbered like a small child.  We know I have gone from the extremes of bummed-out'ness (yes, it's a word) to blissful optimism.

What we don't all know is how awesome the people I love have been to me, and I am sitting here with a spoon and vanilla-bean ice-cream to prove it.  Compliments of my girlfriend who picked it up for me along with a huge brownie this afternoon. 

That is love.  That is family.

The day I was laid off I went to see my brother who watched me well up as I told him I wasn't kidding about being laid off- "I swear, Chris."

He said: "Aww, man.  That sucks, Snoops.  I'm really sorry."

And he wanted details.  And I gave them.  I knew he really cared.  Not someone who asks just as a way of going through the motions.  And he offered "you know you can always come live with us if you really need to."  And I knew he meant it.

He and I walked into Subway that afternoon where I opted for the foot long sandwich because, if you have forgotten already, I got laid off.  The gal behind the counter- the one who still had a job- asked if there would be anything else.

"Cookie?" Chris asked.

"No..... Cookiesssss"

And 6 double chocolate cookies went into the bag, and not long after, into my tummy. 

That is love.  That is family.

I texted the other sibs not long after that.  They responded immediately.  My brother, Corbin wrote:  I'm comin' over Saturday- and I'm bringin' liquor."

That is love.  That is family.

The evening it went down my sister Camille came over.  The sister that hates television shows sat with me and watched American Idol- even though I knew it was killing her inside.

That is love.  That is family.

When I broke the news to my husband, it was the toughest.  Somehow, I felt like I had let him down.  I told him just as I was ready to sit down beside him.  And when I sunk into the cushion, so too my heart sunk and the tears came out.  He held my hand, and said "We'll be okay."

He drew me a hot bath and sat beside me as I self-medicated my headache away.  He dangled his feet into the warm water and listened to me cry, and didn't say anything.

That is love.  That is family.

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