It Only Took a Decade...

I finished report cards a couple hours ago and can't wait to start my break!  I'm so behind on this blog that it's probably going to take me a few entries to catch up, but for now, I'm just going to write about some news we just received.

Yesterday a Fed Ex package was delivered to Clint's parents' house from United Airlines.  As I've mentioned in the past, Clint used to work for United Airlines at Chicago O'Hare eleven years ago, but was furloughed after 9/11.  We always knew that "someday" he could get recalled, but after ten years, we had written it off.  Until yesterday.  After an entire decade, Fed Ex arrived with something we never imagined: Clint's recall notice.  For Chicago.  He now has six whole days to make a decision.

That being said, there's no way we're moving to Chicago.  As much of an adventure as the Midwest was, I'll never go back.  My life is here.  But Clint talked to a union rep for United Airlines today, and was told that if he accepts the job in Chicago, he can put in a bid for LAX, which will soon be hiring as well.  The downfall to all of this is Clint would initially have to work out of Chicago, and we really don't know how long it will take to get the transfer to L.A.  I could be a single mom for a few weeks, or a few months, or...indefinitely, really.  That's a little nerve-wracking.  Another big downfall is that once he does get the bid for LAX, he will be dealing with a huge daily commute.  These pitfalls should be enough for us to just say "No thanks," but the pros to the job are pretty damn positive.  Even though he worked for UAL for only one year, he would be returning to the job with eleven years of seniority and at full pay scale.  In other words, he'd be making good money.  Another huge advantage are the flight benefits.  United Airlines employees and their immediate families can fly anywhere in the world for free.  Of course it's standby only, but this never posed a problem for Clint and I ten years ago.  There was always room for us, and 90% of the time we flew first class (they immediately upgrade employees to first class if there's extra seats available).

I honestly don't know what we should do.  I'm trying to figure out if the flight benefits and extra pay are worth the stress of an exorbitant commute and crummy hours (he'd be back on graveyards again, and most likely working 6 and 2s).  Even with the ability to travel anywhere we wanted a decade ago and the associated fond memories, I don't remember that period of my life being entirely happy.

I have a lot of other things I want to write about (such as the fact that Alana and I said our final goodbyes), but I'll save it for my next entry.