25 -- On the financial side, it was about 8 months of nail biting and prayer. But at the bottom of it I felt confident that one way or another the kids and I would be OK. There was a lot at stake that I worried they'd have to give up, but I also knew if they did, that I would figure it out. I got a GREAT lawyer that I put my trust in and just held on for the roller coaster.
Of course, Mr. Fantastic didn't pull the shenanigans that Dr. Alaska did, so I didn't have to experience the humility of borrowing large amounts of money. He never ran off with money or declined to pay support, but I know what I would have done if he had -- and apparently he did too, becauase although he did (and occasionally still does) express rage at the amount of money he's having to pay, he pays it.
The job thing has been, by far, the hardest part. I'm in the process of figuring out how to move out of my second job since taking off 13 years to raise the kids. This time around, I've hired a career consultant to help me identify the things that I'm good at AND would enjoy over a long period of time.
Why just look for government or lawyer jobs? You have a wide breadth of skills from the time you were home with the kids. Would it be interesting to you to pursue a job with a non-profit, for example, that would use more of your skills than the lawyering experience? At least give yourself something to do that permits you to fixate on something other than GDS.
If we ever met IRL, I would be happy to connect you with people in my circle (you don't live that far from me.) I think you'd find work fairly quickly. The first job would not be the ideal one, but it would give you the opportunity to build your connections again.
Think outside the box, 25. Use some of the creativity that makes you funny and apply it to job problem solving. You've got this.
Me42, H40 D12, S8, S7 A revealed: 7/13 Sep 4/14; Agreed to D 1/15
