How do single parents do it?

Waaaaayyyy back in July, while we were at the beach, Abel's job came into major jeopardy. It is a very long and very complicated thing having to do with oh, you know, CONGRESS passing legislation that would essentially for all intents and purposes put the non-profit he works for out of business. You know, a non-profit charity. A non-profit charity that helps people buy homes. Kind of an important thing in the current state of our economy, right? Right? Do you hear me CONGRESS?

Basically if he doesn't single-handedly fix it (well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration but it sure feels like it's all on his shoulders) he'll be out of a job come October 1.

(And, yet, unlike my friend, I remain completely committed to and optimistic about the political process in our great democracy. Go figure.)

I'm pretty much keeping my head in the sand about the whole out-of-a-job thing, the whole how-will-we-pay-the-mortgage thing. Instead, I'm focusing on what's really important--the fact that while Abel has been working insane hours (regularly until 1am or 2am) I have been picking up all the slack around the house.

I don't know how single parents do it.

Because, seriously, I'm doing a really bad job.

Our house is a wreck. Our dinners lately have consisted of the following: grilled cheese, spaghetti with frozen meatballs, grilled cheese, peanut butter sandwiches (what can I say, I've successfully passed along my luv of peanut butter sandwiches to Lucas, though he does request jelly), hot dogs, fish sticks w/boxed mac & cheese and grilled cheese again. Just writing that list makes me sick. (Don't get me wrong, I'm fully in support of fast meals like that on occasion, but this has been our menu for the past two weeks.)

Did I mention our house is a wreck? I am terrified a neighbor will stop by. I'll be like the lady in that new rug cleaner commercial and make them stay outside.

Last night I was whining to Abel about how I've had to do everything around the house. (OMG, aren't I horrible? He's working so hard and is so stressed and I'm complaining to him.) We had a good laugh when he said, "Well, worst case scenario is that come October you may have me around here to do everything!"

We've been through it before. About four months after we got engaged, Abel got laid off. There was a downturn in the economy and the firm he worked for lost some clients (oh yeah and the boss wanted to hire his son). Abel was the junior guy and got the boot. Can you say stressful? We got through it (racked up some hefty credit card debt in the process), got married and we came out fine, though he was out of work for about 6 mos. Of course back then we shared a (paid off) car, didn't have a mortgage and didn't have a kid.

Now. Well, now there's just so much more. More obligations, more debt (hello mortgage!), more mouths to feed.

When I do peek my head up I just freak out. We should have cancelled Denver. We should have cancelled San Diego. Should we cancel our cable? Our Internet? Abel has talked me down from these. The plane tickets were all booked months before we had any inkling of the impending legislation. He's working hard to save his job (oh, yeah, and his entire non-profit industry), we'll cut those things out if it comes to that.

I've got another, what, 11 more days to keep my head in the sand. In the meantime I'll at least try to make some decent meals and maybe vacuum. Maybe.

Worry

So let's say your husband works for a non-profit. And, this non-profit happens to be in an industry that is getting a lot of press and attention from our elected officials these days. And those elected officials happen to have felt pressure to do something about it so they create and pass this monstrosity of a piece of legislation. Oh and that piece of legislation happens to contain a few lines that mean the non-profit your husband works for will have to close its doors. That, effective a few months from now and after that other legislative body votes, it will be illegal for his employer to operate. Cause for worry, no?