My Story - Part Eight

I was assigned to a new team in late September 2001 at work. I started working with simplified insurance applications and issuing those policies. I was part of the special team until August 2002, when I was asked to join the 1035 Unit that was forming. I had never handled incoming 1035 (tax-free) exchanges. I learned rather quickly. I would remain part of the 1035 Unit until my layoff in June 2007.

In late January 2002, we had an historic ice storm here in Kansas City. We were without power for four days. We lost a Bradford Pear tree to the storm. One of our next door neighbors got married the weekend right after the ice storm.

I took my last trip with my parents to Colorado in September 2002. In fact, my middle brother and his family went with us. We spent a week in the mountains.

In 2003, I would lose two close friends to the family. My mom's best friend, Joyce, passed away from a massive stroke on July 15th, the day of her oldest daughter's 25th wedding anniversary. I remember the last time I saw Joyce was the night before she died. She was in the ICU of NKC Hospital and I was with her niece. Her niece passed away seven months later from an aneurysm. In August 2003, my dad lost his good friend, Dan, my middle brother's father-in-law, due to injuries he suffered in a one-vehicle accident. I still have the vision of seeing Dan about 45 minutes after he had passed away. It was a very a difficult summer.

I took some time to travel in 2003. I went to New York and North Carolina in mid April 2003 to visit some friends and attend a conference. In late September 2003, I went to visit friends in Hawaii. It was a trip of lifetime for me.

My parents adopted two chihuahuas in August 2003 and February 2004. We first met Ruby when Dan was hospitalized. In late August, my parents adopted her. In February 2004, my mom got a call asking if she could foster a little female chihuahua. My dad and I went out in the worst snowstorm that winter to get Rosy. We ended up adopting her two days later.

In June 2004, I adopted a sweet two-year old chihuahua. My parents and I attended a reunion picnic. The chihuahua came to the picnic with her foster dad. The first time I saw her... Her face was peeking out of her dad's shirt. I spent a lot of time that day with that little chihuahua. I kept telling people that she was going to be my dog. Her foster dad was considering adopting her but due to his work schedule he was hesitant. The following day, my family had a surprise birthday party for me. The chihuahua came to the party with her foster dad and his significant other. I was told that I could adopt her. I filled out the paperwork and paid the adoption fee that day, I allowed my middle two nieces to name her. They named her Tinkerbell.

Tinkerbell and Me in Summer of 2004

I changed managers at work in the simmer of 2004. I went thru some tough times at work but I survived until I was laid off in June 2007.

In the summer of 2005, I started traveling to Truman Lake with my best friend, Judy. She had a place down by the lake. Tinker and I loved it. I allowed Tinker to run off leash and she would come running back to me whenever I called her name. We spent a lot of time down at the lake in the summers of 2005, 2006, and 2007.

In January 2007, I found out that my employer was moving operations out of state that year. In April 2007, I got my official notice that I was being laid off at the end of June 2007. I ended up working at the life insurance company for over eight years.

I spent the rest of 2007 relaxing and collecting severance and unemployment. I spent a week in July 2007 down at Truman Lake with my friends. We had an awesome time!

At the end of September 2007, my mom and I held our only garage sale together. We made a little money and got rid of some stuff.

In 2008, my life changed forever.