New Job

Here is some more news.  I wanted to wait until it was announced inside my organization before I announced it here.  I have a new job.  Going back to work was hard...it never really happened.  I still communicated with many of our donors and I went to couple of meetings but it was terrible.  Going to my office was pretty terrible also.  It's nobody's fault really.  I am sure every parent who has been through what I have been through has also had to go back to work and I am sure it has been terrible for most of them in one way or another.  Some people were really wonderful.  Most didn't know what to say.  Some people were outright offensive.  It is what it is.  As the local Director for a National non-profit my job consists of lunches, coffees, cocktail parties, meetings and events.  Kind of tough for someone who can't get out of bed some mornings and can't get off the couch most days.  I figured I would probably just get fired and while on the one hand, it was causing me a tremendous amount of stress, on the other hand, it was nothing compared to the loss I had suffered when Max passed.  Nothing mattered anymore.  But, I started to think that maybe there was another way for me to help my organization and I started coming up with a list of things I could do.  When I finally spoke to my boss a few weeks ago, he told me he had been coming up with a list of his own.  Our lists were very similar and we put them together and within a week finalized a new job description for me.  I am now the Director of Grants Management and Major Donor Research for JNF.  This has been a tremendous weight off our shoulders.  By the way, I need to mention that my wonderful husband, who would have been burdened with being the sole provider, continuously told me that I didn't need to worry.  We would make it work.  That money is not what is important.  He supported me in my uselessness and I love him forever for that and for everything else that makes him so wonderful.  My new job can (and will) be done from home and I am actually excited about it.  I want to do a good job in part because I am so grateful to have been given this break.  Lord, I needed a break already.  Obviously, I MUST thank Russell Robinson, my boss, who said he would walk beside me and actually has.  When he could have easily just written me off, he decided to find a place for the new, broken me, and make me feel like there is a place, where at least for a few hours a day, I can be more whole.  There have been others who have said that they would be with me and have disappeared, but he hasn't and I am so grateful.  My whole family is grateful.  Thank you so much Russell and I hope to show you that you made a good decision.


10 comments

Anne Nilsson said...

How lovely for you. And congratulations on being able to come up with a list at all. It's hard to imagine working with what you've been through. I hope this provides a respite and satisfaction. It's important work!

Maria_vella said...

What a great way to honor your son:) I'm sure he has helped you find this path and is very proud of you. You're a great mommy!

Kim said...

Reading this brought a tear to my eye, just knowing that someone actually puts their actions where there mouth is, so to speak. What a wonderful boss and person Russell must be. A small gift amidst all this pain. I hope that this job gives you a small distraction and lessens your stress just a bit.

Marla said...

I love Russell Robinson (even though I've never met him).

Eowyn said...

Great news! You deserve every break in the world and I'm so happy that Russell knows how valuable you are and recognizes that you have a lot to offer the organization.

Jessica said...

I don't know Russell, but I think he's awesome. Thank you Russell for really walking beside my friend and helping her! Abs, you deserve every break in the world. I'm glad to hear that you're getting a little bit of one. Teddy is a gem and so are you. I love you both dearly. Thinking of you and beautiful Maxie. xo

rebecca Patrick-Howard said...

That's great news! Unfortunately, I didn't get to take any time off work since my salary pays our bills. My husband actually worked the day after Toby died because he's a professor and it was his first day of class. He ended up losing his full time job a month later because he was depressed and having trouble getting to work on time. When that happened, we had to lose daycare for our son. He stayed home with me. I started back a week after Toby died. Luckily, since I work from home, it was easier. Then, of course, it made it harder with Sam home with me while I tried to cram in an eight hour workday into the few minutes he would give me here and there.

It is a LOT easier to work from home, though, so I hope this helps out. Hey, at the very least you don't have to get dressed if you don't want to! (But sometimes I make myself anyway.) I am so glad to hear that someone worked with you and cut you a break Kudos to them!

Rachael Petru Horowitz said...

How incredible...this is the very first time I've heard of this type of positive resolution and am even more in support of JNF for doing the absolutely right thing by you and by the organization. BRAVO JNF!

Leslie K. said...

Congrats on the new position, Abbs. You deserve a break--and then some, many times over! You've been so devoted to the JNF, and it's great that you can continue to work there in a position that's feels like a better fit now. Also, Russell sounds like a wonderful person.

Sigalle said...

Abs, amazing that you made this happen. You're a tremendous person.