Things Are Changing Around Here

One thing about our life, it's never dull. Sometimes it gets quiet and that's when I start to worry. Things have been quiet, a little too quiet. The week before Christmas, Ryan got a call from Greg on his way home. Greg asked Ryan if he had heard anything about Brian from the Hammer Lane store (Les Schwab) quitting. Ryan told Greg no and Greg said that Brian posted on Facebook that he was quitting and tomorrow would be his last day. Lo and behold, Greg was right. The next day, Ryan had to go to the Hammer Lane store and sure enough Brian told him that he was quitting and moving his family back to Oregon.

Ryan came home and confirmed the Facebook rumor to be true and non-chalantly I said to Ryan, "What would you do if they offered you to take over that store?" Someone was tuned into that conversation because the following Monday, Brian quit on Friday, Ryan looked outside his store and walking in was John (Regional Manager) and Neal (Area Manager) to talk to Ryan. They sat down and for the next three hours talked to Ryan about taking the Hammer Lane store. They told Ryan that it was his choice, if he took the Hammer Lane store they would close his store and if he didn't take it, they would leave the store he's currently in open and let him keep doing his thing and just put a new manager in the other store. Ryan told them a whole bunch of things, I think his gun has been loaded for awhile now, and he didn't hold back. He told them that he would need to talk to his wife (he scored points for that) and that he would let them know. They told him that he would need to let them know by Wednesday, two days to make a life-altering decision. They also told him that he wouldn't be able to take Lucas, his assistant manager, and that Brian had run a profitable, money-making store, into the hole $8,000.

Ryan called me at work and told me everything. My mind was spinning and so was his. This wasn't the "prime" opportunity we were both looking for. Although John and Neal told Ryan some really wonderful things about him and his performance as a manger, they wanted us to move to another store, assume another debt, and go that much longer without a bonus? Were they crazy? Were we crazy? What would other people think? Would they think we had failed if Ryan decided to shut his store down? Would we be the laughing stock of the company? Those were the things that were screaming in my head.

We talked about it all Monday night, while also trying to pack, not let the kids know yet, and get Christmas finished up to go to Washington. I didn't sleep all night and cried tears in my pillow over the fact that 1. they didn't want Ryan to tell Lucas, 2. Lucas and his families fate now laid in Ryan's hands, 3. I didn't want to be unloyal to Lucas because he had taken a chance on Ryan and this store, and 4. Dangit, I wasn't moving any closer to home, just moving up the road!

I got up Tuesday morning looking like I had been run over by a train and when Ryan got up I told him that I couldn't do this to Lucas and his family, it wasn't fair. I cried, Ryan cried, and then Ryan said, "Let's say another prayer about this". I had prayed all night, I think Ryan had, too. Then the conversation continued and some things were said that I can't say on my public blog. We had a plan, I felt good about what we decided, and now it was Ryan's turn to make some heavy-hearted decision.

That night Ryan came home and had made his decision once and for all. Ryan told the kids, they seemed indifferent. They're boys, they only get excited over food and sports! What was I expecting? I guess a little bit of a reaction. On our way to Washington Wednesday, Ryan made the call. John was excited about Ryan taking the store. I was happy for Ryan but a little sad to walk away from a store that has taught us a lot about ourselves over the last five years and a store that Ryan had put blood, sweat, and tears into.

It was so hard not telling my family when we were in Washington! I wanted someone to say, "No, Cara, you and Ryan aren't the stupidest people on the planet", or, "It will be a good thing, wait and see". I needed to hear those words from someone, anyone! I would ask Ryan my million questions everytime we were alone. He usually wouldn't know the answer but would reassure me that we were doing the right thing.

Now, here we are. It's now public knowledge and I can honestly say I feel good about it. I think Ryan's head is still spinning from all the things that lie ahead for him to do. He has a new store to get in order, new customers to get to know, and new people to work with. I hope, hope, hope that the things Ryan was told will happen for us. Since then, the assistant manager at the Hammer Lane store has decided to step down because he's a little upset that they won't let him move on even though he's put his two years in. Some people don't realize it's more than just fulfilling the time on your contract but I won't get into that. Today, we are waiting to see what Lucas and his family are going to do. Lucas was offered the position of the assistant at the new store yesterday but he had to discuss it with his wife. I think they had themselves already leaving Stockton. So here I am ,waiting for Ryan to call and biting my nails. It may be a long day!