2009 is not starting out the best for the Kerr's

So after working 13 years at IBM (16 if you count my time I was with Manpower) I got laid off yesterday. 16,000 US employee's got resourced. Yesterday was a very very hard day for me. I woke up this morning trying to hold my head up high and see the silver lining in this all. I know God has a plan for us all and I do live my life by the cliche of "Everything happens for a reason". I have turned this over to God to lead myself and my family through this.

Yesterday I was told I have 30 Day's until February 23 to find another job within IBM. After the 23rd. my severance kicks in. So basically I am looking for another job with 16,000 other people. I feel fortunate that I got 6 months severance and my health benefits until then. So technically I have 7 months to find another job. I know I am very grateful for that and the fact that I didn't just get a kick in the ass.

So today when I logged onto the IBM system I got several IM from my peers and friends showing great support. I really do work with a great group of people. Then I started hearing all the people that had gotten told the same news as me. People that in a million years I would have never thought they would let go. So many of them with 20 + Years of Service, Makes my 13 years not seem so much. Out of the people I personally know in the Marketing department that got laid off, I had one of the lowest amount of years with the company. It is truly devastating! I know this sounds weird but I did find some comfort in hearing who else got laid off. When you are first told this news you feel like such a looser and that I had let everyone down. In reality it was a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time in this economy.

Trever and I have been through rough times before and we always come out smarter and stronger for it. I am confident that this is just another bump in the road. Trever has been my rock as he always is ever time I am down.

I am not sure what the future holds for us but I am asking for everyone who reads this to say a little prayer that everything works out as God planned it. I know he doesn't ever give you more then you can handle.

Here is an article about the layoff's. IBM is trying to keep this out of the press I have been told.