On a positive note, I busted my ass to be a good employee and got reassigned back to my old facility that I was rated at. It'll be tough to go back knowing that I did not succeed but it's better than being shipped off to BF Nowhere. We are still working on the kid thing. I think she is realizing the reality of how hard a second kid would be. She joked about getting a puppy for Christmas but then said never mind, they are way too much work.

The second kid was much easier than the first, in my experience.
Only child kids are brats, I married one..

Hope things get better for you..
If the wife wants another kid, she might regret it (and you) as the years pass without it..
A puppy isn't going to fill that void in the long run.
I'd say another kid and a puppy..

If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy....

Good luck to you....

Not a good year, but certainly far from horrible.

On the surprise I am reminded of myself, and of the scene in Airport '70 between Dean Martin and Van Heflin, where Dean asks Van on the 3 unplanned arrivals, where Van replies - they turned out to be real special.

On the job - bad luck, but my last 24 months easily out shadow yours. Job moved to India at 56 - in IT, employers control both the supply and demand curve, severe age discrimination, over qualified in a lot of instances, under qualified in others...... Finally working, after 18 months, making 39 cents on the dollar as a contract employee, doing junior level work.

And I know people in worse shape near my age group in IT and some other areas.

But it will still be a very cold day in hell before I'll vote Democrat. And with Global warming we know that day is far far off.

You'll do fine. Good luck on the new addition.

Oh, bummer on the four legged family member. I been there 5 times in life with my 5 four legged loved ones - shed a lot of tears and miss them all.