Thank you all so much for your kind words and really solid practical advice. Financially we are ok for a bit. There is a severance and they are going to cover our cobra costs for a few months. Plus we have the stimulus. Ws know that we are super lucky that we have those things. I opened a word document and have started dumping my random thoughts into it for housing projects, yard work ideas, paperwork, ways to cut our budget, dr. appointments I need to make, and a local bucket list of things I want us to do before we leave. It is just a mess right now, but once I put it on paper I feel like I have a little more head space bc right now 200,000,000 things are swirling around in my head. We did tell the kids yesterday for better or worse. My dh and I are not good at not showing how we are feeling and they would have known something was very wrong. They are heartbroken, but it wasn't as bad as I feared. I know the road ahead will be very difficult and painful, but that step has been taken. Today I'm just going to try to make dr appointments and give the kids a mostly normal day. Then tomorrow I can figure out the next step.

Thank you all so much for your kind and reassuring comments. I am completely reeling and your kindness means so much.

Somehow spell check apparently turned, "my dh is very specialized so we will have to move to find a job" into that and I didn't even notice.

My husband has been working at his job for 8 years and loves it. We love where we live and imagined we would live here the rest of our lives. This morning, out of nowhere, my dh's department was completely eliminated. I am in shock with waves of grief. We have 14 and a 10 year old. We have the perfect set up-live on a block with lots of kids. A super great friend community. And now it is over. My shins very specialized and there is no way we will be able to stay here. I don't know what to do. When do we tell the kids? How do we tell the kids? One of them is emotionally fragile. Do I start cleaning my house? Talk to a realtor? Declutter? Cry? How do I help my dh? I am just at a loss.

Thank you all so much! I'm so excited for this learning adventure!

I think that sounds like a great plan! We are doing something very similar next year. We are also doing OM Biology and adding in more interesting hands-on labs. We are vegetarian and so are going to avoid animal dissection, but want to do some plant and microbial based labs. Even though we are having to plan the labs ourselves I think it will be worth it because the OM materials are so well organized and ask thought provoking questions. I did buy the Holt textbook used on amazon for a huge savings! Keep us updated on what you decide!

That is actually our motivation!! We LOVE the American Shakespeare Center!!

Yes, sorry! Farther up I mentioned I was only planning 1/2 a credit for this! Thank you so much for the Culinary Expeditions suggestion!

That sounds really fun! Thanks for the name of the Great Course! I'm still figuring out how to have the appropriate amount of work for a credit. I was thinking 2 hours a recipe would turn 40 recipes into about 80 hours of work. If we were doing video courses we would certainly do less recipes. We are also going to spread it out over a couple of years by making 2-3 recipes a month.

We are going to study Macbeth in May. Do you have any favorite resources for studying Macbeth? Thank you in advance!

I didn't know there was a Great Course in cooking! I'll have to check that out. Our plan is just to get cookbooks for different countries' cuisine and give it a shot. DD is going with me to the specialty markets to find the specialized ingredients. I'm planning on having her make 40 different dishes to call it 1/2 credit.

Thank you Stripe and kirstenhill! I especially like Global Culinary Arts!

Thanks Terabith! I'm trying to find ways to keep some of my favorite parts of homeschooling going even while we transition to the pressures of high school. Last week we made Biko (sweet rice cakes) from the Philippines and this week we are going to try making Buko Salad (young coconut salad) also from the Philippines.

My dd will be earning a 1/2 credit elective by learning to cook international foods. From my searching it looks like the typical title would be Culinary Arts. If we were going to put an international spin on it, what would you call it?

I agree 110%. I don't post super often but check multiple times a day. This forum has brought joy, wisdom, and support to my life.

All Creatures Great and Small Jeeves and Wooster Babette's Feast While You Were Sleeping Disney's live action Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast

Kareni, you should have put it on a plaque or trophy!!! A moment to hold onto FOREVER! LOL

The unexpected benefits of homeschooling!! LOL

" Curse you for making me well rounded!" - Courtesy of my 14 year old who was a little bitter about her drawing lesson that day! LOL Any quotes from your house?

I took it as a teen 20 years ago. I had extremely dry skin for 6 months and then amazing skin after that. Right after I finished a news story came out about a teen who committed suicide while on it so my parents didn't let my younger brothers take it. Both of my brothers have severe physical scarring and suffered a lot during their teen years from the appearance of their skin. Having seen both sides, if my kids end up developing cystic acne I would put them on it immediately and then closely monitor their mood.

Yes!! My kids have a mild cold (covid test negative) and dd13 told me two days ago I am very lucky I'm not sick like she is. The kids know I'm not feeling well, but not the specifics. I looked at her and said very firmly, "I'm sorry you don't feel well, but trust me, I feel 100x worse than you do." Then I went and stuffed myself with chocolate. LOL The good news is my GYN is amazing. He called me unprompted this morning to see how I am doing which I think is amazing. Today my Infection/wound is still bad, but my anxiety has gone from unending panic attack level down to still very high anxiety but I can talk and hold a conversation level. Hopefully as antibiotic 4 works its way out of my system the anxiety will continue to go down. And may antibiotic 6 start to work!

Thank you so much for these suggestions! I actually saw hibiclense at the pharmacy today and was wondering if that might help. I've never used it before. I'm sorry you have also had to deal with these issues. It is absolutely awful!

I have lots of garlic! I'll give it a try!

Thank you all so much for your support and kind words. I needed them so much tonight. Thank you.

I am so sorry that happened to you, and I can totally understand now. The world was completely ending. I have mild anxiety in general, but this has been so intense and sudden and not like anything I've ever experienced. I never ever would have thought antibiotics could have that effect.