So he is "back to work."
I am happy to say that he has received, not just a job, but a step up, from project manager (detour back to engineering) to Sr. Project Manager. With it came a serious pay bump. The first "real" raise in many years as it actually outpaces the rise in costs of things.
We are renting a house in Plano, TX - get the keys this Friday. It's very nice. But more importantly, we will be saving more money every month than what our rent is. We have kept our rent to less than 25% of NET. Many places will tell you to keep it under 25%-30% of gross. We went a bit more conservative. This will allow us to put away a good chunk of money every month in preparation for whatever comes next - good times or bad.
I thought I would let this thread close out but I think I have more I may want to share. So, from time to time, you may see me post here.
In the business/management world that he occupies (software) there is a serious trend toward employing "Agile" management techniques (vs traditional "waterfall") and he was remiss in not getting "certified" until less than a month ago (he was an accredited scrum master). So he became a Certified SCRUM Master and then the phone wouldn't stop ringing. It's amazing what having the correct acronym next to your name can do. What does this mean? What lesson should we learn? I guess the answer is that, despite experience or anything else, sometimes getting past the first hurdle is all about 3 little letters. In his case, CSM. So if you are in an industry where there are new "certifications" being touted, it may behoove you to get it, even if you have a secure job and 20+ years experience. We won't allow that mistake to happen again.