Nic---Don't know how I missed the part about the in-laws. Yeah, SIGH. That sounded like a lot for your BIL/SIL to take on, and a lot of adjustment for your MIL/FIL. Hope it's just a matter of fine tuning the change, but it's hard to find that optimism in these circumstances. Just really tough.

And the hubs---man, seems to me he works pretty long and intense hours. I don't understand how lawyers get paid or on what basis, but don't blame him for being discouraged. Sometimes all we can do is say "yep, that's why they call it work." Seems it's often NOT the work itself, but the politics involved. How well I know.