It's a tough situation, and one I can definitely empathize with, as I also was not in a position to ask my current boss for a recommendation.

It's hard to give much advice without knowing the specifics of your situation, such as how long you've been at the company and in your position. And only you know your boss personally and how he reacts to things. However, if you've been there for a few years, you may be surprised (in a good way) at his reaction. Most employers understand that people move on, and it's better to lose an employee with months of advance notice to go back to school than to lose them to a competitor with two weeks' notice. Plus, you have your wife and her plans to take into account, which many people would also understand.

On the other hand, if you feel strongly that your job would be in jeopardy over this, or if your boss would write a rec that is less than enthusiastic out of spite, you're absolutely better off using someone from the past. Hope this is a little helpful, and again, I know how you feel - recommendations have been the most stressful part of the application experience for me.

Thanks for the reply!

I've been at my current company for almost 2 years, and have been promoted after proposing a new business idea. I now report directly to our EVP and work on a very close basis with him.

We get along on very friendly terms, often talking sports and family. He also got his MBA, but did so part-time while working...