Last year my husband lost his job. New Year's Eve 2018 was his last day of work. It was almost 6 months before he found a new full-time job. It was hard. One of the hardest things we have had to face in our marriage.
Not because of the unemployment, (although that didn't help) he has been unemployed before, but more because of the pressure this time around.
We have 6 kids. 6. We can't just go without paychecks for long periods of time. Kids eat way too much for that. For Real. Do they ever stop eating?
This time around it was excruciating. My husband was experiencing depression, I was experiencing anxiety, our kids were just kids and didn't really fully appreciate the gravity of the situation, so they kept being kids,
"Mom, I need more pencils!"
"Mom, my shoes have holes, when can we get more?"
"Dad, can we get ice cream tonight?"
We have worked really hard to help our kids understand the value of money, they weren't asking for new phones, t.v's, and cars. They just were being kids, but the pressure to provide for them and their basic needs and wants became almost unbearable.
We tried really hard to help each other through that time. And we DID help each other through that time, it didn't last forever. But it doesn't erase the fact that it was HARD.
The support, love, kindness, and help we received from our friends and family and even strangers was what got us through that hard time. So many people gave of their own time, energy and funds to help our family. We are humbled still by the amount of love and support people gave to us during those months of hardship for our family.
He did get a job after almost 6 months and he worked hard at his job. SO HARD. It was a hard job. At times his job was even harder than being unemployed had been. He dreaded going to work.
Then, last week, on Halloween day. He was let go. Layed OFF.
The company he worked for hasn't increased in revenue like they had planned and they started cutting back. My husband was one of the cutbacks.
He called me soon after and cried as he told me what had happened. He really wasn't sad because he didn't have THAT job. He hated it to be honest. But he has worked sooooooo hard to provide for our family. Sacrificed so much to make sure our needs are met. And here we go again.
We don't know what will happen. Or when it will happen. Or how it will happen.
But we have FAITH that it WILL HAPPEN.
We have been here before. This time hopefully we will learn even more from our past experiences. We will grow even closer together and stronger as a couple and as a family.
WE CAN DO THIS.
BUT IT"S HARD
There are days the stress and worry are overwhelming. Tears are always at the surface.
But there are also days where there is PEACE. Where we feel our Heavenly Father watching over us and we know He has a plan for us. We just can't see it yet.
I know many of you are facing hard things in your lives as well.
Infertility
Death
Loss
Unemployment
Sickness
Disease
Divorce
Abuse
Financial Hardship
Family stress
Single Parenthood
Child loss
Miscarriage
I don't know what each of these feels like. But I know what some of them feel like. I know it's hard. But I know we can do this.
With the help of friends, family, loved ones and the help of our loving Heavenly Father we can do this.
It will take time, tears, effort, prayer, tears, faith, work, sweat, and more tears, but we can do this.
True Strength comes when we least expect it, but when it's needed most.
If you need a friend or a listening ear. We are here. We love you.
Thanks for listening. or Reading.