Tomorrow is my husband's birthday, he'll be 59. We've been married 37 years and I'm still learning more about him every day. He is the love of my life.
We live in Minnesota. We are average and typical in every way imaginable. And that's fine, we like it that way.
We have 2 sons, 1 daughter-in-law and 2 beautiful grandchildren. We are surrounded by large extended families-both his and mine. My parents are living and still able to care for each other. We are blessed in many ways.
My husband John, has been unemployed since February 2009. He worked for 18+ years for a steel tubing machine shop. There was no severance package, just a "sorry-you're outta here" on a cold February Monday morning. He looks for employment every day and applies for jobs 2-3 times a week. But it's difficult being over 50 and looking for work in this economy. A local school district has given him on-call janitorial work since then, but nothing with benefits and no promises. This is the first time in his life in this situation. We are grateful that we aren't raising young children right now.
I was lucky enough in January 2009 to get a promotion with a raise at my employment. But that's meant longer hours and learning new concepts and applications. At age 57, it's been a struggle but I do enjoy the challenge and I like pushing myself and finding my limits as well as my talents. The difficulty is in finding the balance in my life. I thought that would be easier once our sons were on their own. But no. It's not.
Grateful as I am for my opportunities I wish our positions were reversed! I long to spend more time with our grandchildren. They grow and change so fast. Like our children before them, we can't recapture these moments either. I always thought that by age 55, I'd be semi-retired and taking care of grandchildren and puttering around the yard. Working full-time and overtime means I'm rushing now to their dance recitals, soccer games, T-Ball practice and cramming in what time I can with them on the weekends. Don't even ask about workouts, exercise or time for "us".
And my heart goes out to John as I watch him pouring over Help Wanted Ads online and in the local papers. I want to reassure him that the economy will get better, he'll find a job and life will get back to "normal". But I'm beginning to think we'll be seeing a "new normal".
Whenever I tune into my favorite radio stations, I hear other people voicing my same concerns. I hear that more women are working and more men are unemployed. I don't understand why that is. Our fight now is to keep a positive outlook and count the blessings we do have, our friends, our family and our love.
We are "typically average" so I KNOW there are other people out there experiencing the same issues we are and still continuing to put one foot in front of the other. I'd love to hear from you. How's it going for you? What are you doing to help you and yours get through this economy? What are some of the issues you're facing? How has your lives changed? What are your comforts now? Let's share!
Later!
We live in Minnesota. We are average and typical in every way imaginable. And that's fine, we like it that way.
We have 2 sons, 1 daughter-in-law and 2 beautiful grandchildren. We are surrounded by large extended families-both his and mine. My parents are living and still able to care for each other. We are blessed in many ways.
My husband John, has been unemployed since February 2009. He worked for 18+ years for a steel tubing machine shop. There was no severance package, just a "sorry-you're outta here" on a cold February Monday morning. He looks for employment every day and applies for jobs 2-3 times a week. But it's difficult being over 50 and looking for work in this economy. A local school district has given him on-call janitorial work since then, but nothing with benefits and no promises. This is the first time in his life in this situation. We are grateful that we aren't raising young children right now.
I was lucky enough in January 2009 to get a promotion with a raise at my employment. But that's meant longer hours and learning new concepts and applications. At age 57, it's been a struggle but I do enjoy the challenge and I like pushing myself and finding my limits as well as my talents. The difficulty is in finding the balance in my life. I thought that would be easier once our sons were on their own. But no. It's not.
Grateful as I am for my opportunities I wish our positions were reversed! I long to spend more time with our grandchildren. They grow and change so fast. Like our children before them, we can't recapture these moments either. I always thought that by age 55, I'd be semi-retired and taking care of grandchildren and puttering around the yard. Working full-time and overtime means I'm rushing now to their dance recitals, soccer games, T-Ball practice and cramming in what time I can with them on the weekends. Don't even ask about workouts, exercise or time for "us".
And my heart goes out to John as I watch him pouring over Help Wanted Ads online and in the local papers. I want to reassure him that the economy will get better, he'll find a job and life will get back to "normal". But I'm beginning to think we'll be seeing a "new normal".
Whenever I tune into my favorite radio stations, I hear other people voicing my same concerns. I hear that more women are working and more men are unemployed. I don't understand why that is. Our fight now is to keep a positive outlook and count the blessings we do have, our friends, our family and our love.
We are "typically average" so I KNOW there are other people out there experiencing the same issues we are and still continuing to put one foot in front of the other. I'd love to hear from you. How's it going for you? What are you doing to help you and yours get through this economy? What are some of the issues you're facing? How has your lives changed? What are your comforts now? Let's share!
Later!
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