My cleaning business has dwindled to just a few cleanings a week. Actually that was to be expected since most of the snowbirds have gone home for the summer.
What we weren't expecting was that my husband, Chris, to be laid off. His last day of employment was on Tuesday. The company itself is still open but barely surviving. Chris' dad and his business partner are the only two left to try and keep the company afloat. Between the two of them, there is just enough business to last out the year and they are hoping that something happens before then to bring back the two employees.
Chris has already filed for unemployment and his first claim date will be at the end of the month. We don't know how much he will be receiving for another week at least. We did go apply for assistance and that could take anywhere from 7-30 days to just find out whether or not we qualify for food stamps and possibly medical for the kids. He did get an email stating that he should receive a phone call within 15 days for an interview. We will plan on going to our local Salvation Army to see if we can get rent assistance since Chris' last paycheck went to pay our Utilities and car insurance with about half left over.
There would have been a time when I would have thought this was the end of the world but I am at peace. Yes, it is going to be a life altering. We are going to have to change the way we do things but that in itself is not a bad thing. We have been pretty spoiled and this is just going to make us appreciate what we do have a whole lot more. While Chris is not going to immediately go out and look for a job, no sense in looking through the classifieds there is barely a page of job openings, he has already made several network connections that have put him at the top of the list so when something does become available, even if it is just part time, he will be given first choice.
We have talked repeatedly about this situation happening before and so now that he will have some free time he will be helping me market myself. He was given a gift for sales. He could sell snow to the Eskimos and so he will be selling me and my cleaning business to most of the condo associations where people can still afford the luxury of someone else cleaning their homes.
Chris and I look at our situation with a positive outlook. One door closes and many more will open because we do have faith that there is One that will carry us through this storm and our trust in Him will bless us tenfold. I am not saying that it is going to be a cake walk but we will get through this with a much stronger faith and a greater love for one another.
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