Working hard through college as most of do, my husband and I both attained a bachelor's degree while having children and working part & full time jobs. Its amazing either of us even passed classes among the 3am work times, morning sickness and newlywed ups and downs, let alone a newborn who didn't care much for sleep. Anyone relate?

Well upon my husband's graduation  excitement, anticipation and anxiety was high! We searched all possible job opportunities and I mean that to the fullest extent. My husband applied for jobs as close as Rexburg, Idaho (where we were living at the time) to as far away as Singapore. We were united on the determination to get a job even if that meant we must move far away. Of course I would love to be close to family I was realistic about what the job market really had to offer.

We did get a job about 4 months ( Dec. 2009 ) after graduation and were very happy to have a little extra income to buy a few things we had put off due to the small income of college students. So we went out and bought some tires for our only vehicle and we payed down some debts. Extravagant, no? We were pretty happy to do just the needs. After almost 10 months into the job we had paid off all our debts and felt comfortable enough to add a vehicle to our then growing family. Just as a year mark at this job approached we were given an abrupt notice with NO inclination of anything amiss that my husband was to be laid off that day. As my husband took the VERY long drive home all he could think about was how he would tell his newly pregnant wife the current events of his very short day at work...  "You may leave the office and your things will be gathered for you and sent to you."...

We were both devastated. Our world was spinning a little faster now and it was hard to get a hold of ourselves long enough to focus on what our future held. We just did what we both do best, we got back to work. We took on the next job opportunities that came along and because of amazing family we were put right back to work. Though it so happened that this next job sent my husband from a highly paid and respected engineer to a laborer whose worst job description would be cleaner of the toilets! (Don't get me wrong, those who do janitorial services are no less than someone at a desk. They are just not given the respect they deserve.)During this time we did not skip a beat to apply for every job within my husbands degree that we found online or were referred to.

The worst of it for me was watching my husbands self confidence be flushed down the toilet. I mean sure there was the worry of not being able to make all ends meet but more important for me was how it was changing us emotionally.

*This is the beginning of my journal blog about our families run in with multiple lay offs within just a few years of marriage, small children, and graduation. I am writing this to encourage and bring hope to those experiencing the same trials. I know couples and families can come out of unemployment stronger than before. I just don't think we are aware of the emotional toll it takes on families and there are just not enough resources for couples and it shows. This is a very rough draft but felt impressed to get it out there sooner rather than later!