We're so glad you have the support you have... God bless everyone!!! We are praying for you and your situation. Bear Hugs and Prayers, Kirk and Carol

So sorry to hear of the layoff & hope it will work into an even better job for DH!! I know how to stretch a # of hamburger with, pasta or rice, add hot dogs to mac & cheese & very few at that (much better for health using few!LOL) We lived on scrambled eggs & tomato soup (used to be 10 cents a can-remember!!) for 6 mos. That's how we got into our house. We did have some cereal & pork & beans to go with it!! I hung the laundry from kitchen door to the other end of house 1 yr when DH was getting very little work as his boss was more interested in his love life than his business.DH got a different job soon as possible!!(through networking) so you will do what you have to do!! Just remember you are not alone, lots of us on here pulling for you!! God Bless & praying for you & your family!! Be upfront with the kids & ask them ways they can think of to cut back. That way it will be a game & not a chore! Recycle cans & bottles,no individual bags of chips or cereals, use big box & take in sandwich bag if necessary. Can 1-2 older kids shovel snow for his spending money, how about part time job at a store?? Hoping it will soon resolve itself & then save a little more then before if you can!! Will be checking in here & report your progress!! Hope DH is well soon!! Jan

Awwwww ... Mimi! How awful! I too hope this provides an opportunity for your husband to find something better and more stable. And I'm glad you have so much support both financially and spiritually. You and your family will definitely be in my thoughts and prayers!

Mimi~

I am so sorry to hear about all of the trials you and your family are facing. I am also glad that you have such a great support network! We'll be praying for all of you and hope that you DH finds a new job very soon!

Just remember when God closes one door he opens another...And it's always better....Hugggsss a bunch...

I know exactly how you are feeling. That strange CALM. I have had that too while hubs has been sweating bullets. He is in the Mortgage business. WOOOOOOO-OOO-OO dont throw any rocks ya'll. He never encouraged anyone to ask him for a bigger loan than they could afford!!!! He just pushed paper to the underwriter for approval or disapproval based on the criteria, which was lax. I felt like the industry was really being generous to people by helping them to get into a home.

Business as you know has been next to nothing. The underwriters went from approving most loans to disapproving almost all loans. We have been living very tight for the past year. You can really cut down and cut back in most areas. Different modes and facets of life emerge that you may not have seen before.

You are right to be calm. Embrase changes because they stir up a stale existence. They teach us what is truly important in life. They cause us to be more dependent on God and less dependent on THINGS. Necessity breeds creativity, I promise. A NEW JOURNEY!!!!

Susie

Prayers coming your way, Mim! May this too pass quickly and may the good doors open for your DH and your family. Stick together and turn to God, your family & friends...sounds like you are on your way! Jeanne S.

I'm with you Mimi! I know that feeling very well. It only happens at really,really tough times! (didn't happen at my very toughest time, but that's different). It's like a survivor mode.
LOL Jan!! Oh my, yes, DH and I are always telling people how after we paid bills we might be lucky to have $25 to buy groceries for the week...and that was for a family of four, and quite a few neighborhood kids we fed daily. That was also before we had a computer or internet and could find all the best ways to save,lol.He worked outside, and if it rained or was too cold...well,you know how that is!
Wow, and yeah, remember you could get 10 boxes of mac&cheese for $1, and maybe 10 cans of tuna for $1!Thank goodness my family loved my cousins recipe of mac&cheese and tuna and peas, we sure ate a lot of that! And beans and rice! I think canned vegetables were 10/$1,too.10 lbs. of chicken for $2,lol! I could make enough spaghetti sauce to feed 10 people with lots and lots of leftovers. We'd have pancake dinners bc pancake mix was about 4/$1 and you only had to add water, and have enough pancakes cooked to last all week for breakfasts for everybody! It soon got to be the thrill of the hunt as far as grocery shopping went! Thank God for the bread thrift store! Toast, garlic bread,french toast,grilled cheese,grilled peanut butter and jelly, and bread pudding!
I always thought of it as "things can't get any worse" and "be thankful for what you do have"....and I cried when those kids grew up and told me that was the only food they got most of the time. I'm grateful I could do just that little thing for them.
You'll get through this and things will work out.
Cherry/Kudzu

Hey girl.... in the same boat here...DH with no job. I do work and have a fairly decent paycheck but it's not enough. I look up to you for having thought ahead on the grocery thing... I'm a day by day person cause I hate to cook. We have cut way back on the eating out. Youngest is 18 and in community college. She works too but we don't ask for money for bills she pays her own car pmnt. We are both from Oh by the way!!! DH does not have a collage degree and has been in sales for years...well can't sell to people with no job!!! NC is one of the worst states unemployment wise. All the factories went to china!!! You will be in my thoughts and prayers. We are waiting to here from the mortgage co. about a refinance. Hope your home is secure. I pray for a better 2009 for everyone.

Mimi and bright, I will keep both of your families in my prayers. These are hard times for everyone. I am very grateful for all that I/we have. Trusting God goes a long way and He definetly meets our needs but darn trusting can be so hard sometimes. I am glad you have others that can help out Mimi.

Mimi and Bright I just sent up a prayer for you.
God Bless You and get you through this trying time.
I've been there and back and so will you! :)

Sylvia
Nana

Mimi dear ~ this is such a stressful time, and I admire you for the positive way you're handling it. Looking at the things you do have to be thankful for, rather than what you don't, is the way to go. I've been there and done that as well, life always puts us through these trials, no matter what our position in life, it has its challenges. If it's not money related, it's our health, and that's even more important than money.

It's comforting to know that you have some good reliable resources available too if needed. We are here for you as well. And you will be in so many prayers, you'll never even know. But they will be answered, and there will be better times ahead.

I personally believe that the only business that doesn't get slow in times like these, is the undertaking business. Like they say about taxes and dying ... ahem ... :-)

Hugs and prayers and best wishes for you ~tenderlee

mimi and bright,
i am so sorry to hear about your husbands and their jobs. It is scary to think of the "whats-gonna-happen-now", but it sounds like you both have a blessed attitude and you are doing the most important thing, giving it to God. Trials and tribulations are a part of life but, gosh-darnit, they are hard to deal with sometimes. Mimi, that is a wonderful thing about storing up your food supply. Very smart.Bright, we will be praying for the perfect refinance to go thru for your family. It is good to have the support of family, friends and church. They are blessings from God. We will be praying for you both for a rainbow at the end of your storm.
blessings and prayers-sherri

Dear Sweet Princess Mimi !!!!
~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ (((((((((( YOU ))))))))))))))))))))))
me waving @ U and Me Hugg'n ~~~ u !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

***** My Heart Goes out to you during this
time of sadness and pain and loss......
It Is Shocking ! ! !

been there.... done that.. got the T-Shirt...
and
decided to throw the T-Shirt away.... cause
I did not want to be reminded of it....ho ho

*** No seriously... My DH was Shocked that
after 17 years at one company the Company...
let All the Drivers go.. with only 2 weeks pay.

My DH was the #3 Driver... out of 55 He was really upset..
but...
the # 1 Driver got so upset that he had a
heart attack!!!!!!!!!!

sooooooo while we were SHOCKEd....
and sad....

We had to just say..... "GOD KNOWS ! ! !"

it was very hard for DH cause he does NOT like
change... and
our oldest son had just died in a Truck roll over
accident... and we had just moved from TEXAS up to
Wisconsin to be
near DH 's Dad who was ill... and He passed away !
While...
Darling Daughter's hubby left her and she had just found out
that she was going to have a baby !
*** sorry if it sounds like I made this up...
DH does have a new job ... now but...
as you well know..
like your DH...
the trucking industry is extremely SLOW and
just cut back to almost Scary !!!!

*** I'm telling you this to tell you....

That I just had to try to get a grip on
All of these....
" THINGS ! ! !"

so........ I started reading " THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE"
book by
Pastor Rick Warren....

It helped me then... to handle these things.
and it is
continuing to help me today ! ! !

and the Purpose Driven Life and Reading My B I B L E ~~~~ Daily.... and with the help of my Super Special Friends here at the Garden Web... Garden Junkers.... I Am indeed ~ ~ ~ going to make it !!!!!!!! ONE DAY AT A TIME !!!!!!!!! With A Little ~~~ B \* U \* N \* C \* H of Help from my friends.... but... It was a bunch to handle... at one time ! But I am Learning. It's Not All About My Happiness... I had to get way out of my COMFORT ZONE !!!!! \*\*\*\* My Darling Daughter Had her Baby... They are living with me... Now I am a GRAMMIE ! ! ! and \*\*\* I am just totally O ~ V ~ E ~ R ~ JOYED !!! \*\* That Little GrandBaby makes it ALL worth it \*\*\*\* Helps to Teach me what is Really Important !!! I am learning.... so much and God is showing me to \*\*\* COUNT MY BLESSINGS !!!!! I make a Gratitude List WEEKLY & Add to it daily !!!!!!!!!!! Ms Princess Mimi ~~~~ I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Proud of you for the SPECIAL WIFE that you are!!! THE EXTRA SPECIAL M O T H E R !!!!!!!! that you are!!! \*\*\*\*\*\*\* the EXTRA Special work that you do at your church !!!!!!!!!! & Helping OTHERS !!!! So..... Please KNOW \*\*\*\* you are always .... ALWAYS on my Prayer List !!! your family is ALWAYS on my Prayer List !!!!!!!!!! and If ANYONE ..... can inspire their DH .... and Children.... YOU CAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- In the mean time....... ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT !!!! It's OK !!!! Cry if you need to!!! It's OK !!!!!! Talk to friends... Keep busy with all your Wonderful IDEAS ! ! ! Lots of Love & Prayers ! Your GJ Buddy SusieSunshine ( \* \* \* I LEARNED THIS LESSON : When God is at the Center of your life... you Worship, when HE IS NOT.... you WORRY!!! FRET NOT!!!! FRET NOT!!!!!! FRET NOT!!! \* \* \* Don't worry//// be happy//// that is repeated in the Bible... Over and over a bunch of times ! ! ! Have Faith In God ~ ~ ~ HE's On His Throne !!!! Have Faith In God ~ ~ ~ HE Watches over YOU !!! Hope I did NOT sound Preachy.... I'm just trying to ENCOURAGE YOU Cause I Love YOU !!!!!!!!!!!! I Do KNOW THAT IT IS A HARD PLACE TO BE IN!! Do it \* \* " ONE DAY AT A TIME WITH GOD ! ! ! " \* \* \* ~~~~ HE Cares Deeply for You Ms MiMi ! ! !

Mimi and bright, my thoughts are with you. I hope that things work out better soon. I feel so fortunate not to have been effected except that our 29 yo foster daughter moved back in with us due to no longer being able to afford her apartment. She is still underemployed - I don't know if we'll ever get rid of her lol. Pulling together is one benefit of hard times. And being grateful. Susie I love your gratitude list! Stocking up was a good idea Mimi. Good for you. I think I'll open a new savings account tomorrow! Tho supposedly people like me who still have jobs are supposed to go out and buy things to save the economy. I do my best at SA and our local thrift shop.
You are both very brave and have great attitudes.

kathy

I know very well what a difficult and insecure time this is for you, but you MUST keep the faith. Things WILL get better!!

Shortly after we were married...combining our families...and when our six kids (my 4 daughters & his 2 sons) were in high school, DH's public affairs position was totally eliminated suddenly during cutbacks. We were devastated!

He got a job in Cincinnati, took a room there during the week and commuted on the weekends. That left me at the mercy of 6 teenagers!! I was unable to work, due to health problems, so DH's was the only income we had. While he was in Cincinnati, he was literally run over by a semi while crossing at a light one day!! Fortunately, he was only banged up...in spite of the fact the wallet he had in his back pant's pocket was pinned under the wheel of the truck cab!! Try to imagine how I felt when he called to tell me he had been run over by a semi!! To this day, DH keeps his smashed Samsonite briefcase in his office as a conversation piece!! LOL

The job in Cinci was a crock! He came back to Toledo, went door-to-door selling Yellow Page ads...in the dead of winter...for awhile. He was VERY discouraged...but kept on keeping on! We had to go on Welfare and food stamps and had some secondhand furniture back then...much to the embarrassment of our kids. It was a very difficult time, but we survived, kept the faith, and eventually it all got better.

That was just over 26 years ago. Then DH got a job with a prominent PR firm here and has worked for them ever since.

So...believe me when I say...things WILL get better!!

God bless you all and help you through this difficult time.

~Sandy~