A Mommy Story

So I hate to sound like a broken record, but I’m really sick of this recession. It was just over a year ago that Aaron was laid off from his state job, and it’s been three months since the contract job ended. We’ve done well at living on the small unemployment checks, food assistance and a little help from my mom. We still have our house, we haven’t had to sell anything major to pay the bills, and we still get the occasional night out or treat for ourselves.

But the constant worry grates on me. It takes one illness, one accident, one car breakdown to throw us into panic. Our tax return from last year gave us an extra cushion for a few months, but now it’s gone and we’re back to carefully juggling the bills to make sure everything gets paid. We’re still OK, although I hate living so close to the edge.

Aaron has applied for several jobs, but has only had one interview, thanks to a friend of ours who works for the same company. Our friend assured us that Aaron is currently the top pick for the job, but we’re still waiting for that call back. And we don’t even know how much it will pay – it’s a mail room job that he is overqualified for, but hopefully he could advance quickly.

And as of Friday I’m officially a nursing school graduate (well, I’ve completed all the graduation requirements, but the ceremony is on Friday). Time to go out and find one of those plentiful nursing jobs, right? See, when I first started nursing school, we were told how nurses were in demand, and local hospitals were offering $5000 hiring bonuses. Two years later? Not so much. Now there are hiring freezes, cutbacks, and no one wants a new grad nurse.

My one lead, also thanks to a connection, is sitting in limbo at the moment. They like me, and I think they want to hire me, but their HR won’t let them hire a nurse until he/she has a license. Taking the exam for my license won’t happen until the end of June or early July at the earliest due to paperwork processing between the school and the Board of Nursing. They likely need the position filled sooner than that, however, so I may not have a chance.

I’m still applying at several other hospitals, too, even those outside of Columbus. It’s a shame I’m not willing to move – there are other states that still have a nursing shortage.

In my ideal world, Aaron and I will both get jobs soon, we’ll be lifted out of this financial limbo, and we can pay off our debts and get back to a more stable life. Where I won’t have to check the checking account daily, worry if we have enough to pay the bills that month, or go to Once Upon A Child to sell kids’ clothing to help cover those bills. I won’t have to be the cheap mom who avoids birthday parties and weddings so we won’t need to buy a gift. Where I can buy a bottle of decent wine once in a while without feeling guilty about it.

And I’m wishing the same good fortune for so many other friends who are in similar situations. Being struck down by financial weakness sucks.

I do believe that everything in life happens for a reason. I think I’ve learned a lot from this experience, but now I’m ready to move on to a place that isn’t so close to the bumper and front wheels of the karma bus.