I know this doesn’t help your current situation but I was laid off from the mines back in 2003 after putting in 8 years. I thought I would retire from there and was devastated. I took a “temporary” job as a scaffold builder laborer. I didn’t even know what scaffolding was other than what I had seen the amigos using to brick houses. I got a crash course and chased shutdowns building scaffolds in paper mills, power plants, etc… When the mines called me back a year later, I turned them down. That “temporary” job has me working on my 24th year, making more than I ever would have dreamed of making in the mines. Of course I’m not building scaffolds anymore. Too old and broke up and was smart enough to learn everything I could and move up. I’m in sales/estimating now. Getting laid off turned out to be one of the best things to happen to me. I know you don’t see it right now, but God has a plan for you and your wife. This didn’t catch Him by surprise. I’ll be praying for you and your wife.
