Beth Johnson is accustomed to the uncertainty that comes with being a military wife - picking up and moving her family every three years.
The crippling anxiety that comes with a US government shutdown, however, is not something she is used to.
She is one of the millions of Americans who sighed a deep breath of relief when politicians in Washington agreed to reopen the government earlier this week.
At 43 days, it was the longest shutdown in US history.
But that relief could be short-lived, as the funding agreement expires at the end of January, when Congress will face the same spending challenge once again.
It really affects every part of your life when your family’s sole source of income comes from the federal government,” Ms. Johnson said. The uncertainty is crippling.
The Tennessee mother of two has lived in seven states since her husband joined the military nearly 20 years ago.
Not knowing whether military service members would receive their paychecks from the shuttered government left her family with difficult decisions.
Some 1.3 million active-duty personnel are required to serve during government shutdowns potentially without pay, but the Trump administration stepped in twice during the autumn shutdown to reallocate funds for those servicemembers.
However, many families had to tighten their belts due to the uncertainty. One of Ms. Johnson’s sons even offered to receive fewer Christmas gifts, saying “it’s ok we don’t need them.”
Frustration mounts as Ms. Johnson questions, What was it all for? Why were we suffering for over 40 days in uncertainty, not knowing what was going to happen?
The agreement Congress made this week funds the government for the next two months and guarantees payments for federal workers during the shutdown.
Sierra Bird, a mother of four on food assistance, echoed concerns about the future and plans to stockpile food in anticipation of another shutdown.
Despite the resumption of SNAP benefits, health insurance subsidies remain in question, with many families like Bird's left to grapple with their urgent needs.
As citizens reflect on their struggles during the last shutdown, the repeated cycle of financial anxiety raises serious questions about governmental efficiency and accountability.
