Divine Signatures

I have decided to dedicate a blog post to all the "Divine Signatures" or tender mercies we have witnessed/experienced during this unemployment trial that we have been enduring.  I will continually add blessings to this list as they occur, however great or insignificant they may be.

1.  Paycheck from Ardyss - (At least when Darin was laid off, he received his last paycheck, along with reimbursements and back-pay for health insurance that the company was supposed to have been paying for 4 months.)
2.  We didn't move to Vegas.  This could have been worse had our family up and moved to Vegas for a job that didn't last more than 4 1/2 months.
3.  Unemployment Payments - (Even though it is extremely minimal...less than a quarter of what Darin was earning...we are thankful for it.)
4.  The Frank family inviting us over for Sunday dinner just after Darin was laid off.
5.  Summer break was soon to start - (We didn't need to drive the kids back and forth from school, dance, piano, violin lessons, etc., paying for costly gasoline and lesson tuition fees.)
6.  Bishop's Storehouse - As humbling as it is to go "shop" at the storehouse, made available to needy families through others' fast offerings, it has been a HUGE blessing to have food on our table for each meal...and good food at that.  Yummy beef, yummy mac and cheese, fresh fruits and veggies, and even ice cream!)
7.  A couple pencil drawing commissions paying $400 each and a few art print sales off of Darin's art website.
8.  Selling Darin's Yamaha 4-wheeler for $750 within the first week of it's listing on KSL.
9.  Darin got to go on the Stake Pioneer Trek as a Big Brother and photographer, an amazing experience for him offering spiritual growth, an opportunity to serve, and a much needed "OUT".
10.  I got a job at the local TARGET store, as an early morning team member, responsible for stocking shelves on delivery days.  (MWF, 6-10 a.m)  I was told that only 1 in 2,000 people get hired at Target corporate-wide.  "The cards were just right for you," the HR Leader said.  Just after starting the job, I overhead HR telling a caller that they are no longer hiring, but that they'll keep the resume on file for the upcoming seasonal hires.  Three other "moms" from our ward work there with me.  It is not a "fulfilling" job, but it is "something" and it will help a little.
11.  Our cute neighbor down the street (Dakota's Primary teacher), Dianne Higley, brought over a big case of Yoplait yogurt she picked up from Costco after remembering me mention in an earlier conversation that our family was missing yogurt...the Bishop's Storehouse doesn't stock it.
12.  Darin has been picking up landscaping jobs through a family friend (Alan Bott) who owns a business.  He has been paying him on the side for mowing lawns locally and in Tooele.
13.  No major injuries or illnesses...good things since we only have Dakota insured.  Now, if we could just figure out how to pay for Oakley's and Brooklyn's doctor appointments from April (when we didn't know we wouldn't be insured).
14.  Both State and Church Employment centers are telling Darin that it's not his fault that he can not find a job..."It's just the trend we are seeing.  Companies are not quick to hire.  Hang in there!  Don't get discouraged."
15.  Lynne Nelson, upon a surprise visit to our house from Mapleton, dropped off food from their last Costco shopping trip (Chips, Salsa, Frozen Chicken Breasts, Brownie Mixes, etc.)
16.  Darin started teaching art classes two nights a week in our home bringing in some much needed cash.  HE NEEDS MORE STUDENTS, THOUGH!
17.  Ben and Mel taking Darin and I out to eat.
18.  Holly moving in and paying a little rent.

19.  LDS Church has a job opening for events.  We have my cousin, Ron Stutz, trying to help push Darin's app through.
20.  Will "Arrix" sp? be ready for Darin in January?  Will Mark Loo have something for him in the meantime?  FIVE MLM companies all have Event Positions available.  = HOPE (Even though we have heard nothing from any of them in over two months.)
21.  My mom and dad paid off our Suburban as a loan...we will pay them back as soon as we are employed again.
22.  Darin sold his Lexus for more than we owed.  We can use the extra for living expenses.
23.  Maui Chai just may buy Darin's "The Difficult Lesson" reproduction for $15,000.  Just waiting to hear.
24. Darin interviewed with a company called ??? in July.  A former co-worker from NuSkin (Bart Grazier), after realizing he had no contact info for him, went on a "man hunt" using social media and connected with him via LinkedIn, which Darin had just joined.  Still waiting to hear on job.
25.  Still got to vacation in Park City with the Hyte Family, thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Hyte and their willingness to share their time-share.  We had a great time and it allowed us a much needed R&R and a break from reality.
26.  The Shirts Family took us boating for the day at Utah lake.  Makenna tried to water ski and nearly got up.  They had a really fun time being pulled on the big water tube and bounced all over.  The girls loved this and gave us something to look forward to.
27.  The Knadler Family, in our ward, dropped off a card with a $500 check included to help with the costs involved in getting kids ready for the new school year.  We used pretty much all of it buying backpacks, school supplies, and a few needed school uniform pieces.
28. No job for Darin at ???.  Must be another plan.  He did find out, however, that they guy they hired is being paid very little ($40,000 than what Darin was getting paid before he lost his job).
29.  Oakley was accepted into Hawthorn Academy with her sisters and was able to get into A.M kindergarten.  This allowed me to keep my job and take longer shifts, if needed, for extra $$$ before needing to pick her up.
30.  Free entertainment - Hogle Zoo on annual passes that we already owned (Grandma helped us renew that year).
31.  Brooklyn, Makenna, and Oakley are finally accepted with CHiP (medical insurance for children who can't afford it).
32.  Recycled Halloween Costumes - luckily I have held onto some of the past years' costumes and we found enough in our stock pile to fit each of the girls.  Even though we couldn't pull off one of our themed group costumes, we had something different for each of them that they were excited about.
33.  Darin interviews (and interviews and interviews) with Beachbody after running into some former coworkers at lunch.  It just so happened that they were looking for a recognition person.  After 13 interviews (in person and over the phone), HE LANDS a JOB!!!!
34.  I continue to work bringing in a little extra to fill in the gaps.
35.  Darin continues to find art students.
36.  Arla and Sheldon Rolfe (an awesome older couple in our ward) give us a Christmas card with $250 in it to help with the extra costs associated with the Holidays.
37.  Bishop Chuck Anderson gives us a couple Target gift cards to help us out with purchasing Christmas gifts for the family.  Even though Darin has a job at this time (so far so good), the Bishop knows that it takes a while to get your head above water.
  Even these things are only possibilities, they still offer hope.  Hope can help us endure.  It brightens our spirit just enough to get us through another day.  It also reminds us that God remembers us.