Well, August was...ummm...interesting. I'll get to that though...but as I'm writing this a month late anyways- and we're still alive in September- why not start on a good note, right?!
My mom was way too nice (again) and took Jordy to get his picture taken at Portrait Innovations while we were in WI. It was hard to only order one picture- and even though we asked for "traditional" poses, they still used props...but he was SUPER CUTE even with their silly props!
So-- here are pictures of the pictures they took (he's just too cute not to share more than the one we got...so sorry for the glare! :)
Ok. Now for the drama.
I had been gone for just over a week in WI when Tyler called on a Thursday (actually when we were just getting to Bay Beach in Green Bay) to let me know his company was cutting back and he had been let go. I tried to remain calm as I finished talking to him on the phone. I felt awful I wasn't there with him...and wouldn't be for another 2.5 weeks. I then didn't want to spoil my family's time- but being at a little kid amusement park was the last place I felt like being. However, in hindsight, it ended up being a pretty good place for me at that moment. I could look around and see people having fun and laughing and smiling. Things were going to be O.K. (somehow). The thought even crossed my mind- if we can't find anything in Utah...we could always come to Green Bay, WI and run the rides at Bay Beach :)
I also have to take a moment and just say how impressed I was with Tyler with that kind of news. He was told he could work 2 more weeks (to still get paid) and then he'd be done. So he went to work that next day, on a Friday, and when I asked him after how it was, if he gave his boss the "silent treatment" or was really bitter...he said, no- he went about his normal day (including playing P-I-G at lunch with his co-workers...they've had a tournament going on for sometime) and even was helping fill-in the guys that would be left to cover his job duties when he was gone. He said his boss just felt awful and kept asking Tyler if he could do anything else for him (which, I heard and my first reaction was "uh, yeah, give me a job!") but Tyler, being the MUCH better person than I am, said he understood it wasn't that guy's fault, etc. He told me later that others at work were angry and one, after hearing Tyler's news, went in and yelled at the boss...and this guy apparently is not the yelling type! His co-workers seemed to really have Tyler's back and were sorry to see him go. I am just so proud of Tyler's character and that he acted way more professional than I would have. *An interesting after-the-fact-side note: Several VPs were let go earlier that week and then a few more people have quit themselves after Tyler left because of the bad moral that was left...so he probably didn't want to stay with them anyways! And it wasn't like he LOVED his job...it was just acting as a "filler" until he went to business school...
That being said, he was still job-less. His boss did work it out that Tyler only had to work 1 more week but would still get paid as if he finished the full 2 weeks...that way he would be able to devote more time to applying and interviewing for new jobs. Tyler was very diligent while I was gone and was applying for several jobs a day and had several interviews before I got back. Unfortunately, I had been planning on taking advantage of having others around to watch Jordy so I could do some intense studying for my certification test-- and rather than studying, I was looking up housing/jobs/insurance, etc. trying to help from a distance.
Jordy and I got back to Utah on Saturday, August 9th...one week before I was to take my test. I thought- I had one week that Tyler would be home to watch Jordy and I would just study (cram at that point!) Monday morning we went to the dentist, thinking we would take advantage of one last visit while our current insurance was still valid. Tyler was told he needed a root canal and I was told I had several cavities that needed to be filled. Great. Just what we needed...dental bills. Then, that afternoon I got an email saying, "SURPRISE- the condo had SOLD!" (*Side-note: It sold so quickly even though a month earlier we had been told by the realtor not to worry about moving and the owners were even thinking about taking it off the market. HA!) We had 30 days to move, but they really wanted us out by the end of the month. Hmmmm. There went any plans of studying. We were now jobless, facing big expenses, and just about homeless too! (*Just the month before we had decided we should get the timing belt replaced on our car...thinking we were AVOIDING more costly repairs in the future-- but that was over $500 we spent. It was also nearing the end of August when tuition would be due...PERFECT TIMING! :) *Talk about timing: Tyler had been waiting to set up the crib when we thought we might be moving- but he finally set it up the day before we got back...2 days before we were told we WERE in fact going to have to move. Go figure...
Naturally- Jordy had decided that he wanted to try out that crawling thing right THAT week...so he was mobile and restless and wanting lots of attention. I can honestly say, I felt like EVERYTHING was falling apart. I wasn't sure I should even attempt to take the test that coming Saturday, as I spent that whole week looking for housing, calling to set up appointments, visiting apartments (and feeling depressed at the prospects) and making arrangements to move- with no money :) One thought that I'd been banking on this whole time was that I was a student, so if needed, I could take out student loans. WRONG! Of course, I had missed the deadline for retroactively claiming any amount from last year that I qualified for and this year, I only had to register for 2 credits, yet that wasn't enough to receive federal student loans. I'd have to register for more credits, paying per credit (so increase the amount I owed) in order to then qualify for unsubsidized student loans. (Spend more to go in debt more- Logical, right?!) I had just about had it at that point!
I must say at this point: THANK YOU to all the family and friends that helped me/us, especially that week. I lost track of how many times I was calling my mom to vent and she just kept reassuring me that we'd figure something out. Tyler was amazing as well- helping with Jordy as much as he could in between his interviews and applications and just trying to reassure me we'd be O.K. My sisters were trying to help as much as they could- calling people they knew re: jobs and housing, etc. and Carly even came one afternoon to help entertain Jordy so we could try getting something done. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your love and support and prayers. They were definitely felt!
As I'm probably the WORST person at staying positive amidst trials and the BEST at complaining...like I said before, luckily I'm writing this with some hindsight...and I am consciously trying to find the "good" that came from all this. Here's my feeble attempt:
1. Our brother-in-law is a dentist in NC. We were able to talk to him and get his opinion on what we were told to do with Tyler's root canal and my fillings and what was absolutely essential to take care of at this time. That definitely helped relieve some financial stress and trying to think when to schedule all that while looking for a job/moving.
*Tyler did end up getting a root-canal :( BUT...we still had dental coverage!
2. We moved to the condo shortly after Tyler got the job in SLC-- so it ended up being a PERFECT location being just 2 blocks from the Frontrunner station. (That was part of the stress of looking for a new apartment, not knowing where Tyler was going to get a job.) However, after 2 days of unsuccessful searching (and even being scammed once- long story...), I decided to look more seriously at housing in Orem. I found a nice, newly-remodeled 4-plex in Orem that was available before Sept. 1st. We went to look at it and agreed to take it right then-needing a place we could move to in August. (I had been worried about getting approved for a new place while also looking for a job, but by some miracle, we were approved!) We had
just enough in our savings to pay for the security deposit and the pro-rated rent for August. We had found housing in less than 4 days!
3. I decided to go ahead and take my test on Saturday- seeing as we weren't homeless anymore. And guess what?! With virtually no studying...I passed. Just barely- (and I mean, BARELY!) but BYU just needed to see a PASS!
4. We were able to move the second-to-last weekend of August, and had LOTS of family help. Tyler's Dad was able to come down and watch Jordy while we finished packing and moving and we were able to use their van taking several loads over-- we couldn't have done it without him. THANK YOU!!
Carly, Jess and Ryan and Ben were also able to come and help with taking lots of loads. THANK YOU! Tyler's friend, Brad, had a moving truck available and Zed and Scott helped load and unload the truck...Dallin met us at our place and also helped unload. We feel so blessed to have such amazing family and friends. THANK YOU!
**Here's another miracle from our move: We were unloading the truck and taking lots and lots of trips up and down the ramp carrying boxes, etc. After several trips Scott asked me about my wedding band. I thought it was odd to ask right then, but I described it to him. He asked to see it and I told him I wasn't wearing it because I was carrying stuff and didn't want it on. He then said "oh, you mean this ring?" and he was holding MY WEDDING RING. I asked him where he got that (I had put it in my ring box in my nightstand drawer). He said it had been found ON THE RAMP OF THE TRUCK as people were passing. They thought it looked more expensive than just any old ring- so they picked it up. I about died! Somehow, the nightstand drawer opened up as they were carrying it in and my ring dropped out (the ONLY thing that had). Yet, by nothing short of a MIRACLE, someone noticed it on the ramp!
5. I can't believe I'm saying this- but Tyler not having a job this last month may have been the biggest "blessing"- given the timing of everything else. He was able to help out during the day with Jordy (which Jordy just LOVED) but it also kept me from losing all my patience. Tyler was available to look at apartments with me and even more importantly, he was able to help pack up things and then move us. I'm a bit OCD, and so it was just as helpful to me to have Tyler watch Jordy so I could pack! Jordy was so excited to have so many boxes EVERYWHERE! All that cardboard and tape to eat! Mmmm!
And then once we moved to our new place- I couldn't have imagined trying to unpack anything if Tyler hadn't been here to watch Jordy. We love Jordy so much...but he's a little squirt right now! He's into EVERYTHING and is so FAST! I can't turn my back on Jordy for 2 seconds before he's into something (the cupboards, the books, the cords, etc). That would have been a nightmare...and frankly...IMPOSSIBLE without someone to entertain Jordy! :) *We're still working on the "after" pictures...but we weren't kidding when we say we hardly had a pathway to walk after everything got dumped in our new place!
6. Speaking of not being able to unpack our STUFF... I HATE moving. However, moving after having a baby has proven to me: WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF! Moving it all was not so fun and finding a place in a smaller apartment for it all was quite the challenge...but having so much stuff TO PUT AWAY is a reminder to me just how blessed we've been. We have our needs met and overflowed. We have plenty of THINGS. It made me re-evaluate the importance I put on "stuff" and think about what it is I really need to survive- to be happy.
7. Before Tyler left his old job, a kid he worked with there told him to look up this other company and use him as a reference. Tyler did and had several interviews with them (as we were moving/unpacking). Guess where they are located?! LINDON...that's only about 10 minutes from where our new apartment is! What a change from the hour+ train commute each way! The guys Tyler interviewed with really liked him -- so much so that they were willing to try out a new position, just for Tyler! He was offered a job the Tuesday after we moved. It is a lower-salary, but commission is available. They then called Tyler and told him if he could start the day after Labor Day, they'd give him a $250 signing bonus. Our insurance coverage from his old job was effective through the end of August, and this new company agreed to offer benefits to Tyler effective September 1st. This was also HUGE for us! We were going to have to pay for more expensive BYU Health Insurance for when Tyler's old coverage terminated. Another little blessing. *I also realized, Jordy had just seen the doctor in July, and wasn't scheduled to go again until the first of October. He's also been very healthy...which is a small miracle of timing - so I didn't have to worry about being between insurances to go to the doctor. Tyler decided to take the offer and is working for a company called NUVI. They sell software to businesses to manage social media usage of their respective products, etc. He is working with their sales team to find interested parties to hear a demo and then to manage their account. No, not exactly what he dreamed of, but we're so grateful he has a job with benefits and that it is so much closer!
8. Because we were able to move out before the end of the month, we received our security deposit from the old condo in time to pay our bills that were due the beginning of September. We also were able to clean the old place without having to rush...AND we moved out when the swamp cooler stopped working into an apartment with AC! :) *Also on the bright side of moving to Orem-- we're in a pretty good location- easy access to stores (15 min. walking to Target!) and still not too far from BYU. AND- our insurance premium went down because we're in a nicer neighborhood than where we were in south Provo! :)
**There are many more ways in which we have been blessed- and looking back at all that happened last month, it almost seems comical/surreal that it all happened, at the same time. I don't know WHY it all happened the way it did. We're going to have to have a tighter budget and we'll just have to get used to living in a smaller apartment than where we were living...but we'll be o.k. In fact, we're already more than o.k. Everyday I'm just so grateful we are safe and healthy, and like I said before, we have plenty to meet our needs. No, we may not have access to Sports Center anymore (I am still teasing Tyler wondering if he'll survive without it!)...but that's hardly a "sacrifice" when others really are living WITHOUT things they NEED. If anything- this last month has taught me to have faith. To trust in Heavenly Father that He has a plan for each of us. To be more grateful for all I do have. To look for others I can help and support. To recognize the Lord's hand in my life. I wish I did more of those things on my own...without having to be "compelled" to be humble and to do them. I'm so SO grateful for those that have been patient with me during these challenges and have helped me take things one day at a time.
Mountains to Climb Video
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| Our old condo...all empty. Jordy fell asleep when we were cleaning. Do you think the room is big enough for him?! |
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We went for a walk around the block from our new place and discovered we have an EMU as a close neighbor! :)
There is also a big orchard with peach and apple trees, grape vines and other berries, there are some horses and then some houses with fun decorations (hunting, Halloween, tropical, etc.) all in our new neighborhood. Maybe we were just ready for a change of scenery! :) |
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