Our New Ride

The time has come for us to be a two-vehicle family. Actually, being a one-car family wasn't bad. Jed and I both enjoy the bike rides from place to place and it was sometimes a good excuse. "You want me to do what? Sorry, no vehicle!"

However, I felt guilty bumming rides to church week after week, I worried about what I would do if Jed got hurt and I had no way to get him to the ER, I felt bad that Dave's days off were taken up by my mundane errands and grocery-shopping trips, and, the biggest reason of all, fitting comfortably in our truck wasn't happening any more. Jed's legs are just too long!

So a new ride was definitely in order. We headed down to Houston on Tuesday with a list of vehicles we wanted to see (yay Craigslist!!) after bidding Jed farewell. Our awesome friends the Hewetts kindly took Jed for the day so Dave and I could be gone as long as we needed.

The first vehicle we looked at was great. We were in love by the time we got done driving it around. However, we had a couple of others still to look at and we didn't want to seem too eager, so we told the kid we'd call him.

After getting lost (Houston and the surrounding areas are terrifying to drive in) about 3 times, we finally found the mom-n-pop dealership that had the second vehicle on our list. I got suspicious when the "building" for the dealership was a single-wide trailer up on blocks. We went inside to meet a guy I'd talked to on the phone and found an older gentleman wearing a button-up polo shirt and jogging shorts. We talked for a few minutes about the weather and then, apparently because we look like nice folks, he proceeded to tell us about his business troubles--which car had starter problems, which car needed new tires, how his partner had been gone fishing for the past month. I still can't decide his motive. Was he trying to let us know he was just a regular guy? Trying to drum up pity so we'd buy a vehicle from him? At any rate, after this conversation, he happily turned over the keys and said "Well, there's a few things wrong with it. The check-engine light won't turn off, it won't pass inspection and we might have to jump it so you can drive it around." Um, okay. Sir? This is not how to run a successful business.

Dave and I headed out into the increasing rain to look at the vehicle. Dave looked under the hood to see if he could see anything wrong while I opened the doors to inspect the interior. Before I could even get a good look at the stains on the seats, a wave of smoker-smell hit me full in the face. I jumped back and slammed the door. Dave had decided he was done with the engine, too. The guy met us coming out, saying "do we need to jump her for ya?" Dave just handed him back the key and said "I think we've seen all we need to see."

So, to make a long story short, we went back and bought the vehicle we'd driven first. And we're really happy with it. I have to say, it felt a little weird to be handed the keys and know that we have two cars in our life now.

I don't know who's happier, Dave, me or Jed. Dave says I look snazzy behind the wheel, but that might just be because he's biased. I love having my own car again--I feel like I'm 17 and my parents have grudgingly given their permission for the brown Buick to be "mine" again. I LOVE knowing I can go anywhere I want, any time.

Oh yeah, Jed loves it too. He kept looking around at all the s p a c e and kicking his legs for the sheer pleasure of it. We put his car seat in the middle so we have easier access to him and it is so nice for me to be able to turn around and see all of him now, since I couldn't in the truck.

Watch out, Crockett! Mommy and Jed are on the loose!