Deserve it? Not even.

Done and done.

We found a few Siennas online that we were interested in looking at, so the plan was made to venture down the mountains to the city. The plan went something like this: Borrow the lovely brother-in-law's sweet little red car which barely fit 2 kid car seats in the back (but we were very grateful!), drop Emmy off at her BFF's, and go buy a van.

Please don't think about that statement long enough to realize that we squished Emmy between two car seats in order to get her to her friend's house. We're not those parents!
*ahem*

We went to a dealership called MiniVansOnly and it was all that and more. Complete with indoor playground for the kids while the parents shop. And go figure - they had just what we needed. The dealership owner was super awesome, and happened to be BFF's with our neighbor, and we naturally found all kinds of things in common. Isn't that what car salesmen do? No offense to car salesmen. I'm related to a very talented one.
But it worked - we bought his van. And I drove it home. Get this: Unlike the white van, you don't feel like you're pulling your arm out of socket to get the door closed! And the overhead lights work! And the transmission shifts really good! And there's a CD player! What? I know! So spoiled now.

Most importantly, it passed the Emmy inspection. It was love at first ride. She named it Goldylocks. 

"Because it's gold and it locks." Clever thinking, don't you think? 

Here's the other story. Caleb sold his 4Runner, right? To his sister, who is cherishing it. Why did it not occur to me before that he was selling his favorite vehicle he's ever owned so that we could afford a better car for me? I mean we talked about it. I got it. Why was I so insensitive to his sacrifice? 

We decided very early in our twosome that we weren't going to have car debt. We bought our first car with the money we received from loving guests at our wedding reception. A whole bunch of $20's ads up to some hundreds! Caleb bought smart, fixed a few things, and sold that first car for more than we paid. Over the next two years he repeated the process about 12 times. By the time Emmy was on the way we were able to buy a car that we could climb into with full confidence that we would arrive at our destination. That was a novelty! Do you see what Caleb did for us? All those hours on cold cement garage floors under a car, so we could stay out of debt. 

When we had the white van and the 4Runner, that was the first time we had owned TWO reliable vehicles. 

Jayne: "Caleb, why did you do that? That 4Runner was your best friend!"

Caleb: "What you drive is way more important than what I drive."

Jayne: "But..."

Caleb: "It's ok. Really really."

Jayne: "Getting misty here."

So anyway. After the van purchase we are left with a dismal little pile of change for Caleb to get a new vehicle with, and so the search begins. Spending hundreds instead of thousands doesn't even phase him.

How do I live with this kind of perfection?

;)