Like how Lauren is ALL about being a little mommy these days. She has been dressing up her lovies (stuffed animals) in pj's and clothes and taking them places in her "car." Packing bags of food for them and feeding them. She is just so sweet and cute I can't get enough of it. And the things she says...her vocabulary astounds us. And Olivia is just all sorts of crazy. The other day in the car while we were out and about running errands she was in her seat flailing her arms and legs around in a circular motion screaming and having this little conversation with Lauren and I. I just couldn't get enough of it- I was laughing and carrying on, right back at her. Or the moment the other day when she was on the bathroom floor, while I helped Lauren out, and she got herself stuck in the corner- since she's in the part of crawling where she just pushes herself backwards across the floor frustrated she's moving further away from her desired object- and she was screaming and rocking back and forth trying to figure her way out of this predicament. Any day now she'll be crawling I can feel it in my bones- yikes! Somedays I just want to wear a video helmet archive it all and then we have our moments of crazy and I'm glad that wasn't caught on camera ;-).
So back to a few weekends ago, because that is when we became the "Minivan Family." The iconic suburb home fully equipped with a minivan in the driveway. That isn't the part I want to "archive" though. I want to look back and remember God's hand in it all. This is a case of hindsight being 20/20.
So it all started WAY back when Matt and I decided it would be financially best to pay off our car loan on the Pilot early. Now full props to Matt who had brought up the idea and about a month or so later it occurred to me that Matt's train of thought was best (which is usually the case, but don't let him know that ;-) He helped me to realize that with the economy the way it is right now our savings account was not making us much money and that to pay off our car loan was really saving us money. This is because the interest rate on our loan was greater than the interest rate on our savings account. Plus, he was still at his old job and paying off that loan meant more money for our monthly budget, which at this point was very much needed. So we put a chunk of money towards the loan and paid it off early.
After doing this, we still took part of the money we were using to pay the car loan each month and opened a new savings account and put a portion of that money into it so we could start saving for a down payment for a 'new to us' car, when the time was right. Because at this time we didn't see the need for a new car for a few years.
Then months later we were very blessed by God and some loved ones. We were able to pay off Matt's loan completely, leaving us with one one student loan payment. Mind you this was totally unprompted by us- we were approached and didn't ask anything of others. Matt and I both fully believe it was our choice to attend college and assume the debut associated with a four year degree. We had full intentions of paying for these loans ourselves. God had another plan though. Very shortly after having Matt's loan taken care of mine was too. This is a blessing I can say without a doubt is the Lord's doing. Matt and I have diligently been paying off student loans since graduating. We started with four loans, two each. We paid off two before having Lauren, when we were a two income house. The two remaining were manageable and plugging away we would have paid them off but to have them taken care early a miracle beyond words. This freed up the funds needed, without even knowing we needed them. In fact, I have a vivid memory after we were approached about helping us out and saying to God- "You must know something I don't- because we're doing okay right now, You're providing for our needs- why do we need more?"
You see we had the Pilot and a four door sedan, both in good working order, nothing wrong with them. That was until Olivia was born. I know that may seem silly, since both of those cars work just fine with two kids, but here's the kicker- when Brooke is around that brings us up to three kids. And if we're lucky enough God will bless our family again (Lord knows I'd love a van full).
The Pilot seemed SO big, until you put three car seats in there. First off with two kids in car seats in the middle row you can't get to the back row unless you climb through the back. So each time I watched Brooke, I would crawl into the back with her- my butt on full display was I buckled her in. Then add a double stroller into the mix. Plus, in order to give Brooke her much needed leg room, I had to move the passenger seat all the way forward, move the middle row seat all the way forward and then she didn't look like an elf stuffed into a too small box. It wasn't horrible, but it just showed us that a minivan was in our future. And the same goes with vacations/trips. Yes, the Pilot fit all of our stuff but we are busting at the seams, especially when we had a little baby that requires so much stuff- it gets better once they're older and I've become a better packer as I've realized what is needed and what can be lived without. But again all signs pointed to a minivan in our future.
Now I'm going to send you back some years. When I met Matt he was driving his family hand-me-down 1988 Dodge Caravan. He's been a minivan man since I've known him. He has been all about a roomie minivan since we were talking babies. So he was on board when I was screaming "minivan" the first time I tried to put three car seats into the Pilot.
We are not frivolous people so we did not run out and buy a minivan just to accommodate me driving around with three kids when I watched Brooke. I began praying for our next car and what it might be. Praying for God's timing in this decision. We live on one income- two years ago I would have told you we'd be sporting the same two cars for years to come, knowing full right we couldn't afford a new car any time soon. But then God provided in a way only he can.
We did kind of set a time frame for the new potential car- we were flexible knowing God's timing would be best. When we first talked about it- we were thinking some time in 2014. As things fell together financially though it seemed that it might happen sooner. So things get better- as they always do when God's hand is in it. So here's the cherry on top and sprinkles all over part! We had set a date for Matt's parents to come down and enjoy the girls while we enjoyed some time to ourselves for our anniversary. And as everything worked out the perfect van came into the scene. It was all we desired and more. It was a gift from God delivered at such a time as we could take care of everything kid free. God even provided babysitter so that we could spend then many hours at the dealership without our little loves in toe. That was beyond my imagination wonderful!
I needed to write this. I needed to achieve His working in Our lives. He blesses us beyond our imagination. We were just hoping for a car to better suit our growing family and he didn't just give a four wheels and a payment. No HE provided the money for the car, a newer car that will last for years, a car that fit not only our list of needs but our list of wants too.
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God" Philippians 1:9-11
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