Bye, Bye Buick

It is with a little sadness that I announce the Buick is gone. We traded it in last night for a used Toyota truck. For some time now we have been working to eliminate all of our outstanding debt down to our mortgage, and are getting very close. So, Clay and I were both a little less than thrilled to have to pick up a new car payment right now. I am no fool though. Clay could hardly contain his excitement over finally having a truck in the family. We tried having a truck once before and had to buy our van back when we found out Matthew was on the way! I must admit that I am just a little excited about it too. Just think about all of the projects we can plan on doing with the truck . . . but never really do! Isn't that the way it goes? : )

My sadness though didn't really have anything to do with the payment. This was my Pappy's car. For a long time, it still smelled like him. A lot of his "emergency tools" were in the trunk. When Clay went to change the license plate this past year, he found a key placed strategically between the frame and the plate, "just in case". We had to smile (and almost cry a little). As much as we have laughed over having a car that most people under 65 don't even consider, it was a wonderful gift, a very nice ride, and a true blessing for us at the time. But it turned 10 years old and decided to give up (In one week, the wipers got stuck in the up position, the windshield finally cracked across the front, the computer for the odometer stopped and the gel in the rear-view mirror leaked down the mirror.)! Sentiment aside, the car needed to go or we might go down with it--into the money pit, that is.

So, here's to Clay's truck!!