Counting My Many Blessing

Preface

When Josh and I got married this was the little car he had. I did not have a car and we didn't really need 2 because we were college students and spent our lives on campus. Isn't such a cute little car? It lasted us a long time with few repairs. We still have it but are hoping Josh's brother will enter it into the demolition derby this year.

 Not long after Josh and I were married his sister gave us another car which we were grateful for. It was (I think) an 87 Chev Celebrity. Those cars last forever. It had over 200,000 miles on it and it was an ugly rusty gold car which I have a picture of somewhere but I couldn't find it. We were grateful to have another car because it got to the point where every weekend Josh was fixing one of them and the other would last until the other was fixed. Thankfully he was capable of fixing them. Seriously looking back it seems like all our free time was spent trying to fix a car. Finally we gave the Celebrity away and parked the Honda when the head warped from over heating. Then we bought our first vehicle together. A 2005 Dodge Caravan, base model, no electric lock or windows. I remember how exciting it was that the van was only 3 years old and we wouldn't have to fix it every weekend. In fact we never had to fix anything on that thing. But we did have to share it and obviously since Josh had to work I was without a car. Actually I wasn't without a car I just never wanted to drive because this was the back up car (the picture below). The 1964 Belaire. Josh loves it because the engine is simple and it has always been reliable. But for me to drive it...I had a little anxiety. The thing is a boat, the front bench is not adjustable, so when I drove it I had to put 2 pillows behind my back and where 4 inch Steven Madden shoes, it is manual, and the drivers door doesn't open from the inside. The only time I drove it was when there was when someone had a doctors appointment. About a year later we bought a little 2007 Chev Aveo commuter car that, oh, I wish we had bought sooner. It gets 34 mpg. I love it. Josh is still driving it and we have parked the Belaire.

Well, last Oct/Nov my mom came for a visit and we were doing some shopping when a lady in a parking lot hit me head on in a F150. I had the right of way but came to a stop because I saw her coming across the parking lot straight towards me. I even honked and she turned into my lane and SMASH! It was a very sad day. No one was hurt too badly. My mom hit her head on the dashboard and had a good goose egg for a few days. We both had some back problems that have been resolve now so, we were very fortunate. It was a little stressful because we don't carry full coverage on our vehicles but the other insurance company took car of me and got me a rental van, a 2011 Grand Caravan, that I was too afraid to drive because of the accident and it was so new and pretty. They totaled our van and so I quickly went to work looking for another one because I didn't not want to be without a car again for a long time.

 I was a little spoiled with the rental so I really liked the new body style of the Dodge/Chrysler's minivans. About 2 weeks later we found "the van" 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. In our price range (because my husband is so good at dickering). I was a very happy girl and it even has automatic locks and windows, and tinted windows. I felt so spoiled again.

So all of this has been a preface for a very short story.

 Story

The other day I was coming out of the grocery store and there were 2 white minivans within about 4 spots of each other. You know how you have to take a quick look at both to decide which one is yours. I looked at the one closest to me and thought that one isn't mine, it's too nice, then realized it was mine. This made my day.  Really, there isn't anything fancy about my van but I love it. I am so blessed.

 10 more weeks

This picture was taken at 28 weeks. I am getting so excited to meet this new little baby. This pregnancy has been the best so far. With the other 3 my ribs hurt so bad so early on in the pregnancy I was never comfortable. But now I am all stretched out and my insides are already sagging, that problem is solved.

I had been wanting to get a new car seat for this baby. Actually I was really trying to decided if it was a want or a need. The car seat we have is 8 years old and it's been through 4 babies. My sister gave it to us before I had Benson and I loved it. Now it is torn in 4 different places and stained and just out dated. So I had been checking craigslist, trying to be patient and decided that if I hadn't found a great deal I wouldn't buy anything new until a week before the baby was due. Well I found one at a yard sale, maybe 2 or 3 years old, that I love for $1. Can you believe that? Yes, I bought it for $1.

 Porter turned 2

 We had Josh's family over for a little birthday party on his birthday. He loves attention and will let anyone hold him or sit on their lap.

Special things about Porter:

His favorite song is Happy Birthday to you. His brothers have taught him the version, "you smell like a zoo, you look like a monkey, and you act like one too."

He loves to play outside.

He loves play dough.

He cannot leave the new kittens alone.

We got some manure from grandpa's house about a month ago to put in our garden and every time he walks through the garden he says, "Grandpa's poop, grandpa's poop."

He will sit and listen to books for a long time.

He is very polite and good at saying please and thank you.

He sleeps in a toddler bed.

Dad and grandpa are his favorite people.

If I am sitting down he has to crawl all over me.

This is all I can think of for now but I sure love this little boy. He definitely keeps me on my toes and very busy.