Air Conditioning Is A Necessity in Oklahoma

I have never come so close to purchasing a new car before. We were casually looking at new cars. We test drove an 2008 Honda Fit, we got windblown looking at Jeeps and Dodges, Saturns and even a few Fords. Our last stop was at the Hyundai dealership. We drove an 2007 Elantra, and it was nice. It was white, four doors, and still had the new car smell with only 7 thousand miles on it. We were actually in the finance office. We had gotten to the point of discussing how to make the down payment. I had the checkbook out of the purse. But I couldn't do it. Basic Math and my gut stopped me.

Do you suppose that a Finance Manager would understand if I told him I had a psychic flash not to buy the car? God spoke to me, told me not to go into debt? Have you ever had to have the breakup conversation with a Finance guy? It's not you, it's me. Really. Yeah, that's it. It's ME.

I feel bad (but not so very bad after all) about letting the sales guy think this thing was in the bag. He was nice enough. I don't fault him. I feel sad that he got his hopes up. It is his living wage (hear me laugh, I know what sort of commission car sales guys barely make) to make car sales, and we, while not intending to hurt anyone, really did not plan to buy when we walked in. Don't get me wrong, here. I want nothing more than to trade off the Buick Century. It gets on my nerves. But, it is mine. We own it outright, no payments, no debt. It may drive me nutty, but it is a comfortable sort of nutty.

I still have no idea what is to be done with the Chevy Malibu. It sits in Dad's yard, still on the trailer. I suppose that since it died on the road, it is probably toast. I have no plan yet on how to pay for any repairs. If it needs a replacement engine, I wonder if I can feel confident in its future performance? I am torn. I don't want to make payments, and I loved the Malibu. I desire a new car, yet I enjoy having my money.

I still don't know if it was that the car was not THE car, or if I sensed that I would have to pay so much to fix Dad's van. Saturday, we had to replace the starter in the Dodge. Which was a small price to pay, compared to towing my car for four hours. I don't really have an explanation, and I don't really want to dwell on the "loss" of the possibility of the car. I just know it was my reading and education from Dave Ramsey that kept ringing in my head. "Sleep on it." If the deal is right, it will still be there Monday. As good as the deal was, it was not right for us.

I sit here thinking that I can have been driving the prettiest new car. And if I had been doing that, I would be broke. Not really in so many dollars, but the feeling of poverty would have depressed me. More than the anticipation of paying for the fixing of "my baby" has already done.

We got to see Niece Jelly Bean today. She spent yesterday and today with Grandma and Grandpa. They were in Enid this morning, and came to see us after she had a nap. She sat in the car for the hour and a half that it took to come here, and she was reasonably quiet during the evening church service. She was so tired of being still and quiet. It was fun to let her run and jump. She is so smart! She knows the whole Alphabet song, the difference between "big" and "little", and she loves meeting new people. She had a little trouble pronouncing the J in Elijah, but she got Lynnea right on the first try. She even recognized "my friend!" after the service. (after distracting L's family all through the lesson; don't argue with me, I know she did) She was very good at supper, and didn't even cry too much when she didn't get to come into our house (a quick stop) before going to see Mommy, Daddy and Gum Drop.

It makes JB giggle to make faces at her. Ask her to "Make your Angry face!" and you will get a little grin and a "grrr" with a mean little arm flex that should scare you. Tonight, she giggled when I asked her to make faces. Then she went back to whining. It also made her giggle to hear me make a fuss. I whimpered and put my head in her lap, which made her laugh. "See? I can cry just as much as you!" I think she was fighting her sleepy with every ounce of energy, and she was losing the battle.

I am worn out just watching her today. She is so full of energy, so happy and so eager to learn new things. She was quite disappointed that we were not going to Bible Class after worship tonight. I don't know how parents do it. How do you keep up with a little ball of light and motion? I love the child dearly, but it makes me tired to watch her for a day. My brother's idea of remaining child-free is looking better all the time. Not my JB, but some kids in this world make me happy to not be a parent. Correction: Some kids in this world make me happy not to be THEIR parent. Mine would have much more education on manners and respect and obeying than the typical kid you see throwing a tantrum in the cereal aisle at the grocery store.

Or would they....?