Mini Van Update

The kids and I are currently visiting friends in Indiana. And I just finally figured out how to login as myself under by blog...

This post is for Erin, who's been waiting anxiously on the edge of her seat...

No exciting news to tell, actually. We're still looking. Part of what's taken us so long is that Wade had a coworker who had a relative who--it sounded like--had a van to get rid of & barely wanted anything for it. We waited for weeks as she wanted it tuned up/checked by a mechanic, and she wanted to make sure she wasn't asking too much for it. As it turns out, she wants more than Blue Book value, even. (BTW...did you know dealers often sell vehicles for well LESS than Blue Book value, while For Sale By Owners often ask for the Blue Book $ and think they're offering a good deal?) That's what we're finding anyway.

We've got a certain dollar limit and mileage target, and are willing to go back to 1997's if need be. We've seen several mini vans that have matched what we're looking for, but they've been snatched up quickly, or by some fluke we didn't see them when they were first listed. That's happened several times. But we're still trusting God to provide, and to give us wisdom. Keep praying!

Bessie's Goin' Bubbye

She ain't gone yet, but the time's a comin' soon. She's on her last leg--or wheel, I should say.

Wade replaced her transmission 4 years ago, and it's going again. (Common with this make & year.) Bessie's also got a whole host of other smaller ailments to contend with...the A/C went out a couple summers ago, heater's going too, cruise control's broken, power locks don't all work, radio speakers go in and out, the big sliding door takes significant amounts of elbow grease and arm shimmies to close--often taking repeated tries, oh-- and it also just falls off randomly in McDonald's parking lots in below zero weather. Let's see, what else...she's dented and rusted, stalls periodically at stop lights, and we've been driving on the spare tire for the last month as the back right one blew completely down to the metal. (If you heard a loud obnoxious clunking hunk-o-junk making its way down Wisconsin street a few weeks back--that was us. Sorry if we woke any sleeping children.)

Given all of the above, I'm temporarily not allowed to drive out of the town we live in. If I have the cell phone, I am allowed to travel within a 15 minute radius of our home.

Yes, it's time to put Bessie to rest. We've been praying for a new van. (Not brand new, just new to us.) I would love to have one with two side doors and working A/C. And some color other than white would be just awesome. We're trusting that God will provide something we can afford that will meet our needs. We've been looking online, but if you have any leads, pass them our way! And I'll keep you posted on the fate of Bessie. But if you haven't guessed already, I'm not really very attached to the old gal.