We had some extra money in our bank account as the summer approached and we decided to spend a good chunk on a big vacation to Chicago. It was so much fun!! We did our research ahead of time and got some great deals on museums, tours, restaurants, everything. We ate and shopped and just enjoyed our vacation to the fullest!
About two weeks after we got home, bad news came. In threes. First, our air conditioning in our new house died. We had to replace the whole unit and do some duct work. Then, Ty's car had to have the entire ENGINE replaced. At the same time, my car started having all sorts of problems and ended up needing A LOT of work...
When it was all said and done, we started the summer with about $15,000 in the bank account and by the end of summer, we were borrowing money from both sides of our family.
We have not been at either extreme (money to burn or borrowing) since that summer. We manage our money well and we always have enough for our needs and a lot of our wants. I am grateful that we had that experience because it taught us several things.
1. Live in the moment. I didn't regret our vacation for a second! Sure, we spent a lot, but we were smart about it and we really did have a great time. It was recharging for us as a couple and was the last big trip we took before having kids.
2. Pray. Because you don't have control over anything. No, it wasn't as bad as Job in the scriptures, but we felt pretty low and really had to rely on our faith to get us through it.
3. Trials are a GOOD thing! It was humbling to have to rely on our family for help, and the whole experience really brought us together as a couple. Each trial during that summer brought with it a host of separate issues (like my bunny dying from heat in our house while we waited on the repairmen), but just knowing that we were going through it together made us so much closer.
4. You will survive! There have been several experiences in my life that remind me that Heavenly Father won't give us trials that we can't overcome and that summer was one of them. I am glad I can look back on that experience and realize the blessings that came and how much stronger we are now because of it. We survived! And we survived together!
Flash forward to last week... Ty's car was acting funny, but didn't seem like a huge deal. We figured we would get it in to the shop on his next day off. That sweet little Mazda had plans of its own though and died on the side of the road on the way to church basketball. Awesome.
We can manage being a one car family, so we just took turns using my car and asked Bennett's babysitter very sweetly if she could bring him home a few of the days (love her) when Ty was working. No problems.
Sunday. Driving to Chandler for family dinner, MY sweet little Prius starts acting funny. And then proceeds to completely DIE about a mile from their house. Double awesome.
After towing it from one mechanic shop to a Toyota dealership, it has been determined that it will need $2500 worth of work.
To which I can only say one thing: RIP Trusty Prius.You had a good run and served me well through my last year of college, my first years of marriage, two pregnancies, one child, and lots and lots of shopping trips. Thank you for conserving gas on my way back and forth from Flagstaff, Phoenix, Chandler, and lots of other exotic locales in between including one amazing honeymoon to Mexico. You will be truly missed.
The verdict is still out on what kind of repairs Ty's car is going to need, but I'm not waiting here with bated breath or anything. We can handle whatever comes. We will be stronger when we emerge on the other side of whatever trial we are being faced with. And our family will only be blessed by the experiences that bring us closer together.
We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.
