Nathan

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Daniel

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Monday, September 13, 2010

Transitioning to a Family of Four - Part I

The Targo and I have been a one car household since we got together. At first, it didn't matter because we both worked downtown and took the bus to work. Everything we needed was at our fingertips (grocery store, movie theatre, pharmacy, etc) or a short bus ride away. We drove the car just three or four times a month to go visit the Targo's parents out in the suburbs (and also run to Target!).



When I got pregnant with Nathan, we moved to a less-congested, more family-friendly neighborhood that sits just a little farther west. We were still close enough to the trains and buses for The Targo to commute, and I drove to the 'burbs for my job and Nathan's daycare.



Our car is a tiny, ten-year-old Honda Civic that we love. It's fuel-efficient, fairly maintenance-free, and a perfect size for our family of three. The problem? Well, the back seat is almost too small for two car seats. Almost meaning that we can fit them in there, but there might not be room for two children to breathe.



We're not in a position to buy a new and larger car, because we're planning on cutting our income in half after the first of the year. So, I've been praying on it and hoping we can figure out a solution.

Good crazy sometimes does happen. My parents had an opportunity to get a new car and they offered to sell us their small SUV for what they owed on it: approximately $3,000 below the Blue Book value. The Targo and I jumped at the opportunity! We were able to get a car that's just a few years old and pay for it in cash. The last thing we wanted to do was have another monthly payment when I'm not working.

This wasn't a necessity, but the car came along at the right time. We're so grateful.

5 comments:

Becca said...

That is AWESOME! The right sized car makes your life SO much easier. I know! I went from a Neon to a small SUV and I am grateful every. single. day.

Marianne said...

Becca--- I was actually thinking of you when this happened, because I remember you had a tiny car. :) Seriously, this could NOT have happened at a better time.

AJU5's Mom said...

We have friends - family of 4 - with a two-door civic. We moved the car seats to my fairly new mid-sized SUV when we visited, and I could tell she was a lot more comfortable. They are hoping to upgrade soon too. I was so happy when we got rid of my Chevy Cavalier - the SUV makes getting the kids in and out a lot easier, and since mine has a third row, I was able to sit with them when we drove to keep them happy.

Shannon said...

Don't you just love it when things just seem to fall into place!

Anonymous said...

Praising the Lord for you. He provides!