The story of how we got our van is just the coolest. So I really wanted to make sure I wrote down all the specifics to remember for myself. I hope you enjoy the story too! :)
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| First and last day with my Grand Prix |
I had my Grand Prix for 10 years. It was my first car. I bought it from my grandpa for a good price when I was 19. I learned to drive in that car. I didn't even have my driver's license when I got it. It was Sam's first car too since we only had one car when we got married. (All his worldly possessions could fit in to one large storage crate and a backpack at that time) The Grand Prix had it's problems over the years. For instance all of the power windows broke at different times over the years and the only one worth fixing was the driver's side window(It had been fixed twice too). The keys would get stuck in the steering column every time I drove and I had to use a small screwdriver to finagle them out. I had to replace the A/C compressor. Of course there were other various car issues as well.
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| Saying goodbye! |
The one problem that did my car in was the power steering leak. It had been leaking for the last 5 years. All we had to do was add fluid every other week or so depending on how much we drove the car. Power steering fluid isn't expensive and it would only take like 5 minutes to add fluid so it was no big deal to us. 3 years ago the leak got bad enough that we had to add fluid every time we drove the car. We took it in and they told us the power steering line needed to be replaced. It was $200 fix. No big deal. But they also told us there was a slow leak in the steering rack. So we would still need to add fluid every so often and if the leak got worse then it would be an expensive fix.
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| Almost made it to 150K |
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| I got a little emotional because I loved my little car! |
As soon as I found out I was pregnant with baby #3 I started praying for God to provide a van for us. At some point I looked around on the web for vans and I found one for what I thought would be a good deal, but still probably more of a car payment than we could afford at the time. I thought about it for a couple of days, but I felt like God told me, "Just wait. Your car will be enough for now." So I waited! I found that I could fit 3 car seats across in the back of my Grand Prix and even though it was tight, we made it work well for us! Jane could help Xan with her pacifier, Jane and Atlas could share toys and snacks and I could reach everyone from the driver's seat. The only down side was I couldn't break up the fights between Jane and Atlas because I couldn't separate them. I thought it was a good thing for them to learn to work things out back there though. I thought, "Well, I guess I truly don't NEED a van right now." So I stopped looking for a van, but I didn't stop praying. :)
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| About to roll away to the scrap yard :( |
During the last full week of July I noticed the power steering leak seemed to be getting worse. Then on Thursday, July 26th when I drove to my parents house for dinner I realized my car sounded like it didn't have any power steering fluid in it even though I had just filled it right before we left the house. It was leaking straight through. I had a feeling it was going to be a big fix. Sam took it in on Saturday to get it looked at. I took Sam's car to my parents house that morning to swim with a friend. While I was there I overheard my dad say, "I missed a call from my dad. I need to call him back." I asked my dad later on what my grandpa wanted, he said, "Opinions on a couple things." It was normal for my grandpa to call my dad for some advice but it didn't happen all too often. I left the kids with my parents after we swam to run an errand real quick. While I was out Sam called me to tell me the Grand Prix would be $1000+ to fix (double what it was now worth) and the even the Goodyear people said it wasn't worth fixing. I called my parents to tell them the news and ask if it was ok if the kids stayed with them a few more minutes while I went to pick Sam up to drop him off so he could take the Grand Prix home. While Sam and I drove we decided to wait and get a game plan together when I got home. But we did decide not buy a van for at least a week to try to find a deal or ask around again. Sam said, "You do not have, because you do not ask."
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| Picking up the van! Jane was so excited! |
On the way back to pick up the kids I cried a little because I loved my little car and it was a little emotional for me to think that I had already driven it for the last time. I prayed on the way back, "Lord, please provide us a van. Just place it in our laps! So we don't even have to do a thing! That way it will be so clearly You working in our lives!" I walked in to my parents house and said to my dad, "So I'm going to need your advice about a van, for instance, is it better to go with an older car with lower mileage or a newer car with higher mileage." He replied with, "How about a Honda Odyssey with 115K miles on it?" I was like, "What??" He said, "Your grandma's van." I was trying to figure it out and he continued, "That's what Papa called about this morning, he was wondering if you were still looking for a van and wanted to know if you were interested in theirs." I was floored. I leaned over the couch and just started crying with joy and gratefulness to God. My grandpa had no idea that the Grand Prix was in the shop when he called my dad. It can't just be coincidence! It's just amazing!
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| About to drive off! |
My grandpa told my dad not to tell me anything until we found out about the Grand Prix. My dad called him back when we found out the Grand Prix wasn't worth fixing. He said I could have the van as soon as he found a replacement car to buy for my grandma. :O I also found out a little more to the story when we went to pick up the van. My grandpa explained to us that of course he knew we were looking for a van, but he wasn't ready to get a new car and wanted to hold on to my grandma's van for a while. But on Thursday (Yes! The very same day my car stopped working) he decided all on his own to start looking at cars on the internet. Also that Thursday my grandma was driving her van and started praying for a new car, but thought my grandpa would never say yes. She walked in the door without saying a word about it and my grandpa said, "Don't get excited but I'm looking at a new car for you." A week after we found out my car was broken we picked up the van from my grandparents. I still can't get over how cool God was about it all!! So awesome. so grateful. I have no other words.
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| Our first trip in the van was to our local park! |
1 John 5:14-15
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
