Today we took the new Mom Car on it's first grocery run. All I can say is: Great things come to those who wait.
But first, a little backstory:
When I met and then married my husband, he had a new 2013 Ford Mustang. Mustangs never fail to catch my eye, and I still joke that it's the reason we're together. When we met, I had another interested suitor that I was *ahem* trying to discourage; and I'll never forget that Jacob told me to tell the other guy that I was dating a man with a Mustang; and just like that, I was.
Our first date (that my parents didn't come to) we had planned to go hiking on a popular 5 mile trail. 2.5 miles into the woods a major storm system surprised us and we ended up hiking the last 2.5 miles uphill in the storm. We finally reached our vehicles, and we talked about what to do from there since we were soaked. He invited me into his nice new car, and though I sat, I was a nervous wreck about ruining the leather seats. He just kept telling me not to worry about it. (I had no idea then how filthy he really was when he drove it home after work every day. Ew.)
Later that same evening, we were having so much fun together that we didn't realize the lateness of the hour, and when we finally returned to the park to retrieve my car, we found the gates had already been locked. So Jacob drove me home in his nice car. I was freaking out about how my parents were going to handle my getting home right at curfew without my car. I'll never forget this guy I didn't even know reaching across the lit up console and holding my hand, telling me everything was going to be alright. He was grinning in the face of danger. But then, he had yet to see my folks freak out.
Two months later, I packed up my Pontiac and I left home in a tizzy. I called my new boyfriend, sobbing, and he just told me to bring my stuff over. When I arrived, still crying, he engulfed me in a hug, sat me on his couch, handed me an entire one of his favorite pies, and watched me stuff my face and continue to ugly cry all while explaining my situation. When I had finished the pie and took a breath, he smiled and grabbed a duffel bag he had already packed, and he took me out to the Mustang. Then he drove me to the beach for the weekend. He just told me everything was going to be ok. And it was.
That Mustang took us on many beach excursions. It took us to New Orleans spur-of-the-moment for Valentines Day after we both had a long day at work and no plans. When I told Jacob that I wanted something different for my life, he drove through the night in that Mustang to give me a ride to where I thought my life might be -- Cincinnati, Ohio. We rode away from our wedding in that Mustang and brought our second child home in it. It was our dependable backup when every other vehicle we tried to own failed. It was the cause of many frustrating budget meetings -- things were more than tight some months because, after kids came, we were still making big payments on a car that we couldn't really drive. Jacob had no attachment, it seemed, but somehow I did. It symbolized healing for me for a long time; and now, looking back, it proves my husband's generosity and love toward me. From the moment I met him, Jacob was urging me to drive it because he wanted to share it with me. He was almost ecstatic when my little Dodge Neon finally kicked the bucket and I had to start driving the Mustang to work.
This past weekend, after 4 years of slaving away to pay it off and enjoying every single ride we got in it, Jacob drove me down to Louisiana and traded in his special ride and got a newer SUV just for me and for our kids. I have never driven anything newer than my '02 Volvo station wagon that decided it was done last week. I was literally driving on a prayer making my grocery runs with the kids each week. Praying it would last another 6 months until Baby was born and we were forced to figure something else out. By then, we would have the Mustang completely paid off and we would be making mortgage payments on a house. I had a plan, but the finicky Volvo that Jacob had already poured so much effort into decided to derail that plan.
I love my new car: A massive, 2013 white Honda Pilot. It has working A/C, a working radio, a third row seat for all the kids, and even a rear camera. Jacob made me drive it home after he signed over his own car, and all he kept telling me, with a smile, was that it was all mine.
And I cried like a baby. Because I'm five months pregnant. Because we were leaving the Fun Car with all of the memories behind and it felt like my dog was dying all over again. Because I was shown, once again, in such a massive way how much this young man cares for me. How insanely lucky I am to have met and married my husband.
I cried, because God is so good, y'all.
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