Trying to do the right thing

Last year when we moved to TX, we decided that we would just be a one vehicle family until we saved enough money to buy a 2nd vehicle. We thought that was more in line with "living within our means" and we really didn't want to have 2 car payments. So we waited. Man, it was killing me! We had sold Brian's car before leaving NY thinking it would be easier with a new baby to all be in one vehicle while traveling across the country. I thought it was a good idea until I was going crazy not having my own vehicle. But I really wanted to wait and save the money, so I tried really hard to not complain too often. Thank goodness for friends who would haul us to the park and such places in the mean time! ("Ya'll" know who you are :)...)

So in the spring we decided to start looking. We found an older Tahoe that Brian really liked and I told him to buy it. But he waited too long hoping the guy would drop the price. So we started looking on eBay. We knew others who had bought vehicles there and had a good experience. We found a Tahoe in Houston that looked great so we bought it. And here the story really begins...

The guy told us he could get it shipped to Amarillo for $225. It ended up costing $100 more and he said he would give us the extra $100. Never happened. The Tahoe finally showed up 3 weeks late. Now you have to know that the description said "new brakes, new transmission, new shocks, new fuel pump, A/C works great and all power options". Here comes the fun part. Brian couldn't get the Tahoe out of 1st gear and then he about ran through our garage trying to stop. When we tried to get it to the shop to be looked at, it wouldn't start. It was that "new" fuel pump. It had to be replaced just to have the transmission looked at. We had to have a brand new transmission put in (luckily eBay covered this). When we had the shocks looked at, they were the ORIGINAL shocks--they needed replaced as well as the brakes. The A/C never worked. While the Tahoe was at the AAMCO getting fixed, it was broken into and the stereo (the only nice thing that worked) was stolen. Are you laughing yet? Brian and I just keep laughing. So we thought we were good, but needed to get an alignment before we left. I was just waiting for the guy to call and say there was something else wrong. Sure enough, he called and said we had to have something else done before the alignment could be done. So instead of $70 it cost $370! Oh, did you remember that Brian at this point has NO job? What can we do but laugh? So FINALLY we have everything set and we head out for UT. Brian calls me while we are driving through Green River, WY and tells me to turn around and come find him, the Tahoe has broken down. Yes, I am serious. It is either the transmission or the transfer case (whatever that is). So we were on the side of I-80 for almost 2 hours getting things arranged and situated so we could get to UT. I asked Brian what we were to learn from this Tahoe experience and he said he had learned to jump at a good thing when he sees it and not to wait anymore. So here we are in UT, "jumping", hoping and praying this whole business thing works out. In spite of all the trouble we have experienced over the past couple of months we continue to feel so blessed. What an amazing blessing that the Tahoe broke down close enough to UT that Brian's awesome brothers could (and were so willing) help us get the Tahoe to UT. Oh, I forgot! When they got to the Tahoe, it had a flat tire too! Too much! Just gotta laugh! We have amazing families and super friends who are so supportive and helpful. So we just laugh a lot, pray more, and feel grateful every day. Just be careful if you ever buy a vehicle on eBay--it could cost WAY more that you think! :)