A Pre-owned New Car

It was time to replace Kelly's Element. We waited quite awhile not wanting a car payment and not really having a huge down payment for a car. We needed a car for Heather, and we needed a car that was a little more comfortable for us and our guests (not to mention one with better gas mileage). After going back and forth trying to determine the size of car we needed, whether to buy new or used, and how much we were willing to spend, we found this Mazda CX-9. We had looked at a couple of cars, but either we couldn't trust the owner, or the car wasn't a good fit. This car was so nice, the owner was an engineer at Bowing and seemed very honest, it was in our price range (even though a little over the budget we wanted to set), and although it had a few scratches, it drove so smoothly and comfortably. It seats seven and feels like a luxury car. We financed through our credit union and bypassed the huge downpayment. It will be paid off in about five years, but every time I get in and drive it it makes me so happy. Can't believe we found such a gem.  They retail for $40,000 new which makes me so grateful to have found this four-year-old luxury car at an affordable price.

Meaningful Youth Activity

One of the most meaningful Young Women activities happened this evening. With the focus of gratitude, we showed the girls a video interview from years ago of a high school senior who had been born with no arms. The story explained how she had adapted to everyday life with not having arms. Because she was born without them, she never missed them. She had been determined since she was young to do anything and everything she wanted. She was even a cheerleader! The girls watched her do things with her feet such as pull a bowl from a cupboard and pour cereal and milk for herself, eat dinner with a fork, do homework and classwork, put make up on and even put in contacts! After the video, we had some stations set up for the girls so they could experience what it would be like to have no arms. We had them eat brownie bites with a fork, pour cereal in a bowl, write on a white board and then write on a table top.  We had a block tower for them to build and we played a game of catch with our feet. I'm not sure how meaningful it was for the young women, but I will never forget the experience of learning about this girl and how she overcame the challenge she was born with. Oh, and her boyfriend that took her to the senior prom was the cutest!

Our Piano

We recently changed out furniture in our living room, and between that and the fact that our little girls are adult size now (as well as their friends), oh and we have a huge dog, our living room was becoming a little small. My mom's piano, which we've had for ten years, takes up about 1/3 of the room's space, and we ran out of places to position it to maximize remaining space. Additionally, Heather's progress is warranting a newer keyboard since the keys on our 1920's gem are sticking a bit. It seems to be time to sell the piano. 

I had never wanted to put the piano in my home for a few of reasons. First, it was a purchase my mom made when I was a teen that meant very little to me because no one in our house played the piano.  We also couldn't afford the purchase which at a young age I was well aware of.  Fast forwarding to my adult years with two small children and my mom asking for a place to store the piano, and I told her it would no way fit in my small house. Lastly, there was no need at the time for me to have a piano because the girls were not ready to take lessons yet. But when a time crunch came and the piano needed a home, it came here because there was no other place for it.

We were surprised that it fit in the corner which is where we placed it hoping to retain some of our living space. It is a pretty piece of furniture, and our holiday decor has looked really nice on it. Then the girls started lessons not too long after it arrived, and it was very handy for practicing. My mom was able to see the girls begin lessons and learn songs before she passed away which had been important to her. 

When my mom passed, we weren't just storing the piano anymore, it had become an inheritance piece.  My sister did not have room for it, so it continued living here until we decided what to do with it. I didn't have brain space while raising my girls to investigate selling an antique piano at that time. It has been a perfect fit for these ten years, better than I had ever imagined. 

Back to the present and after doing some research, I posted a listing on Craigslist for what the piano might be worth. Dusting it off and photographing it was an interesting experience--I knew it needed to go, but it meant the end of some great memories of our daughters learning how to play. The very day I posted the listing, I told my neighbor about it asking her to share with friends, and she popped over after work to see it.  She promptly told me she has been wanting a grand and that this would be perfect. We made arrangements for her to buy it after the holidays.  It has been nice not to have to wonder how long it will take to sell, and Heather was excited that it would only be moving down the street where she could pop in and play it if she missed it too much.  Tender mercies.

So for the next few weeks, we will say goodbye to our old friend.  Heather already has the top up and is playing and playing her pieces on it.  It sounds wonderful.  I'll miss that.  Who knew that my mom's purchase that had irritated me in my youth would end up being something I would be grateful for later on?  It has been a well-loved item.