Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Our Newest Family Member

1999 Chevrolet Suburban

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!! 

We are now the owners of a car big enough to transport our family of 6 safely together!!  Hallelujah!  We have been driving 2 cars to get everyone around.  On Sunday mornings we drive 2 cars to church.  Throughout the week the kids and I stay home because all 4 of them can't fit in the back of our other cars.  (Note:  I didn't have huge dreams of taking everyone to run errands because taking 4 kids to the grocery store is a bit much for even supermom, but hey it would be nice to have that as an option if I ever lost my mind and in an act of pure foolishness decided I wanted to take them all out somewhere.)

We paid off the loans on our Escalade and Pick up truck a few weeks ago and planned to trade them both in at Carmax to get a my dream car...a Honda Odyssey.  LOL!!  So what, I'm a mom of 4, my dreams have changed.  We worked with a guy for about a week to make this deal work and on Saturday it finally happened.  He traded his SUV for our pickup truck.  The value on our pickup truck is about $3600 in good condition (but our truck needed brakes, A/C work,  tires, not to mention who knows what else).  The value of the SUV was nearly 2 times that!  In the end we paid him an additional $500 and now this is ours.   And get this, we still have our Escalade that we can sell to pay off some other small debts!  God is good!

The story is quite dramatic, so I'll save you the details.  However, I just have to let you know that getting this car was a real answer to prayer.  Eddie went out and hunted for the fish and I cleaned it, cooked it, and set the table.  He and I really worked together to get this done and for that I'm so thankful.  I used a tip I learned from a blog that I stalk in negotiating.  Hood MamaMel said that when negotiating a deal, after you make your offer, you must be quiet.  The first person to talk, loses.  I used this tip to a T- if I do say so myself. 

I called the seller several hours after the deal fell through (while sitting at our dining room table filling out the bill of sale of all things.  Talk about a nail biter) to see if we could make something happen.   After I asked him if he would take $500, I SHUT UP.  The seller just kept talking and talking and I just.remained.silent!  Finally, he said, "Yes, $500 will be fine.  I don't want to lose the deal over such a small amount."  Whew.  I breathed a huge sigh of relief and asked him to be here early on Saturday morning so that we could sign the papers.

After he brought the car to us, we took our maiden voyage to Chick-fil-a with a few friends.  Then on Sunday we drove to church together.  Halley started VBS for the first time this week.  It has been such a blessing to put everyone in the car and drop her off at the church.   Here's what I see when I turn around from the front seat.


TO GOD BE THE GLORY - GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!!!
  

7 comments:

Rev. Antonio D. Anderson said...

Wonderful story but now you have two extra seats that can be filled in that truch. Uh oh-you know what what means, get to work!

Mama Jenn said...

Girl, I hear ya!!! We too had an Escalade. We traded it in when I was pregnant with the second set of twins and got an Excursion! I always tell my husband that I will drive that thing until the wheels fall off!

I LOVE the story about you keeping silent. I remember Dave Ramsey talking about that!!! Good for you girl! I am so thrilled for you and your family!

Oh, and trust me...don't get that wild hair and decide to go grocery shopping with all of them or this may happen to you: http://mama-jenn.blogspot.com/2008/12/trip-to-costco-what-was-i-thinking.html

Shaunta' said...

@Tony- I get what you're saying. Sure, your 2 girls can come and visit anytime. That's what you meant, right?!!

@Mama Jenn- No wild hairs here!! LOL. Been there, done that. Un Uh, not gonna happen!! In the instances where I'm missing an ingredient I always just decide to cook something else or I google, "what can I substitute for..." LOL. Motherhood is the mother of invention! Good to hear from you.

Laurie J said...

this is an absolutely beautiful story. to God be the glory indeed!
<3

Melanie said...

You have a beautiful family!!!! Makes my heart happy! :)

I'm so encouraged by my visit to your blog today. I look forward to reading many more of your posts! :)

Blessings,
Melanie

Shaunta' said...

@Laurie and @Melanie- It's such a joy to read your comments. Thanks for stopping my blog. I sure wish I would take the time to blog more often! I definetly have to put that on my list of priorities. Blessings to you

Amy @ Gospel Homemaking said...

What an encouraging story. I can easily get impatient with waiting for God to provide. This is a great reminder that He always works for my good and His glory (even if His plan is different than mine!).