Taking stock of set-backs pt 3: Car repairs

We were so excited last spring when we purchased our new-to-us car--with cash--and had begun the life of the two-car family and the freedom that that would allow us. Indeed, we really have enjoyed the station wagon with all its space and available room for the girls and our large travel arrangements. It's a little rough on gas at times, but it is a real blessing having both cars around. Even with all of their woes.

This summer, you remember, we had the transmission blow on the station wagon as soon as we finished all of our long travels. $2000 later and a drained bank account later, we made it back up to New York with no great trials (except for Caleb's lost wedding ring) via DC and Emily's sister and brother-in-law's. When we got back to New York, however, we noticed that there was something funny with the breaks. When we took the car in to get it checked out, the very friendly (also very trustworthy) mechanic we found we needed new breaks and new tires. $900 later (and another cleared out bank account and our summer bonus money spent) we have a very fine car. To be honest with you, it was here that I realized we were going to be in for a long, hard slog.

With medical bills, car repairs, house cleanings, and other distracting monetary struggles we are finally coming back to where we were. I'll admit that the temptation is to be discouraged is just slightly stronger than overwhelming from time-to-time. I'd like nothing better than to pout and shake my fist towards the heavens, but that's ridiculous: the heavens are neither to blame nor in any position to respond. Taking time to look over the progress we have made over the year despite of the set-backs has been a real encouragement for us. Though we have struggled against That Horrible Woman and against our lack of affluence and the uncertainty of our position, we are still on some course towards success in our endeavors.

Our Story pt. 4: Starting over again

Believe it or not, the time in North Carolina was very good for our family overall. We learned a lot about ourselves. We discovered that there's a lot more to our relationship than just financial security and job satisfaction. We also learned how to apply for and to use government assistance programs, specifically the WIC program to help supplement our grocery budget. Parenthetically, WIC is a wonderful program, and the people who work for the WIC offices in counties across America need as much emotional support as they can get for all of the good they do for families.

From the time we moved to North Carolina in April until after little Z was born in August, Caleb spent days filling out applications and going to interviews. We had very exciting prospects, but nothing was coming through. Caleb actually had a great interview after Emily's folks sprang for a trip to Myrtle Beach for a week with a school in Greensboro that would have been ideal. The man actually said, "You're the one I want. I'm putting your name in front of the board." After that we never heard from them again except to hear "oh, no one called you?"

Right before Caleb took a trip to DC to visit some friends he got a phone call from Augustine Classical Academy about a position teaching Latin. During that weekend Caleb had a long conversation with the headmaster, and when he came back we sat and prayed about the position and took a long time going over our finances and what we could afford. When the original deal from ACA came through they could offer us ~$9500 with the possibility of $14500 (a very slim possibility). We ran the math, talked things over, and with the school providing housing, we were set to move; and move we did right after little Z was born. Caleb moved into the new house while Emily went to Cincinnati for her sister's wedding. When it was all said and done, last year we made $18500 from ACA and survived the year.

Next time we'll talk about making life work on a tight budget.

Skyline Drive

We started off our summer vacation with a mini-road trip.  Since we'll be spending the summer in North Carolina, we decided to take our time going down and take Skyline Drive through Northern Virginia, instead of rushing along on the interstate.  We really enjoyed the drive and are looking forward to doing it again in a few years, possibly camping along the way as well.  There was no camping this time, since trying that with a toddler and a ten-month-old, both of whom love to explore, would be extremely nerve-wracking, if not just plain stupid. But, we did drive the whole park, we stopped for a picnic lunch and wandered the visitor's center.  Most enjoyable was the drive itself: slow, scenic and generally relaxing.

However, both of our little ones hit a wall after their afternoon naps (about 3pm), after that driving was nothing but stressful for everyone.  No matter how enjoyable the morning had been, the horror of the afternoon erased it.   Two screaming, inconsolable children in the midst of rush hour traffic is enough to make us rethink our whole scheme.  This translates into an important lesson that we will use on our Great American Road trip: drive in the morning, arrive in the afternoon.

Not looking for the fastest route

From paintingsilove.com

I'll admit that planning the trip can be just as (sometimes more) exciting than actually doing the driving, stopping, seeing, preparing, planning, and panicking which are so common on long road trips. I like maps, I like guide books, I especially like using trip maker tools like AAA Travel Planning application because Google Maps tends to be less effective and you can't put as many stops in as I'd like to! AAA doesn't care, so I just go there and fiddle with the route, since we're not trying to find the fastest route.

If you've never seen the movie Cars, then you may or may not understand why we're looking to avoid the "fastest route" for this particular excursion. Why cut off ten minutes of driving, when you could see something truly worthwhile or edifying just off the highway. Try explaining that to Google or AAA, though, and you get the computer's version of rolling its eyes at you: WARNING! THAT ROUTE WILL TAKE TWO EXTRA MINUTES flashes underneath my neatly edited map, reminding me that I am making a monumental mistake by not taking the interstate highways that were so nicely paid for by our taxes so many years ago.

I've always been the Destination over Journey person in my family. Even as a kid, I had to sit in the front seat (even the uncomfortable front-middle in the station wagon) to see the road that was coming, watch for the exit, read the map, follow the fastest (read: less interesting) route because the alternative (usually my dad's idea) was the "scenic route" that ended up adding precious hours to our drive--as though getting to the destination would satisfy me any more than being in the car would! I've worked very hard to overcome that person and this trip has been really good for me. I can think in terms of destinations (what park/site do we want to see), and how we'll get there the prettiest, most interesting way. Right now I'm trying to tell AAA that I want to drive down Skyline Drive and that I want to take the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way to the Great Smokies. Next I'll argue with it about the best routes across Tennessee and Arkansas.

This effort put in early is worth it to me, because it keeps me motivated. I can see the prize in store. I know every turn of the way. Now we just need the funds to do it.