Honda Pilot

I have literally been waiting YEARS to write this blog. Originally it was going to be short and simple, but I decided that I will expand fully on what buying this car represents. If you think you are going to be offended then please stop reading. I don't want to be accountable for that. You should not be though, b/c this is not about pride or differing convictions, but rather change and hope.

So, if you haven't already heard, Brian bought me a HONDA PILOT for Valentine's Day. I mean, its not really my gift, but its fun to say that since the timing is so close. Why is this a big deal? Well, b/c I have wanted a Pilot for... I don't know... 4 years?? Why didn't I get it 4 years ago??? Because we have chosen the road less traveled.

I am going to compare this to why I post about the good food that I cook- b/c 6 years ago I couldn't cook a thing! I have 2 college roomates that follow the blog and they would tell you that all they ever saw me cook while we lived together was hambugrer helper, mac-n-cheese with tuna, or toast and eggs. I literally lived off Taco Bell in college. Anyone who came to my house in our first year of marriage either ate spaghetti or enchiladas. End of story. I could not cook- at all, nor did I want to. So that is why it is such a big deal when I make something that actually tastes good, b/c I haven't forgotten what used to be. (Insert pic of last weeks success, chicken pot pie with a homemade crust. Doesn't look too hot in the pic but it was tasty!)

So... back to the road less traveled. When Brian and I first married we took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and basically vowed to never borrow money again. We tried to pay cash for our first house but had to stop at just 20%. LOL. We had good intentions. As far as cars and other purchases go- we stuck to our conviction. Now I don't care if you borrowed $60K for a car (bc people do that)- we all have different convictions- this is just my story. I also know most people don't like to talk about money, BUT I DO. I have really tried to keep my strong opinions more to myself since moving to ND, as to not offend others or get in un-necessary disagreements. I think I have done well with that when it comes to the topic of money. For the blog however, that is going out the window.

So, this is a pic of my first car (its not really my car but it looked just like this). It was in the driveway on my 16th birthday and I absolutely loved that car. I kept it for 7 years and it was full of many memories for many people. We sold it for $400 after a couple months of marriage b/c we were told "its only a matter of time before it blows up!" Now, I couldn't tell you if other people thought this car was "cool" but I loved it and I didn't care.

When I got to college I made some poor financial decisions that were no ones fault but my own. Basically I racked up a lot of debt and it was very, very stressful. No 21yr old is equipped for making minimum payments on say 4 credit cards with large balances. I was slave to my lenders. I felt that. I believe that.

Some people have never understood financial stress, but I lived it for.... I don't know....7 years. My mom would always tell me to save but I would usually spend anyways. I didn't budget or plan or keep a good record of my accounts. I was the girl who would call Midfirst bank's automated line to check my balance before purchasing something. Now, you will laugh if you have done that too! If you have no idea what I am talking about then just know that you are the minority in America and be thankful.

So, time passes, enter marriage and Financial Peace University, lots of blessings from the Lord, lots of paying down debt quickly b/c we are super poor and don't spend money unless it is to eat out and voila we are debt free. Time to get rid of the Mazda and we replaced her with a $4000 Honda Civic. Now this is the turning point. Instead of putting a $4000 down payment on a $30,000 vehicle we just spent the 4 grand. We told ourselves over and over and over- Repairs are better than payments and boy did we make repairs! Did I have friend's driving brand new cars at the time? YES. Although I loved Honda Civics, this one wasn't exactly something to brag about. This is where we had to first draw the line of not keeping up with the Joneses. I would say we fought that until we moved to ND, where the Joneses don't live. People are just....the opposite of superficial up here. NOT SAYING Oklahoma has superficial people, but Tulsa/Weatherford and Dickinson are 2 very different places. I have yet to meet a Nodak who is as into their car as a country boy from Western Oklahoma or a city girl from South Tulsa (none of which are bad, I am just stating the case).

When we moved up we sold 2 cars and saved money for what felt like an eternity to get our Santa Fe. We bumped up from a 1994 all the way to a 2003. If you have been following the blog for years you would know that I wasn't happy about getting that car. I wanted a PILOT! But, we didn't have the cash for a Pilot so I didn't get one. I wasn't too giddy about it, but after pouting for a day or so, I accepted it.

Now, this picture says how I feel about finally getting the car I wanted.... 4 years later.

The funny part is that its still just a 2004 with 70,000 miles on it but its like a dream to me. When we got home I wanted to go pick my girlfriends up and take them to Sonic (thats what we did in my town when you turned 16). I didn't do it but I might still! I was giddy driving the car home. Since we are not car people and we haven't ever spent much money on them I am just now enjoying some of the luxuries that most people have been living with for 8 years! I have leather seats that heat up! I can adjust the radio volume from my steering wheel! I have this thing called a clicker that unlocks or locks your doors WITHOUT A KEY!!!! I even have a button to push that starts the car while I am still inside Walmart! I have a CD player and a radio THAT WORK! Oh my goodness, I am in heaven. I love it. To most it is just an older car that looks like David Foresters but to us... to us it is the culmination of waiting and sacrifice. Waiting while others had nicer things and we had to fight coveting or jealousy. Sacrificing by driving a beater at times knowing that "someday" it would pay off. People, we made it to that day!

Dave talks about people driving old beaters and hoopties calling them their "Dave Cars". He gets mad and says... thats not my plan for you. I don't want you driving a beater. Get your self a Lexus and call that your Dave car. Well, after 5 1/2 years of working his plan, I finally got my Dave car. I seriously might put a sticker on it that says that.

The Lord has been very good to us and we feel a strong burden to do well with what He has given us. I will not pretend like we did this all on our own. We are continually blown away by what we have been given. I also won't forget the little girl in Norman, OK who lived beyond her means and got into a bind very quickly. She has changed. She married a good man, they got some help, and have been agreeing on money ever since.

So, this blog is for all the me's out there who are living paycheck to paycheck or having a hard time not meeting the status quo. You will make it, if you want to. Its not easy but its possible. And above all else remember- YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU DRIVE, although I would be okay with that today.