Provision of the Lord

With so much going on, it was even more important - and that much harder - to go about getting a vehicle. Daddy has hardly been able to get off work since he took over the store, it needs so much remediation. There were a couple of days he made it off, but I didn't know and went into work. There were a couple days he stayed home, but then had to be on conference calls. It took almost 6 weeks to get out to go look at vehicles together, and when we did, we had no luck. I had a very certain criteria I was looking for, but was on a budget as well. We found a Dodge Caravan, which I was interested in because I liked my Dad's (which has been out of commission for months), and I test drove a Honda Odyssey that I really liked, as well. Then I had a hard decision to make... should I take the Honda, which was over priced? Should I take the Dodge, which was okay? Or should we go to Richmond the next week?

Isaac was obsessed with this cup when he was
a baby, too. It's glass, and the babies play with it,
drop it, knock it over, I even dropped it on the concrete
at work one time, and it's in perfect condition. I'm
*extremely* impressed with the quality, haha.

My decision was made easy when the Dodge was sold just hours after we stopped to look at it. I decided that if Richmond didn't have what I needed, God would make sure the Honda was still available. We went home.

We didn't get to go to Richmond the next week.

And then I started questioning how smart that decision had really been, because I was still depending on people, and it was making me crazy for their sakes, even though they assured me it didn't bother them at all.

And then, the best friends anyone could ask for struck again.

Finally finished a fringe blanket I worked on
for almost a year! I love these things, I've
always wanted one.

This family has been an absolute blessing to our family since we met them. Those first months at Covenant Baptist, I was discouraged and uncharacteristically skeptical of friendships, due to several blows from people I loved, delivered  right as we moved states. Their oldest daughter stepped in, a non-intrusive yet persistent, a steady force of friendship; and the rest of the family just gathered my family into their arms as well. From that time, to the months looking for a house, when their dad finally stepped in and called churches in the area and found us a house that would be rented to such a large family; to EVERYTHING in between; and everything after, as they still make sure we are taken care of even from states away; this family has offered help after generous gift after sincere encouragement for almost 5 years now. 

They came to visit at the end of February, and their son tried to convince me that, since I hadn't found a car yet, I *had* to get a Ford. No offence to anyone here who thinks they like Fords, but... I've driven a Ford. I hated it with a passion.

So, obviously, my answer was no, and after they got home, my parents started getting text messages from him for listings for vehicles... mostly Fords, or insanely priced novelty cars. I totally thought he was still teasing. But eventually, he did send some serious ones along as well.

And wouldn't you know it, I finally found a van, thanks to those texted links. It needed a good cleaning (and on that note, if anyone wants to pass on tips for cleaning leather seats... I haven't done the research on that yet and I definitely need to do that), and new tires, but it was a good price and exactly what I was looking for! I've already been teased by a couple people for buying a "mom van" as my first vehicle. Admittedly odd for a normal single 20-something girl, but to this I just reply, what did you expect from the mom friend? I have no shame. I had carefully thought through my requirements, and a mom van was the answer ;). Working with children with disabilities there is a real potential that I could need something bigger to have room for equipment -wheel chairs/oxygen tanks, etc (not specifically with the family I am working with now, but something I had to think about while I was looking for a job, and something I am still willing to prepare for). There is also the fact that, while I can't take the whole family anywhere, I might want to take enough siblings somewhere at one time that I wanted more than 5 seats, LOL! And there is so. much. room. Bringing home a week's worth of groceries in this thing would be a breeze, *especially* since my back seats fold down instead of needing taken out for floor space - quite possibly my favorite unrequired feature in the whole van!

And, Daddy was able to go back and buy a van himself from one of the local dealerships we looked at while I was car shopping. Ironically, owned by a neighbor we hadn't met yet, who turned out to know one of Daddy's employees. The van came with "all the strawberries we can eat" this summer from his wife's garden, haha! After all the encounters I've had recently of people I'm spending so much time around being "right down the road" from us, and now this, Mama has stated this is the SMALLEST town she has ever been in... either that or we are being stalked, hahaha! I'm driving and it's just like... there's my student's house... where the kitten came from... where the car dealer lives... where my coworker lives... the church we're looking at trying... work... all within four miles. Definitely feels small townish!

Rejoicing in Hope,

Ambrielle