First Things First...

Day 12 of 30

Today's discussion: First car and current car

Let's talk about how things should NEVER be judged by their covers. 

As a child, I told my parents I wanted a 1999 White Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, loaded, tan leather interior. They told both my brother and I that we can buy what we can afford when it comes to cars. So, on some level, I swore that would be my first car. I was very out of touch with how much cars typically go for. All of my friends had cars - so why couldn't I get one?! 

Well friends, everyone is raised differently. Everyone's situations are different. 

So, I survived high school borrowing my mom's car, and then went off to college. 

When I was studying for my bachelor's, I was initially going to school for history with a concentration in secondary education. I so badly wanted to be a high school history teacher! So I started the process to get into the secondary education program. Once I signed up for classes, I now had to figure out how I would get off campus for my student teaching hours. 

Thankfully, I truly have the BEST parents in the world.

August of 2009, Dad came to me with a proposition. He was looking for a new car (ok Truck.. ) so he suggested that I take over the payments on his current car - and he gets a new truck. At first, I was like HELL. NO. That car is HEINOUS and only science nerds drive it. I'm not doing it. Nope. 

I moved back to school in September, still carless. I went about first semester of junior year as normal, but for some god awful reason, couldn't stop thinking about the "ugly" car my dad wanted me to take over payments on. I went home for Thanksgiving that year and made my decision. I told my dad that if the offer was still on the table, I would take it. He said he would look into it and get back to me. 

Fast forward 3 weeks, and I was home for Christmas break. Christmas morning, my dad handed me the keys to his car complete with info on payments and a big smile on his face. A few days after Christmas, he picked up his truck and the car was officially mine! I learned to love that car - we had many fun adventures together! 

Everyone, this was Seamus. He was a 2003 Honda Element: 

Seamus was retired from his duties on March 31, 2014. He was replaced by a 2010 Mazda CX 7, who went by the name of Fiona. She was my pride and joy, and unfortunately taken from me far too soon. She was 7 years old, just under 94,000 miles, and her engine fried. 2017 was not kind to our family, but by some miracle, I landed the sweetest little upgrade! 

After my Fiona fiasco last summer, the incredible team at Lannan Mazda in Lowell, Ma hooked me up with a 2013 Mazda CX-5! She (Ella) is basically Fiona on a smaller scale! She's been an incredible car to me, getting me through this past winter, and getting me to and from North Carolina 4 times last year! 

She likes to give me a scare once in a while, but overall, she's the best. I do miss Seamus from time to time, so I think in a few years, I will go back to a Honda SUV. I miss the sound Seamus made when he started up!  

I am grateful for every opportunity and obstacle in my life that has led me to where I am when it comes to my car. Ella is my third car, second I picked out myself and have my name all over. Fiona was my pride and joy, and I miss her from time to time too. She was basically my 1999 dream Jeep, just a Mazda and more fitting for my lifestyle. Ella is just about the same.. same colors inside and out as Fiona, just a little smaller, easier to whip in and out of parking spaces, and a little better on gas. She's the perfect mix of Seamus and Fiona, and I can't wait to see what kinds of adventures we go on :)