the devil car

I do not normally associate inanimate objects with emotions, but we are certain that a car we had for nearly seven months was indeed possessed. I say this with a half-joking manner because I only half believe it myself.

For almost a year B and I managed as a one car family without too many issues. When I got my new job, there was no way we could operate without another car. My schedule varies and working around B's solid schedule would have been very difficult. So we started to skim craigslist ads. We even went to Denver for a day to check out used cars and came up without any luck. Our budget was very small. We were only seeking a town car that was safe for little man.

I was working one of my last shifts at my previous jobs when B called to announce he had found a car, test-drove it, and bought it. I had no idea what kind of clunker he was bringing home. I was just relived that we now had two forms of transportation! He drove the 1987 blue-green Volvo Wagon over to my work and explained all of the things he had to fix: the radiator and water pump were the biggies. But, B said, I know what I'm doing! I put all my unwavering trust into my husband. He has worked on many cars and I truly believed he knew what he was doing. However, the car had other ideas.

B worked every night to fix the radiator and water pump and three weeks later it was still sitting in the parking lot. I finally put my no-ifs-ands-or-buts face on and said we're taking it to the shop. Period. Aside from those two major issues, there were also some electrical glitches. If the battery had not been warmed up it and we needed to use the head lights, the dash lights would not work.

Long story short (or not!), we dropped $300 to have the bigger repairs done and without a second thought conceded that the car was fine. Sure, the car was fine, but it's presence in our lives brought so much negativity. The deal on our house fell through, I was scammed, Tulo had a terrible accident, and we were broke. All this within five months of the car entering our lives. Fast forward to Halloween weekend. My good friend Amy is 30 weeks pregnant and she was concerned about some pains she was having. Her husband was working and it was a Sunday so I offered to take her to urgent care. We decided to stop by her house to grab a stroller since mine was in B's car. As we turned into her neighborhood the car over-heated and died. I called B and he said he was on his way but to pour water into the radiator while we waited for him. Amy's concern was not an emergency so it was okay that we had to wait 20 minutes for B to arrive. He stayed with the car while I took Amy to urgent care.

B discovered a leak. After the car cooled down he was able to get it home before it over-heated again. I put Logan down for a nap and it finally occurred to both of us: this car is really bad mojo! Without a second thought we decided to sell the car for whatever someone might be willing to pay and then, somehow, buy another car. We had no idea how we were going to buy another car but we had to, even if it meant borrowing money, which we hate doing.

Halloween night after all the fun I placed an ad on craigslist. I received a few responses and wanted to wait another day before responding. On Tuesday, I sent an email out to my coworkers asking if anyone had a car they needed to sell. I knew that buying a car from someone I knew was safer than online. I knew they'd be honest with me about any ongoing issues, etc. In the mean time, B was setting up a time for a guy to come over and buy the car for parts. That was all it was good for.

That afternoon I received a response from someone who wanted to give us her car. She said it had not been on the road for year, but was in otherwise good condition. We needed to buy a battery and get the brakes checked. That was it. I was in tears! I could not believe how selfless this person was to give us her car! We offered to pay her something but she would not take it, stating that she was going to donate it anyway and was glad she could help us out. The devil car, as we started to call it, was not even out of our sight before good things started to happen. I got a call about the scam-I am going to get a refund! We had no idea if Tulo would run again-he ran through the park with Butte a few nights ago! My insurance was not going to pay for my procedures until they received a statement from my previous insurance that it was not a pre-existing condition-done and done! (while I've had stomach issues for a long time, it's been undiagnosed the entire time).

Wednesday night was a blizzard so we waited until Thursday afternoon to pick up the car. We took care of the title at the court house and again, I cried in my car on the way home. I always feel so blessed by everything God has given me, but I could not wrap my head around how much gratitude I had for this woman GIVING us her car. I'm still in shock. I just know that when we get the chance some day we will pay all these good deeds forward. There is no other way to spread love and joy in this world than by doing just that.

The devil car meant so little to me that I never even took a picture. The car we were given needs a major bath. I've taken it through the car wash and nothing came off!

I pray that in this season of giving that no matter what the need, you seek to help someone out, big or small, just to keep spreading that love a joy.

thank you isn't enough

I'm sure some of you are wondering how in the world we are handling all the expenses that Tulo's accident has incurred. It's not pretty people. But what IS pretty are the people who have helped us out along this rough road.

We have never been on the receiving end of a charity and I honestly thought we never would. Tulo's initial visit to the incredible e-vets in town is our financial responsibility. That includes his surgery, the e-collar he's never used, meds, sedation, wound care, etc...just take a guess as to how much that costs. It's not pretty, like I said.

I remember sitting in the courtyard of the hospital listening to the tech tell me all about Tulo's injuries and just sobbing. He would have to visit our regular vet every week for several weeks until the cast comes off and then he'll need physical therapy which is a pretty penny. I had no idea how our little family was going to handle such a huge financial burden. Tulo may "just be a dog" but in no way is he less of a family member. There was no question we would allow the vet and her team to treat Tulo however they saw fit.

Three days after the accident we had his dressings changed and assessed by our regular vet. Near the end of our appointment I mentioned that there was no way we would be able to pay for every service "at the time of service" as they requested and even went into further detail about our financial status. We both work hard, full-time hours, pay for daycare, rent, bills, etc...so I simply asked for us to set up a payment plan. Our vet is a saint. She listen deeply and began to tell me about The Gracie Fund. It's a charity-based fund through Friendship Vet Hospital for families like us who have a pet going through something traumatic, both financially and emotionally, and need some help. We were instantly given $250 by someone in town. Her only request was that we write her (the person who made the donation) a thank you note. DONE AND DONE! I was in tears! This amount covered 2-3 more visits which we continued to have every 4-5 days.

There was a visit in there somewhere when Tulo ate through the bottom of his cast. I was livid! I thought for sure they would have to recast him but no...our vet simply covered the area extra good so there was still some air getting into the wound (a good thing) but still protecting his toes. We sprayed it down with chew guard and before leaving she said that quick visit was on her. Wow. Are people really this nice? Am I really THAT blessed?? I called and told B. We were floored by her kindness, compassion, and generosity.

Once that fund was drained, the hospital applied for the Lady Bug grant. This one is a little different in that the hospital has to request a grant for us based on our situation. Once qualified, the Lady Bug grant is $150 with the promise from the hospital to match that amount for the family. You do the math. That's another $300 right there. This grant came to us when Tulo developed the infection prior to this past Thursday's visit regarding the drain in his leg.

THEN, on Thursday even more came to us. The hospital had applied for two more grants for us and that vist alone was over $800. With the grant ($300) and even more support and assistance from my father-in-law (B's dad) and his fiancee for the balance, we did not have to pay for anything.

We will be paying B's dad back. But how do we pay the hospital back? How do we pay the people back who contribute to The Gracie Fund? B and I talked about this on Thursday evening. So much has been given to us in a way we never thought possible. It's true, bad things do happen to good people and then what? Well, this is exactly why these charities exist. We are going to offer our time to help around the hospital, if they'll accept us. Volunteering our time only seems right considering the circumstances.

Every month for almost two years our family has made a $15 donation to the Children's Hospital in Denver. March of Dimes and the Alzheimer's Association are two other charities we have made contributions to. $10 comes out of my paycheck every month for the cancer foundation through the hospital. We believe in giving. When other smaller avenues come up, we do what we can (change for local fire fighters...). We are without a doubt humbled by the events and results of those events over the last month. It has been one of the most trying for our family but in no way to we doubt that we are being taken care of. I urge everyone to give to a charity that is close to your heart. I remember calling my mom to tell her about the $250 from The Gracie Fund and she was so happy for us, stating "Wow, I guess pets need a charity too". It's not something that everyone is fully aware of. Pet insurance is still a new thing that most pet owners do not participate in. Regardless, giving just feels good and I can honestly say that while it feels uncomfortable, at first anyway, to be on the receiving end that I'm not sure what we would have done without the amazing people (vets, techs, donations, and family) helping us keep our heads above water. You know who you are. You're amazing and we love you.