Shipwrecked!: When Thank You Isn't Enough (A Story About A Car)

I had to take a couple days to post this, because really, I was still in shock, and I wasn't sure how to voice my astonishment and gratitude, or if I even knew how to write it out properly.

So this past week, my older brother Josh drove down with his wife Karen and my nephew Niko to visit for a few days. We had just the greatest time, exploring San Francisco, playing old quarter arcade games, eating ice cream at Ghiradelli's and watching sea lions, but especially just sitting around the house and chatting without time restrictions (due to us having to visit 140 other closest relatives and friends when we are visiting in WA). It was such a great visit, and I cherished every minute of it with them.

The night before they left, they took us out to dinner as a treat. When we were done eating, Karen slid me a little box with a card. I figured, it was my birthday last month, so I wasn't suspicious. The card stated that there had been something in their family for a long time, but it was time for them to move it on, and they wanted it to remain in the family. I open the tin, expecting a little trinket...

It was the KEYS TO THEIR YUKON that was sitting in the parking lot!

Wait, WHAT just happened?!

Turns out, they had tricked us into thinking the three of them drove down in the Yukon, but really, they had taken a second car (and hidden it from us). The title was with them, and they were just handing us a gigantic car for FREE.

I thought that was the kind of thing that only happened in movies?!

After a lot of tears from Brad and stunned speechlessness from me, we somehow accepted the gift (although, I still have barely accepted it as reality), under the circumstances that we make a LOT of memories in it, as they did when their kids were growing up.

The weight of this gift is insurmountable. Our lifestyle has just changed completely. We have navigated being a one-car family for the entire life of our children, which was easy at first, but now that they are in elementary school and involved in sports and have friends and are all over the place, it has become exceedingly difficult. We've made it by, sure. But having a second car, let alone a second car that seats seven people, is going to make even our day to day routine so much less complicated. The fact that we don't have to drop one parent and one kid off at one field and the other parent and other kid have to fly across town in our one car to make practice. The fact that anytime people visit, we have room for them. The fact that we now have two cars and NO car payment. The fact that every time I sit in it now, it reminds me of my brother (and sister in law), who I've always looked up to, adored, and strive to be as good of a parent and cool of a person as he is.

Damn, that really did just happen.

SERIOUSLY!!!

As for the Yukon, it's incredible. It's actually a Yukon Denali XL, which means it's the fully loaded, bigger-than-my-first-apartment version. It has three rows and seats seven (two rows of captains chairs, plus 3rd row bench), PLUS a full sized trunk even with the third row up. It's got a V8 and ROARS when you hit the gas, and I can tow any trailer, pleasure boat, or aircraft carrier I want. And because my brother owns an auto shop, it's got new parts, lots of extras, and is immaculate.

To say I'm thankful is a pitiful understatement. I'm not sure how I could ever show my gratitude, let alone type it out in some stupid blog where I'm usually just talking about what just came out of my kids' mouth or what little day trip we went on. I almost didn't want to even post about it, and somehow taint or disrespect the untouchable and intimate appreciation that I have from it, or to tear away from just how thankful I am that they came and visited (car or no car). But at the same time, some things you just need to shout from the rooftops. So here's me, on the rooftop. MY FAMILY IS AMAZING. And I'll never say thank you enough.

Here's to many, many new adventures (and thus, blog posts) with our new car.

Seriously, the words of this post are an injustice to my gratitude.