Where is it?

Sometimes, it seems like the outtakes are the best.

You know exactly what I'm talking about, even if you don't know you do. We're all searching for it: The Happy Medium, The Middle Ground, The Perfect Compromise, The Ultimate Win-Win Outcome.

Most people strive to be successful in their career, but not so successful that the rest of their life suffers for it. I want to be a good mom, but I have to be careful not to get so wrapped up in my kids that I lose sight of who I am. Most days, I know I'm in here somewhere.

I've also been searching for my happy medium when it comes to blogging. It's not that I don't have anything to blog about, it's just that I don't seem to have the time. When I have the time, there is usually so little going on in my life that I have nothing interesting to say. When will the day come where I have as much free time as I do things to write about?

And when will someone actually pay me for my wisdom?

Yeah. Probably never.

We just bought a new car. Well, it's not really new so much as it's new to us. As a matter of fact, it's basically ten years old! However, it's in great shape. There are a few little fixtures and things that need to be repaired or replaced, but that's to be expected when you buy a car almost as old as my oldest child.

I've actually had mixed responses when it comes to this car. We weren't looking for a new car. We have two perfectly working cars. However, one of them gets about 12 or 13 MPG. Unless you live under a rock, you'd know that one would have to be quite wealthy to purchase the gas to keep a car like that going. We don't plan to sell the Tahoe, we just don't plan to drive it very often. But, the kids are getting older and their needs are changing. They don't need someone to stay happy and cuddle with them all day. (Not that that EVER really happens, but you cannot convince David of that! He's pretty sure our days are just one big Norman Rockwell cuddlefest while he slaves away all day delivering boxes. And I cannot seem to convince him otherwise.) Now, they need a taxi service. They need to be taken to soccer practice, softball practice, cheer practice. They have playdates and doctor and dental appointments.

At $4.00 a gallon, we were feeling as if we'd have to cut out most of that stuff. Or all of it. I mean, can anyone really blame us for choosing to pay our mortgage over getting out teeth cleaned?

Realizing that we could not realistically eliminate all (or any) of these things, we opted to look for a third, smaller, more fuel-efficient car. It helped that we knew we'd be getting our healthy little 'Economic Stimulus' check. In fact, the timing couldn't have been better.

And from the crazy traffic on Craigslist, it seems that many others had the same idea.

She's a 1999 Saturn WAGON and her name is 'Ruby.' Guess what color she is. I can fit five people, an umbrella stroller AND a big load of groceries in her. And her gas mileage is SWEEEEEEEEET! It's funny. The girl I bought her from handed me the keys and said, "Her name is Ruby." I've never had a car with a name before! As we were walking away from her last night, the girls said, "Good night, Ruby."

And now David has one more reason to roll his eyes at these females that have him outnumbered.

Poor guy!

So far, I've had a great time trying to make her mine. I've purchased one car in my lifetime that was brand-spanking new. I loved that car, but everything was brand new and perfect and I was never able to make it feel like 'MINE.' I only drove it for about a year before I sold it to my mom. Turns out I married a man who is too tall to sit comfortably in it. Ironically, he's the one who helped me pick it out!

I don't know if it's the fact that it's a small car or what, but it makes me feel younger when I drive Ruby. It brings back the days when I had only driven a small car. I drove faster, played my music a bit louder...and there were not three (or four) kids in the backseat. I had to choose between paying for electricity and buying groceries and I knew exactly how long I could push the phone bill off before they could disconnect my service. I would put my last two dollars in my gas tank to get me through to payday...and that still got me a little over an eighth of a tank!

And I guess it's nice to feel a little more secure in my life, but still be able to zip around town in a small car with loud music. And those kids are just the icing on the cake....most days! And the music is usually something you'd hear on the Disney channel.

But those few moments where I find myself in the car without the kids? I'm 19 again, and just hoping to make it to the next gas station after I've picked up my paycheck!

****************************************************

Wow! Reading this from the top, it's very obvious how much I jump around! I hope you were able to keep up!