new car! new car! new car!

We did it! We bought a minivan!!

We ended up choosing the 2001 Toyota Sienna from Union Gospel Mission Motors. You were right, Jennifer... I do love it. It's a great vehicle! It just had a "new" motor put into it... one with only 50,000 miles on it... and the timing belt and oil pump and all that stuff is new as well. It has been really well maintained and is super clean inside and out.

I am so, so happy that we were able to get this minivan. I was in tears earlier this week because I had wanted to buy the minivan that was for sale through Union Gospel Mission Motors (because if we're going to make our biggest purchase ever, I would sure love to see that money to go to a wonderful Christian outreach and discipleship program), but we'd been (mis)informed that it wasn't available after all. So we were elated when it turned out not only to be available, but to be the best one we could find. It's pretty much a new car under the hood, but it's been so well maintained that it seems pretty new otherwise as well. Best of all, Keith was able to talk really thoroughly with the mechanic who worked on it, and we just feel really confident that it's going to be a great vehicle that will last us a long, long time.

And you know what's really best of all? This minivan was donated to Union Gospel Mission by a husband who'd lost his wife to cancer. She was the second owner and drove it for about 120,000 miles. She was a teacher and a supporter of Union Gospel Mission, and because her husband donated this minivan to the mission and we then purchased it from them, it's like we are able to share in blessing her legacy by giving to a cause which she cared about, and which we do too. What a beautiful way to buy a car.

(And by the way. UGM Motors works on vehicles too. They are super straightforward and honest and totally a pleasure to work with. I really recommend checking them out!)