Doing It Alone

After 10 days of the agonizing search for a new car in this post-Katrina New Orleans world, I'm finally the proud owner of a 2006 Toyota Camry LE. I'd planned on driving Millie for another year, but alas, she's suffered enough abuse and gotten me through the toughest storm. It's time for her to go to a nice charity where she hopefully can help another family. Kami Lee (on the other hand) already appears to be a nice (although premature) addition to our house. It was a smooth ride home, and I intend to treat her very, very well...including weekly baths, regular check-ups, and only the kindest on road treatment for my new child. I have a feeling that since I'm older and starting out with a spanking brand new car, I'm going to become a very good driver very quickly.

This is the largest consumer purchase I've ever made, and I have to say it was a little unnerving spending $20,000. My mother once said she was 32 (I think) before she owned her first brand new car, and I think she was around the same age when she & my dad bought their first house. I'd always said I would do better than my parents did so my son will have a strong foundation to do better than I'm doing. Having purchased my first home (as a single mother, mind you) before I turned 29, traveled to my first international destination by the time I was 30 (just barely ;-), and bought my first brand new car before turning 31 without having to stop sacking money away for the comfortable nest egg I've started for Shorty's college fund/my retirement...I think I'm doing pretty well. The thing is, I'm doing it alone (which is why I'm so careful with money).

All it would take is for me to lose my job and there's no one there to pick up the slack. Knowing that keeps me very motivated in my career and in rearing my son. I'm very aware of what it means to be a single mother, because his father's only consistency (besides finding ways of aggravating me while being oblivious) is in being inconsistent. I've never truly been able to depend on him, so I look into my son's green eyes and know that I'm all he's got...his father is langiappe (Cajun French for "a little something extra"). The only thing that keeps me going is knowing I'm a child of God, and He's a single parent too. With His help, I know I can get through anything...just look at what He's done so far. I just continue to pray that He'll continue preparing me for marriage (and that there's a man out there that He's made me for) so that one day, I don't have to think about my future alone with my things, but with a partner to share the responsibility and the rewards.