My First Post (will this be a thing?)

 Today is the day!

Apparently, I need something to keep me busy!  Honestly, my heart longs for family and connections and this blog may help me get some of this need met.

We have new cars in the Brogan driveway!  In case you missed it on social media.  Here is what we got!

The car quest began when I was hot by a car in May.  I personally thought my car was totaled, but my insurance company had plans to fix it.  Then the delays happened.  More and more delays until one day when I was in Daniel's car having his tires rotated, the insurance company called and told me that with the new damage discovered where the AC unit managed to got hit and twist the frame, that my car was a total loss.  But holy cow!  Fair market value!  I expected to have a huge gap between what car was worth and what I owed.  Happily I was in the black and would have a nice down payment.  So the quest to buy a car began.  New cars are hard to find.  Used cars are available but at similar prices to new.  I decided I needed a new car.  I finally "found" one and put a deposit on it so that I could pick it up on Tuesday August 16.  I never saw it.  I never drove it.  Luckily I had a great and honest car dealership to work with.  Car is awesome and I got it below MSRP even though most dealerships were adding 1000 to 5000 to the MSRP since demand, you know!

Around this time Ryan decided that he should also get something new.  He was not happy with his Equinox anymore and wanted a truck.  We had chatted over the years about buying one, but Ryan's desire started to really come to the forefront.  He offered me his car and then we would use the money from my car to purchase a truck.  I was not ready to take his Equinox on as his was not full of the features that I was used to.  I need heated seats, love a sunroof.  If his equinox had those things I would be driving it.  But it did not.  Ryan wanted to go car shopping on Saturday August 13, but it was a day I had already made plans to play Pokémon with my friends.  So he went car shopping alone.  He test drove a couple, but the cost of a truck is like buying a house!  He fell in love with a red 2021 Chevy Silverado and that is the gorgeous red truck now sitting in our driveway.  To pay for it he will be making overtime I regular part of his life.

My car was bought it Issaquah (a suburb of Seattle).  I am pleased!  No computer chip installed for the heated seats but the dealership will be notifying me when it comes in.  I hope it is before November!

Daniel is now working at Wal-Mart as a shopper for online orders.  He either "picks" the items or he takes them out to the customers when they arrive.  So far, he is not happy with loss of free time, his feet hurt, and it is hot so delivering to the cars is the least favorite part of the job!  Oh and he is getting almost 40 hours a week so too many hours.  He has been told this is just for now, while they train him, but he may have to advocate for himself.  I am so proud that he is doing something he is not fond of so that he will have a better future.  I have been a very protective momma and seeing his struggle is hard but I am so proud that he is showing GRIT.

I am back to work on Tuesday.  Kids will start the following week.  

While all this car stuff was happening for me and Ryan, Daniel was starting his job, and my parents (Frank and Peggy) were getting over COVID.  Peggy deleveloped pneumonia and was very very ill.  She is getting better but is still in the hospital recovering.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.  Special shout out to Cathy for being the hands on daughter!  I am so thankful for her love for our family.  She walks the talk!