An Ode To Rex

Before we got married, Ethan and I decided that I would be in charge of our finances. This was a really simple decision, honestly. Ethan admits he is terrible at managing money and bills and I find simple pleasures in creating spreadsheets and color-coding budgets.That being said, a few weeks ago when I opened our bank account online and realized that there were actually a couple zero's behind the first number (something that was an awfully rare occurrence pre-marriage), I spent an entire afternoon figuring out the pros and cons of paying off my car. Granted, the money in the bank was technically money that I made but because we're married, what's mine is ours. I talked to E and presented to him this wonderful plan of paying off not only my car, but three credit cards that I innocently managed to rack up before we got hitched. With minimal convincing needed, E simply said, You're in charge of the money... I trust your decision.. Ballin'! I resisted the urge to keep our back account looking so fluffy and immediately got online. Oh. My. Gosh. Hello, liberation! I paid off three cards - not selfishly, either. The interest would have killed us in the long run. I paid off the cards and vowed to never use them again. Bye, bye Maurices and Capitol One.

The second thing I did was get in the car and drive to the finance company that financed my car. I didn't owe too much more on the car but I was too excited to just wait it out. I paid it off and was told I had to wait about 15 days before I could get the title. And today, it was a glorious day of Title Getting.


When I got in the car and was holding it, it just hit me that it was actually mine. Sure, I had named him, but he wasn't REALLY mine until this moment. Originally, his name was Sassy Galore...because he was a drag queen, and that's an awesome name - duh. But then I got into a few little accidents and I changed his name to Rex. Get it? Because he gets into a lot of rex?


Anyway. Rex is now mine. I cannot begin to describe the feeling of actually owning my car. I bought this car on June 6, 2009... almost three years ago! Since then, we've hit a few things and driven over 41,000 miles. We've traveled through different states, carted around different people, and been washed maybe a dozen times. Rex was a rush decision, with a very expensive interest rate attached. But I wouldn't trade him for anything right now.

I've got friends who were just given cars... and for a long time I was so jealous. They would literally pull up to my house driving cars that they didn't pay a dime on. They weren't even paying for their own insurance! I just looked at Rex and thought, "You big drag queen piece of JUNK! Why couldn't you be free or new or something?!" But now? I am so glad Rex wasn't handed to me. I don't know how those people even drive those cars, honestly. And it isn't there fault, either. I mean, sure, if someone bought be car or something I would probably take it... but it wouldn't be mine. I wouldn't have worked for it... I wouldn't get to sit here today holding a title that excited me more than some episodes of Law & Order: SVU. I have literally paid for this entire car and I can't be any more proud of that. For years I struggled with working and balancing a social life and school and often wondered when it was ever going to pay off. Today, though, I figured it out. It's paying off just fine. I won't need to buy another car for several years and I intend to drive ole' Rexy until his wheels fall off. Then, I'll probably buy him some new wheels.

Rex, I love you. I don't say it enough, but I really do. You're a good little car and one day, when my kids whine and complain about buying their first car, I shall take out my photo album, or this blog or something (or go out to the driveway) and introduce them to you. Then they will understand why it's so important to work for things in life. Actually, they'll still probably complain but I don't care. Because I'll still have you :)