*** Betsy *** ... Sayonara :(

This is Betsy, our 1989 Chevrolet Beretta. I guess I should have said "was" our Betsy. It was time to let her go. She was difficult for me to let her go actually, a part of me still thinks we should have just kept her. She was in critical need of a new clutch, which would be a lot of money we'd be putting into a 19 yr, 253,000 miled vehicle. She also needed new tires really bad too. Instead of putting money into her, we put money into a 'new' vehicle.

Some of you know the story about how Seth and I met. He gave me a ride back to BYU, from Iowa. It was Jan '06 that we got in Betsy for an 18 hour journey. We first met in Betsy, got to know each other and became friends in her. This is why it was hard for me to let go of her! I've always told Seth we got to keep her running well enough so our high school kids can drive her... so much for that idea. Seth bought Betsy in Michigan for $600.00 his senior year. She was a fantastic investment that definitely was worth the $600. So this is a post dedicated to her, I took photos of my favorite memories...

First off, the handle bar. The story: This was the first real interaction I had with Seth. When I was trying to get into his car for the first time, I couldn't find the blasted handle bar!! Though Seth was a tad intimidating to me in his leather jacket, I was impressed how he helped me get in the car and didn't make me feel stupid that I couldn't locate it, ha ha ha!!

The lock inside the car: When Seth and I were dating we had this little game... Seth would walk me to my side and unlock the door to let me in (such a gentlemen)... Then it was a race to unlock his door. He'd run around the car as fast as possible and try to unlock his door before I got to unlock it for him from inside. I think he beat me to it once. . .

I love this photo. It just reminds me of the anxiety when we were first dating, his hand was RIGHT THERE on the stick shift!! I wanted to just grab it every time, and hold it. And before I knew it, I was able to do just that without hesitation, we were always always holding hands in Betsy. With the stick shift to deal with and all. Also noteworthy - Betsy was the vehicle I first drove stick in! I learned how to drive a manual in her on our first car trip actually. On one of the gas stops Seth said he was a little tired and I told him I'd drive... Then I get in the driver's seat and realized it's stick (yes, I should have noticed that during the first 10 hours of the road trip). But he assured me I'd be fine, I was seriously freaking out though. But I did fine! Seth was a fantastic teacher. I pulled out of the gas station and he calmly coached me on what I should do with complete confidence in me. Before I knew it we were on I-80 and cruising, and it was so easy! ... until we had to get off for gas again and I had to mess with the clutch. :) But I was pleased with my first manual driving experience.

Yes, this is a picture of the back seat. Seth consoled me by saying the new truck has seats that lay back and we have tinted windows now. :)

This photo is to remind me of the night Seth came to me with a proposal ... a proposal to be married to him. September 2006 (22nd) we had just watched 'cars' in the dollar theater and Seth said he wanted to just go out driving, instead of going home right away. That's not out of the ordinary... I just requested we stop somewhere and get some hot cocoa (we went to 7-11). He drove me up to Y mountain, over looking Provo in "our spot". We chatted a little and then it went quiet. He then said he got me a gift! And it was in the glove box... so I opened it up and there was a little white satin pouch from Goldsmith Jewelers in there. Awwww, he got me a pearl necklace, how sweet of him. I gave him a hug and he said there was more in that little pouch, and I knew what it was. A very sparkly diamond ring for my finger. He then asked if I would marry him and ... duh...

Seth would also want me to point out one other thing in this

photo... the floor mat. It was his pet peeve that 'my' floor mat always looked like that. It's hilarious that it's all scrunched in this photo, b/c he'd always be asking me to straighten it out. It was just always scrunched like that though! Also, Seth wanted me to take a photo of this: I like to put my feet up on the dashboard, when I relax in a car, especially in the summer time with the windows down and I'll stick my feet out the window even... and uh, not sure when but this time I guess I cracked it more than it was before. So, it was my fault

the crack got bigger, like in this photo. ... whoops!

Other amazing features of our Betsy:

Push-pinned ceiling .... She is a transformer! ..... 253,677 miles

Our last photo with Betsy. All this new vehicle, leaving Betsy new came suddenly to me. I had always planned to take some kind of 'official portraits' with her, but... I procrastinated too long. Betsy was what brought Seth and I together: as friends, dating, engaged, and married. She's not just a car to me, I was really fighting tears when she left the parking lot. and even now :(

Welcome to the family "Brody" the 2000 Chevy manual blazer with 115,000 miles (Seth's dream truck). I hope he is worth every penny like Betsy was. Because Seth has had Betsy for 6 good years ($600), Brody should be good to us for a whole 27 years, right? (yea, the price on the windshield is not what we paid for him.) We'll see...