My new baby...

...Ok, even I have to admit that the title of this blog post is a tad bit cruel given it has nothing to do with my pregnancy or the birth of our new little guy. Try not to hate me too much for my tease. Hopefully our sweet little one will be here soon (the sooner the better!).

Today was an exciting day for a completely different reason. In a way, we really did add to our family. We ordered our new BMW about six weeks ago, and we finally got notice today that we could take delivery of our pretty new car.

Before we were even fully moved to Germany, we knew that we wanted to take advantage of the military car sales offered here to bring home a beautiful German-engineered vehicle. What we didn't know was when, what or how. Our plan was to go as long as possible being a single-vehicle family, and I'm happy to report we made it about 22 months with only one car. A challenge that didn't seem as daunting until we experienced the independence that comes along with having two. It certainly made for a fair number of excellent adventures and entertaining memories littered across my blog though.

As proud as I was that we were surviving quite fondly on one vehicle (and being able to use that extra money for our travels and savings), the time finally came where I was completely fed up. The answer to our "when" question became a "now" answer.

We spent the last two years researching what would be the best vehicle for our family knowing that we were hopefully going to be a family of four and likely always have a dog in tow. The choices felt somewhat limitless - Volvo, BMW, Audi, VW... We finally decided that the BMW X3 was a perfect size and an excellent car for our needs without breaking the bank. It is pretty amazing how much car you get for your buck with this vehicle especially with the incredible deals they offer military folks here.

So, we saved and planned financially for our purchase and just waited for the right time. With the move to a new Army Post in a more remote location, and the nature of Big R's next job having him nearly constantly on the road and away from home, our need for a new vehicle was rearing its ugly head. I was no longer interested in creating fodder for my blog posts writing about schlepping a newborn and little r on buses and in nasty weather around town. The funny thing is, I was my own worst enemy in this argument because Big R would have purchased the new car the day we got to Germany. I am typically the more stubborn in this relationship when it comes to this sort of thing. So, needless to say, Big R was ecstatic when I said I was ready.

And here we are with our new baby!!! We were put in touch with a military sales rep at BMW, we scheduled a day to test drive, and we didn't even hesitate. Somehow we snagged one of the last 3 2013 models on the BMW production line giving us a few more options we wanted for just a little less of the cost. We got to pick the colors, the fun packages, and the awesome accessories (like built in sun shades for the back seats to keep the sun out of the little ones eyes - nothing shy of AWESOME). Our approach to purchasing this vehicle was to buy a true investment in something we would keep for hopefully a very, VERY long time and never get bored with it. For what we really wanted in a vehicle, I think we did a great job. We are super happy with it, and somehow our color choices turned out stunning! (It was tough to be sure we were picking the right combinations from samples on the internet.)

So the outside is a MIneral Silver Metallic with a Mojave Brown interior. We went with the Sports Package (of course), so the seats feel like they are giving you a hug. BMW made the X3 an SUV that drives like a sports car, and they somehow accomplished this task splendidly. It really is an incredible machine. Big R and I aren't the only ones who think so...

"Only 12 1/2 years until I'm 16!"

Isn't it purdy?!

We are in love...

One of the best, and probably most amusing parts of this new vehicle purchase, is that we ordered an incredible German-engineered machine and it is produced at a manufacturing plant in South Carolina. How do you like them apples?! So, we circuitously supported our U.S. economy and walked away with some of the best offered by the Bavarian world.

We are looking forward to the many roadtrips we have planned with our new baby across Europe and likely across the U.S. when we get home. Thanks for letting me share. We are maybe just an itty bit excited :)

xoxoxoxo

 

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