Unexpected People

Today I am grateful for unexpected people. Derek and I have been looking into a mobile RV. So we can start traveling more, with ease.

We shopped around over the weekend and found something we liked. We went in pre-approved with our bank which the dealership didn't seem happy about but we love our bank. They know us there and them just being a small-town bank, they have genuine people there. Derek help the bank with their remodel there and I've been a member since I was 18 or 19 so some of the people there know us very well.

 

I was supposed to drop off paperwork today with our loan officer. Normally, I go to a different loan officer because I know her and enjoy her but Derek had been the one handling this.

 

I went in ready to get things wrapped up before I finished the rest of my errands for the day. I thought it'd be a very quick in and out, half-hour tops.

 

Right away, I noticed two things in her office. Sea turtles, everywhere. I took note of this because they are Connor's favorite animal. The second, she had a picture or possibly a postcard with sunflowers all over it on her back table straight ahead of me.

 

So, I was instantly more on guard than normal because as most of you know, sunflowers are my sign. My loan lady was asking me the specs about the RV we found and entering everything into the computer. She finished and said are you sure there are not more specs to put in? I said I didn't have much to go on so we could call, but why?

 

She said she's coming back with a much higher number than its value. She explained it is normal of course to upsell something but this was A LOT over the value. So I called. I got a lot of roundabout talk. Finally, the guy said the value he got was still a drastic difference.

 

The loan gal and I talked and I said, "I know I'm here for a reason with you because of that picture." I explained why sunflowers were important to me. She agreed, she must be with me today so that I wouldn't get a bad deal. Not just that, but I've been looking for a sign from Erich. His most recent job was a loan guy so I feel like maybe he was trying to help me out in some way. Anyway, the loan gal and I chatted some more and she said if we didn't need to buy right now, we should wait unless they were willing to come down about 8-10K.

 

I called the RV place and told them unless they came down on the price a lot, we weren't buying and would likely take business elsewhere since they were so drastically up-charging us. The first guy said he couldn't do anything about the price. I said that's fine then we wouldn't be purchasing this. Then he said it was above his pay grade and would have someone else call me back.

 

The next guy got on and tried to convince me that it really wasn't a bad price and because the market is hot they have to up-sell so really our bank was in the wrong. Then he said, "Well, we could have one of our loan places look at it and approve you if you're having issues with your bank." This pissed me off. I said, "you're missing the point. You guys are taking us for a ride. Our bank is looking out for us. They know us, know our situation. You're taking advantage of a medically retired veteran and a cancer survivor. Our bank is just looking out for us. So unless you come down on the price, we aren't buying." No, I probably shouldn't have said that to him. I don't like using our situations as pitty/guilt trips but I was mad and it just kind of came out.

 

He said he would call me back with a new price. And he did. He came down almost $8,000. I called our bank lady and told her the new price to which she said that’s great, much better.

 

I'm so grateful for our bank and for our loan lady. She was so amazing. I enjoyed talking with her and I'm so so so happy that she caught all this. She was definitely a blessing today.

 

When Derek and I were there at the RV place we had already negotiated some and had them talked down a bit so I'm just "shocked" at how much they really tried to get out of us. I called Derek and told him everything and he was just angry, rightfully so, but at least now, because our bank gal, we are saving a lot of money.

 

In reality, we should have been smarter. I tried to blue book value it but I, myself, didn't have all the specs either. So regardless, I'm very appreciative today.

 

It also just hit me that in roughly two weeks, Derek and I and a bunch of our friends leave for Vegas to celebrate our 10-year vow renewal. It's been so crazy around here that I haven't even had a chance to celebrate my good news of clear scans or even think about Vegas much. We've had a family of 6 staying with us so it's been busy. Then with Erich passing and trying to process that… Now that things have calmed down a bit, it's finally registered that we're going on an adventure.

 

Vegas will be so amazing. We have so many people coming to help us celebrate our love and hard work. I'm overall just feeling amazing today. Lots of good people in the world and a very good group of them coming with us. Can't wait to see everyone.

 

I'm looking forward to telling Derek how much I love him all over again. He's the best husband and friend a girl could ask for. I'm so happy that he, too, would choose me all over again. I love where we are in life as a couple. We understand each other, we've grown so much but together. Sometimes people grow apart over time but I'm lucky enough to have only grown closer to him. Anyway, enough mush!

 

Thank you to all the people out there who do the right thing and help out their fellow people. And VEGAS HERE WE COME! EEEEE!!!!