A week of firsts...

Lindsay has had quite a few new experiences in the past 7-10 days. So here's our diary of those.

She had her first car ride of over an hour....up to Braham, MN for Pie Day (Mommy's first Pie Day as well!....that's Lindsay in the background in the stroller....she slept the entire rainy day away).

Her first time of actually staying awake at a kickball game...we lost in the semifinals of the tourney...she also met her first puppy at the game. This is the puppy...not Lindsay. ;)

Her first trip to Vikings training camp in Mankato. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on whether sleep or seeing practice is more important to you), she decided to sleep in that morning, so we got there right at the end of practice and didn't see too much. Antoine Winfield and Adrian Peterson have the early lead as her favorite player though...

Her first pair of jeans...now Lindsay and Mommy can dress alike!

Her first wedding....and first dress (and Mommy's first dress since her own wedding)...it's that dress alike thing kicking in apparently. She also had her first trip to the mall to help Mommy buy a new dress.

Lastly, she also had her first trip to Daddy's clinic to visit him at work (and show herself off to Daddy's co-workers). What happened after that visit was a first for the whole Best family. As we left the clinic together to head over to a barbeque with some friends, Lindsay and I loaded up in our Explorer and Kevin went to get into his car. Unfortunately, this is what he found in his parking spot.

We looked and looked and nothing. No Honda Civic to be found. It wasn't towed...we asked. So, there's really only one option left at this point. Kevin's car was stolen. A phone call to the police and there we were, back out in the parking lot waiting. As we discussed how ballsy it was to steal a car in broad daylight from outside a clinic where people are constantly coming and going, it occured to us that one other thing makes the crime particularly ballsy. Here is what is across the street from Kevin's clinic!

For those that don't know what BCA stands for....that would be the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension! I guess you have to admire the gutsy move of wanting a 1997 Honda Civic so badly that you'd pull it off right there!

As we waited for the police, the situation started to sink in...at least for Kevin and I. I don't think Lindsay was really grasping the idea quite yet.
After 45 minutes of waiting for the police, they finally showed and proceeded to tell us in the nicest possible way that Honda's are stolen a lot and they usually are gutted out very quickly...essentially, don't keep your hopes up about us ever finding it. The only hope he held out for us was that someone needed a ride and took it for a joyride.

So we went about our business and started thinking about a new car. But then, the very next day we had a message that said, "we found your car in Hugo and it was towed to Forest Lake." Hallelujah!!!!

We called the towing place to say we were coming to get it and the guy said, "Already?" This was a tad confusing, but we of course would need our car, so we said obviously we were coming right away. When we called back to see what we needed for proof of insurance, he happened to mention "I was able to get it shut off." Come again? "Well, they jammed a key into the ignition and broke it off....it was still running when they found it in the church parking lot."

Hmmm....at this point, it doesn't seem like we are getting it back as we had hoped. And sure enough, as we pulled into the lot I said "Holy shit...there's your car." Kevin responded with, "Where?" And all I could do was point and say, "Right there...that's your car."

It wasn't exactly as we had left it.

Front tires gone and replaced with crap tires. Front quarter panels gone. Tail lights gone, truck and spoiler gone.

And just for fun, they decided to let us know who stole it...OMB....a Hmong gang in St. Paul. Thank you very much guys.

They were nice enough, however, to leave our belongings inside. Kevin's reading glasses, his sunglasses, the base to our carseat, his work bag and backpack and some clothes. They even decided to give us a screwdriver!

So, undriveable and in obvious need of some serious repairs, we decided to see if we could just leave it at the towing place and call it a day. Unfortunately, no, they didn't want it...and to top it off, we owed them $250.00 for the towing fee! Son of a....

After talking with the guy at the tow place, he said sometimes they tow cars to the fire department and donate them to the fire department to practice putting out fires on. The cost was $75.00 for the tow, but he said he'd waive the fee because he felt bad for us. I have to believe that having a newborn with us saved us from having to pay the additional $75.00...so now she is actually saving us money this week (or at least we might be breaking even after the cost of diapers and formula)!

After a few quiet words from Kevin to the Civic, he said farewell to his fallen friend. Upon getting into the car and driving off, a sentence I never thought would be uttered by Kevin...."Our car got stolen by a gang." Too funny.

After that ordeal, Lindsay got to experience car shopping and car buying! The fun never stops!

We decided that instead of "Cash for Clunkers" that maybe the President and Congress should figure out who only has liability insurance on their vehicles and get gangs or individuals to steal those cars. Not only would people be forced into buying new cars, thereby stimulating the auto industry and the economy in general, if they stole all the parts, theoretically car parts stores would see an increase in business as well! Someone get me a meeting with those in charge!

As for the week of firsts, it was quite a roller coaster...mostly good though. I sure hope that not only was it Lindsay's first stolen car experience, but her last. Even more importantly, I hope it is her first and last experience with gang life....we'll certainly be hoping going through this didn't turn her on to a life of crime and excitement!