Show Choir Weekend and Some Car Damage

This weekend was the Fields of Talent Show that Norris hosts every year. Mom came down to watch Bryce and Bree perform, and she also spent time with the girls while I was busy working at the event. I usually volunteer in the kitchen, helping with breakfast and lunch service—it’s always a little chaotic, but also a lot of fun working alongside the show choir kids.

While I was helping out, Mom took the girls to Scooters for coffee and breakfast, and they even fit in a little shopping. That evening, we all went to watch the finals and the Norris groups perform. They did such a great job! This show is always one of the most fun to watch, and Mom is always impressed with how well all of the schools perform.

We dot a picture of Mom and the kids except Bryce was too tired and was sleeping on the couch. 

We had to get a picture that included him too even though he was sleeping on the couch. The kids all thought it was pretty funny!

It was a fun weekend, but unfortunately it ended with some drama—and some car damage. Mom had parked in the grass off the driveway, and Caleb, who’s used to pulling out quickly in his pickup and whipping around to turn it, didn’t realize her car was there. Crash. The back quarter panel of her car was a mess.

Caleb felt horrible and came in to tell us right away. He was understandably upset, knowing he’d be responsible for paying for it or at least the insurance deductible. Accidents happen, and with two teen drivers, this wasn’t our first time navigating something like this.

The real challenge came with Mom’s reaction. Her car is older and we do carry insurance, so there was never any question about getting it fixed or turning it in. But for insurance reasons, we decided it would be best to say that I had been driving. That way, Caleb wouldn’t have an accident on his record, which could cause our premiums to skyrocket. The coverage and outcome were exactly the same, but Mom became very uncomfortable with the idea of not being completely straightforward.

On top of that, she was worried that because Caleb’s truck only carries liability insurance, her car wouldn’t be covered. Even though we tried to explain, her anxiety over the situation just kept growing. We wanted to be understanding—it was, after all, our child who caused the damage—but Robb and I were admittedly losing patience with the endless questions and the lack of understanding about how the insurance actually worked.

Unfortunately, the situation didn’t end quickly or easily. When Mom took her car in for estimates, the insurance company decided to total it out because of its age. The problem was, she knew she wouldn’t be able to find another car in as good of shape—or as nice—for the amount they were offering. I was frustrated, both with her and with the situation in general.

In the end, she decided to take the payout for the total loss, then buy the car back for less and have someone repair it. It worked out, but not without months of stress and drama along the way!