My laptop is enormous. It is second-hand, used. And in case you didn’t catch on when I said it’s enormous, it’s also heavier than a small child.

But I love my computer.

When we got married back in the dark ages, we convinced Mark’s parents to buy us a computer for our wedding gift. After all, I was still in school and Mark was thinking about going back to school, so we needed a computer. Sure, the school of which I speak did have computer labs. But come on, they were all the way on campus! And I was cool enough (read: married, so, not really cool after all) to live a couple miles south of campus. Clearly, we needed our own computer.

And so, we all piled in the car and drove to the Circuit City. I’m pretty sure the desktop we went home with was a pretty decent one. After all, it lasted almost eight years. Eight years that included five moves and one ill-advised upgrade by Mark’s brother.

Two years ago, though, I decided we really needed a new computer. Blame it on the pregnancy hormones of the time or the baby brain ever since, but I cannot for the life of me remember why I decided this. I think it had to do with working from home and childcare options and a few other things directly related to the job that decided to let me go at a most inopportune time.

No matter. What matters is that as we were discussing our options for this purchase, two things happened: Mark remembered that he knows a guy. And I got hit by a car.

First, the guy. Mark has delivered packages and freight to businesses for several years now, and it seems like he always “knows a guy.” Sometimes that guy can sell us cheap tires, sometimes he can fix our plumbing, sometimes he can adopt the puppy that can no longer live in our home. And sometimes, that guy sells gently used corporate computers.

Second, the car accident. One day after work, I stopped at the library to return some books. And as I backed out of my parking space, another car hit mine. Not hard, but it was a little scary. We exchanged info, several weeks of frustrating phone calls ensued, and we ended up with a nice little check.

A check that just happened to cover the cost of a gently used laptop from that guy.

Before we dumped (donated? I can’t remember.) the old computer, our good friend Jeremy was kind enough to retrieve our hard drive and save it to a disk. Or something. All I know for sure is that all my old files are on my new-to-me laptop, along with billions of pictures of the cutest kiddo we know, all my iTunes and a couple videos, and lots of versions of my resume.

What else could a girl want?

My computer has been a lifesaver. When Annalyn came home from the hospital, we were told not to take her outside for six more weeks. Mark was already working evenings at that point, so once he left for work each day, I was stuck. Stuck at home, with this baby that I didn’t know what to do with, all alone. If I hadn’t had my computer as a lifeline, I might have gone a little crazy. Crazier. Whatever.

And since then, my computer has allowed me a creative outlet with this blog, a social network of amazing people I’d never have met without it, a way to watch more TV than any one person needs, and a place to store my precious photos.

I’m really not sure what I’d do without it. And that’s why I’m so glad Mark has agreed that it should go on vacation with us. (I was so afraid to ask, you all. I just knew he’d laugh at me for not being able to leave it at home, but seriously! I need it!!)

For more things that are loved, visit Diaper Diaries. And tell me – do you love your computer? Would you take it along on vacation, or am I nuts? (Wait. Don’t answer that last one…)

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