To Read on the Journey

Thursday, October 7, 2010

170,000 Miles Later

Dear Mini-Van,

I can't believe this time has come... the time for us to say goodbye.  You've been a part of our family for 9 years and 170,000 miles.  

I recall speaking to a friend as Michael drove you home from the car dealership 9 years ago. Disappointed at the reality of becoming a mini-van mom (whose other car was a station wagon),  I said to her, "I can't believe we are getting a mini-van."   Her children had recently left the nest. She had recently graduated from her mini-van to a sedan.  Her wise response to me was "enjoy it, someday you will find yourself missing that mini-van."
Now here we are, and I'm saying goodbye.
She was right. I'm missing you.  

I want to say thank you! Thank you for all the memories....

For bringing Josie home from the hospital, announcing the news on your windows with a white shoe polished birth announcement.

Thank you for driving us to preschool, t-ball, ballet, gymnastics, Awanas, church, piano lessons, guitar lessons, snow-skiing, to the lake, to sleep-overs, play dates, and to weekend getaways (those were my favorites).

Thank you for holding everyone one of our Christmas trees securely on your roof, and for all the gifts you've secretly carried. Thank you for having self-control when I wouldn't.  It was smart of you to  hide the Christmas cassettes (yep, the van has a cassette player. It also has a vcr.  yeah, we're that cool), and for not letting me discover them till the day after Thanksgiving.  You know me well, and that I would have started playing them in September had you not "hidden" them from me! I will miss you this year when we are singing, "Just hear those sleigh-bells jingilin, ring ting tinglin too..."

Thank you for carrying us to our first home (in "Nova Scotia").  We're sorry it took us 4.5 years to get the garage cleaned out so you too could move in. Thank you for never grumbling.
We are grateful for all the times you served not only as a van but as a truck... you came through for us at Home Depot, willing to help with all our home improvements without complaint every time!

Thank you for driving us all over California!  You delivered us safely every time to family gatherings, weddings, funerals, celebrations, and to countless events.  We especially loved our trips to Yosemite, Disneyland, Ikea (Disneyland for mommies), Sea World, Monterey, Carmel, Sacramento, Cambria, NewPort Beach, Napa... you were always so good to us, though we weren't always so good to you.

Thank you for carrying us through laughter and tears. For listening to baby scream, kids complain, mommy scream, and mommy complain.  Thank you for letting us say "i'm sorry" again and again and again.

Thank you for never complaining about our loud music, and even louder singing...thank you  for even dancing sometimes.  

Thank you for being a sanctuary, a place of worship, and a vehicle where the Spirit spoke to us and stirred us to grace and truth.

Thank you for cradling us though so many miles, and for becoming a part of many our stories.

We will miss you Mini-Van.

Gratefully,
Denise


We are now the proud owners of a new (to us) Saturn Outlook.   I'm thinking about getting one of those license plate covers that says "If you hit my Saturn I'll kick Uranus."

8 comments:

Home's Where My Heart Is said...

This made me cry and laugh. What a sweet tribute to your van. Our vehicles do have many memories. I love the "if hit my Saturn..." comment, that was awesome.

Enjoy!

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

LOL... great post! :) Growing up we were a station wagon family... that thing was great! Enjoy your new ride.

The Writer Chic said...

The pic of you hugging the wheel is priceless. A perfect example of why I LOVE your blog.

And I've never heard of the bumper sticker, but...you HAVE to get it. You just have to. =)

Alexis said...

Through thick and thin! Great post about the mini. I especially loved the 'hug'. ;)

Simply Sara said...

you are just my favorite person ever!
;)

i am still in a committed relationship with my mini-van (and i'm guessing will be for a looooooooong time- 4 kids and all). it wasn't love at first sight either, but now i couldn't imagine living apart!!!

get the sticker ;)

Tasha said...

I love the picture of you at the end. I am weird, but I actually like being a Mini-van Mom. When I was a youth I always told my Mother I couldn't wait to be a Mini-Van Mom. It meant that I would get to Be a Mom. I think I will be sad like you when I say good-bye to our Mini-van. (and I totally cracked up about your license plate holder you want!)

Michelle said...

I'm sad for you and your van. It sounds like you've had many great years together. Its sad when our friends leave us. :) Hoping you and the Saturn become as close as you and the van.

Anonymous said...

How should you conduct a reverse license plate number check up? I want to know if there's any type of way you can type in a license plate number on the web and see the identify of the person if it is associated with or maybe the address of that person. Can someone assist me? It is an The state of illinois plate with S right at the end of it. Please email me whether you can investigate or post if you know the way to do a free one. Thanks so much.