Calling All Cars

It was a wonderful weekend of family and wedding . . . but that's for another day.   I want to talk about cars.  We have (had) three cars.   A 1995 Dodge Caravan, which we bought brand new after a hail storm, so we got a good deal on it.  We didn't care that it had little teeny dents all over it.   It was ours, and it smelled good!   That van took us to a lot of places, and we have lots of good family memories in that car.    We also have a 1997 Kia Sephia, which we bought used from a newlywed couple who couldn't afford the payments anymore.   It's little, and it's got some issues.   It  wants to stall all the time, almost like it knows where we are going and it doesn't want to go there.  Very annoying.   Lastly, we have a 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic, white.  The only car that runs smoothly, even though it's bland and really has no personality.   At least we know we can count on it to start every morning and take us where we need to be.  Kind of like some people we know.  Kind of boring, but dependable.

We have been praying for years that our Dodge van would live long enough to see our children through their teenage years.   Our middle son kind of adopted it.   He drove it to work, to friends' houses, etc.    It leaked oil (our nextdoor neighbor asked us not to park it in front of his house).  It needed transmission fluid and water almost every single day.   It had a few bumps and bruises, and the paint was almost nonexistent.  And it accumulated a lot of fast food wrappers.   We named it the "purple ghetto van."   BUT, our prayers were answered.   It DID live long enough!

Our son doesn't know how to drive stick shift.   He moved to a very hilly place.   A place that snows . . . a lot.  He lives at the bottom of a hill - - and he can only get in and out from the TOP of the hill.  My husband and I decided that the little Kia Sephia was not a good fit for this scenario.   So, we sent off our only good, dependable car with our son.   So he could be safe.   We are such good parents.  

We sold our purple ghetto van - - please, no tears - - for a couple hundred dollars.   

We are now left with the Kia, the stubborn, stalling, gas guzzling little car.  

Our oldest son got married this weekend.  We had family come from all parts.   Our son came in from his new hilly, soon-to-be snowy home, driving that good, dependable car.   It was so good to see that car . . . I mean, our son . . . I felt like hugging it (him).  We drove the good, dependable car all weekend.   And then it was time for it (him) to go home.   Such a sad good-bye.    Until we meet again.

I think it may be time to think about a new(er) car.  One that doesn't stall.   One that doesn't resist going where we want it to go.  One that will let us be the boss.   Stay tuned.