The Great Debate

We need a new car. Not want, not really, but need. Our car is 11 years old and has 130K miles on it, and since it doesn't say Honda or Toyota on the bumper that means lots of repairs as the time goes on. I guess we kind of want a new car too, but only if it were given to us free and clear, no work required. Because buying a car is work, you have to research every different possibility and for us that was a lot (any vehicle with three rows), then you have to look at them all, then drive some, then drive some again, then eventually make a decision (we hate doing that!), and then hand over a chunk of money that you've been saving for years. No I can't say that I really want to buy a car. Thank goodness we like to keep our cars until they just stop working for us so maybe we won't have to do this again for another 10 years.

So we've done all the work mentioned above and narrowed it down to a Toyota minivan and a Suburban. Kyle wants the mini. I know those of you who know him had to re-read that sentence, it is sad but true Kyle wants the mini. For those of you who don't know my husband he has said as part of his statement of beliefs for the past 8 years, we will Never drive a minivan! To which I used to look at him, laugh, and say yes we will. But eventually the more we became one, I started to feel the same way, so that when he would say, we will Never drive a minivan, I would answer, Amen! So what does he do, he goes out and looks at cars for an entire Saturday and comes back and says I've narrowed it down to two minis and one SUV. What!! Who are you and what have you done with my husband, because I want him back.

Here's the thing. Minivans are very practical. They cost less to buy, to fuel, to own. They drive easy and still fit lots of people and have lots of space for luggage. And you can get them tripped out these days, with leather, dvd players, all the latest gadgets. There is only one problem, for me that is, they're ugly and they're dorky! There I said it. I'm sorry if you drive a minivan, I know that you love your mini, so many of you have told me that since we began this debate, and I believe you, even see why you love it, so what is wrong with me. Every time we go to look at one or I see one driving I think, I just can't do it, I can't drive a minivan.

I really don't know why, it's not like I'm Gwen Stefani or something, but somewhere way back in my head I apparently feel like I'm too cool to drive a minivan. I have no idea why, I am a realistic, I am fully aware of who I really am, which is a stay at home mom with two kids that is far from cool. I still wear clothes that I wore in college, have some sweat pants that are part of my "nice clothes", have no idea what movies/music/tv shows are popular right now, and I don't really care, I am not cool. But maybe, just maybe there is something about me that is cool (I'm racking my brain for something to put here and it's taking a long time, so I've given up) and if there is I lose even that if I start to drive a mini.

I'm trying, I really am, but on the inside I feel like a toddler who wants to throw a tantrum and say no, no, no! this is not what I was supposed to end up with. We'll see what happens in the end I promise to make peace with what we get and even try with all my might to like it. Who knows maybe 2009 is going to be about God teaching me humility, driving a minvan, who knew, God really hit the nail on the head in a way I wouldn't have known before this whole thing began :).