Sentimental Day

Call me sentimental. I don't know how I got to be that way, but I know I am. Especially when it comes to family things.

Claire and I said goodbye to our family's fifteen year old van today. And I'm definitely feeling sentimental about it.

Three dear families generously went together and bought this van new for us in March 1998, when Claire was just 3, and the boys were 5 and 7.

I drove this van nearly every day for the next ten years. It was my vehicle that went grocery shopping, took the kids to school, dropped them off at events, took us on many vacations, kept us safe on the road.

It was the first vehicle Caleb drove after he got his license, and for a year and a half before leaving for the States. I'm sure he's feeling sentimental about this too.

But with the change of season ahead of us, with no more kids at home soon, we realized that it's time to send it on to another home.

It still runs great, but we no longer need it for our family (and it's at that age where you have to start spending more money to keep it running great).

So, it's time to say good-bye.

But oh the memories made in this van! That back seat has held load after load of kids, piled in, talking a mile a minute about their days at school, with friends, in the day to day journey of life.

If only seats could talk! They've held wrestling boys, talkative girls, happy teenagers, and oh so many more wonderful people.

Though I asked Claire to make a sad face for me (so yes, this is posed!), it actually wasn't hard for either of us to wear sad faces today. I got choked up being inside it one last time.

Our family grew up in this van!

And there sure were a lot of happy days spent in it!

In the end, it's just a vehicle. Metal. Fabric. Plastic. Rubber.

But we'll miss our big blue van that holds so many cherished family memories.

**Caleb's goodbye to the van in January. Yes, I'm sure he'll miss it perhaps more than any of us.