1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS

That was Erik's first car. Mine was a 1992 Pontiac Grand Am. Have you ever noticed that when you ask people, especially teenagers, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" they see themselves in a particular car living a life that is exemplified by that car. Side note: Some people make decisions based off of what they desire to happen and others out of what they desire to not happen. I'm the latter. Back to the point: I don't know that I pictured a certain car but I absolutely said on many occasions that I would never drive a minivan. If you recognize this vehicle then you know it was my beloved minivan. Of course I made all of those proclamations before I tried to wrangle 3 carseats into the backseat of a Camry and before I realized how handy the sliding doors are and before Toyota sought to make minivans cool.


But even with as many rash words from adolescence that I've had to eat as I entered adulthood and parenthood, I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined that not only would I cave and join what I perceived to be a very non-hip, not-with-it minivan crowd, but that I would leave the minivan-driving, 2.1 kid toting crowd behind and blaze into this territory.


Seriously! I didn't set out to be here, driving 4 stairstep kids in a Ford E150, homeschooling and getting ready for two more. How, in less than 8 years did I go from the cute little Camry I drove in college to upgrading into a "bus van" (as the children call it). The big thing that changed was in the summer of 2002 when Erik and I first realized that we were living a life that worshipped ourselves instead of Our Creator.

We started attending church, reading the Bible and seeking His will instead of ours. We were slowly convicted to make little changes here and there. I wonder what my reaction might have been if God had instantly asked me to quit working, trade my Camry for the bus and fill it with children. The scene I imagine is quite colorful but, all that to say, I'm thankful God has walked me from there to here. I love here! And driving a "bus van" is totally worth it for these guys and for the next two, Lord willing.