Oh "K" Already: A Birthday Present. . .

Yesterday was my birthday. . .

It was a good day.

An ordinary Tuesday with school, errands, homework and even the normal fighting between my four children.

Kyle started a month long trial on Monday so his thoughts have been focused on that.

I didn't mind.

He felt bad he didn't get me much for my birthday this year. . .

I reminded him of an early birthday/christmas/anniversary for the next 5 years present he got me a little while ago.

We finally did it.

We finally traded up for our old gold van.

It served us well for 8 years (about 5 years longer than it was intended to serve us)!

So just before Christmas we left it at the dealership. . .

Here I am taking one last picture of it out the window as I drove away. . .

In my new CAR!

It has already taken all of us to San Francisco in the pouring rain. . .

to Idaho in the freezing snow. . .

and back and forth around Roseville too many times to count!

Here are some of the things I love about my "new" van:

I love how it tells me exactly how many miles I have until my tank is empty.

I love how my dashboard does not glare at me while driving from all the check engine/battery/brake emergency lights being on all the time.

I love that my doors open automatically.

I love that I have a remote on my keychain and I can unlock my doors while walking toward the car.

I love not having to hold my breath each time I stop at a stoplight thinking the car is going to die at any moment.

I love that it is easier for my children to get in the backseat now that we have bucket seats and not two rows anymore.

I love that I have heat and air that works on all settings and not just on the HIGHEST setting!

But. . . my favorite thing I love more than anything about my new car is the TRUNK! I can actually fit a stroller and baseball gear and groceries all at the same time!

BUT. . . I'm not going to lie. . . there are a few things I miss about my old car.

I miss that my old car beeped at me when I forgot to turn my lights off. . .haven't figured that one out yet.

I really miss that the kids could get out of the car when I was still in drive. This whole "have to have the car in park before the doors will open is annoying"!

I kinda miss driving around thinking. . . "you're not going to let me in even though my blinker is on. . . go ahead hit me. I won't be sad."

I miss knowing that van brought 3 of my 4 babies home from the hospital and kept them all safe for many years!

I miss that I could reach my baby in the middle seat from the drivers seat in my old van. Now I have to rely on a sometimes not so helpful 4 year old to give the baby what he needs while I am driving!

But. . . what I miss more than anything about that rackety old van is that I didn't have to write a check out each month to pay for it!

As with life. . . everything has trade offs!

And I seem to get over them pretty quick every time I hop in the car. . .

whether I'm the driver or the passenger!