Skip to main content

Hey, looks aren't everything!



It doesn't look like much - especially from this distance - but that mini van behind the tow truck was our world for many years. 

 Our family traveled nearly 180,000 miles and tallied up even more memories within the walls/windows of that Ford Windstar. It took us to Washington D.C., Florida, on countless trips to Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and St. Louis. And all around this beautiful state of Michigan. It was the vehicle of choice when taking the three not-so-little Piggins on college visits and then hauling their worldly goods to the college they chose from those visits. It was easy to distinguish from every other white mini-van because there were bumper stickers from those colleges and also a couple from their high schools!

 It took the three not-so-little Piggins to golf matches, baseball and football games, auditions and rehearsals. It has held the golf team and members of the band, honors choir, quiz bowl, youth group and countless other configurations of groups. And while on the way to ski club, it served as the place to complete homework before hitting the slopes.

 We have listened to nearly every Harry Potter novel while on a vacation in that van (and after returning from D.C. we even sat in the van while it was parked in the garage so we could finish the last 15 minutes!) and a few other great books.
And as they grew and their music tastes changed the van was witness to this - and the battles for control over the radio or CD or, later, the AUX cord. 

 And behind the wheel, all three of the not-so-little Piggins learned to drive with varying degrees of patience from this mom. It has heard this mom say some pretty unkind things - when the kids were there or not! It has gotten this family safely through some terrible snow storms (and at those times likely heard some of those choice words!). And as far as this mom is aware, it was never in an accident.

 It has taken this family to doctor's visits, the emergency room and hospital. It has been the vehicle of choice for Chinese fire drills - because of the automatic sliding doors in the back. And for awhile we were convinced it was possessed because it's interior lights would suddenly blink on an off - but as it got older and tired the interior lights didn't always work. (And the automatic sliding doors stopped working as well.)

 So, it was bittersweet to see it tethered to the back of that tow truck.[ We donated it to charity (not sure which one)]. I don't think there's much life left in it and it will likely be used for parts - so it can live on for other families for many years!

 Delaney recalled recently the day we picked it up; she and her brothers were discussing which seat would be theirs. Our previous mini van had one bench seat in the middle and another in the back - and they marveled at the bucket seats. And our previous van had only one sliding door - and it wasn't a power door, so they marveled over two sliding doors. And there were separate sound and thermostat controls. We were riding in luxury! During this last year or two, Delaney had it at Webster and most of the 'bells and whistles' didn't work any longer - but it still worked.

 So fair well, Piggins-mobile. You were a good, trustworthy world.

Comments

Post a Comment

It's not a popularity contest, but ...

Lefties and Other Exceptional People

I have had the opportunity to do a lot of driving lately - back-and-forth to Wabash College and to-and-from Holland, Grand Rapids and East Lansing. It's given me lots of time to think and ponder the greater mysteries of the world; like the purpose of life, why my thumbnails always break first, the speed at which a state police officer will actually pull you over for and the theory of relativity. Oh, not THE theory of Relativity - with a capital 'R", created by Mr. Genius Einstein. No, my own theory of relativity - with a lower case 'r'. Created by this less-than-genius mother of three and wife of one! My theory is that the absolute worst drivers are those that drive exclusively in the left lane (I call them lefties) and the ones that believe the rules of the road apply to everyone except them (I call them exceptional people). I call it my own theory of relativity because these drivers are relatively unaware of how to drive. You know the ones that are going the spe...
1 comment
Read more

Pinball wizard is falling

I've had some unusual titles to my posts, but I'm fairly certain this one takes trumps them all! Hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride getting to the reason for this wacky title . . . I sat down to pray Sunday and was thankful God knew my heart because the prayers were scattered! I started praying for a friend who'd been in a terrible car accident, and then her husband,and then mine who was traveling to see the husband (his bestie, though I'm fairly certain they would never, ever refer to one another as 'besties' and might instead die of embarrassment at the term), then greater understanding into their bond of friendship. Then I got an answer to the prayer of understanding - brotherhood. So then the prayer bounced to my sons that they have such a bond as their father and his friend, and then on to my son Michael's exams in law school and then on to my daughter who also is heading into exam week for her first year in college in St. Louis. Then the pray...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling

I put my pride aside and got my ass off the grass and into the wheelchair. {I spent a couple minutes deciding whether to put an exclamation mark after that declaration or to put the period after that statement. I think the period better suits my mood about getting said ass into the wheelchair!} On July 4, Saugatuck has a wonderfully unique parade that includes quirky participants like the artsy-fartsy campers at OxBow art colony and the LGBT members of a local foundation along with the more traditional participants like Girl Scouts, fire trucks, and local politicians. It had been a couple years since I had been to the parade, this year, though, my Mom and sister were in town and I wanted to take them. So we loaded up in the van, including Kerri's wheelchair and my own. Once we parked, John asked if I wanted to use my chair and I initially balked but then remembered that it can be a long, hot parade and it might be better to have a place to sit. So, I acquiesced and took the cha...
2 comments
Read more