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.
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