Attachments
I get too attached to things. I don't mean things like cell phones or purses or other expensive stuff, although I like some of those things just like the next person. I get "emotionally attached" to things.
So many people in my family have extreme dislike and even, possibly, a little loathing, for our 1994 GMC Safari. The only other person who really cares for it is my oldest, A.J He's more like his mom than he thinks! Drew has wanted to get rid of the van so many times and I just can't let it go. The reason....so many memories. I am bonded to it. I just can't help myself.
Back in 1996, we had our third baby, Macy. I had just gotten home from the hospital with my sweet little bundle and we were driving a Geo Prizm. Being that we had three babies, we had three car seats. So, fitting the three seats in the backseat was really challenging. We knew, after a trip to Ohio and back, that we couldn't continue that way so Drew took a drive one weekend and found this van. It was a beautiful metallic blue color and we just loved it for all the room it had!! From the moment he pulled it into the driveway, it became part of the family.
Not long after Macy was born, Drew got assigned to Korea for a year and I decided not to stay in North Carolina with three little ones and no family while he was gone. So we headed up to Ohio to live with mom and dad for the year, which is in itself another story! The kids and I went everywhere together in our van sometimes driving just for something to do. We also traveled frequently to the Columbus area to visit my best friend, Laurie. During one particular trip, we hit black ice and spun off the road, ending up in the median. Two and a half spins around and we stayed on all four wheels. It kept us safe.
When Drew came back after the year, we got orders to New Mexico and off we went in our blue van. One time, after shopping for one of the kids' birthdays, we were driven off the road by a car who would have pulled right into us had we not swerved. It wasn't drivable but we got repairs made and it was back home with us in no time. In New Mexico, we took that van when I was in labor with Riley and then Zachery, to the hospital where they were born. With each new baby, we added another car seat so that at one time we had five, including a couple of booster seats. But the van is large and we had no problem fitting the entire family, including our dog, Bingo, many times.
We sang in the van, laughed, yelled, cried and fought in it. As I said, it is part of the family and like all families, it shared sadness with us as well as joy. When we moved to Virginia and had been here a while, our Bingo (being 13) got sick and we couldn't bear to see him suffer anymore. All the kids wanted to go to the vet, so we loaded them up in the van. When we got there they were expecting us. The assistants came out to the van and offered to help him be at peace right there, surrounded by family. We chose not to do that though and the three oldest and I went inside to hold him and stroke him and say goodbye.
These days the van isn't as shiny. The entire roof has rusted and has been painted black, and the hood is gray from primer. The inside of the door has been stripped down because sometimes the door handles don't work. They've been replaced many times but they just don't last. So, to a lot of people, it is an eye sore. But, when I look at it, I see the last 19 years, full of memories and times that mean everything to me.
It's a lot like a person, my van. It has changed here and there from age. But, it reminds me of a very old man, balding, bent over and a bit gray. To me, it's still one of my family members, and I hope one day again to see it looking shiny and new. Until then, I hold out hope that the frame doesn't rust through and the engine keeps running. The road trips are over for now and it deserves the rest. It's been loyal and steadfast and I am grateful for the years we've had. -rsf
