MAMVs

Moms Against Mini-Vans, I used to be a founding member.

If any of you know me well enough, you know I never, ever wanted to have a...mini-van. I thought if I ever had 2 kids, I would just have 2 car seats in a row in a regular car, or if I had more I thought I would just go grab a brand new Tahoe whenever I needed one. I can just hear Sam laughing out loud as I type at the thought of that one. These are two of many misconceptions of people without kids. Granted, I do know families that can make a regular car work. But if your anything like our family, two car seats, a double stroller, 4 suitcases, 2 pack and plays and enough diapers to patch the Hoover Dam, just don't quite fit in the trunk on a road trip. So in a recent month of alot of traveling, and despite my pleads of an SUV (gas would have killed our Dave Ramsey abiding budget), Sam and I were forced to......buy........a......mini......van. 

I almost couldn't even admit it to my bf Jessica, who if I remember correctly responded with some sort of "Amber, oh no". Partially because she knows how much I didn't want one and partially because she was probably thinking, "Am I old enough to have friends with vans?" And I know this because I was definitely thinking "Am I old enough to have a van?". It was a major turning point in my life (as if kid number 2 wasn't enough).  

Now my husband is a much different story...all he has ever wanted was a van. Actually, this van is his third van. He had two while in college....why he loves them so much, I could never figure out. 

Until now.

This mini-van is the best thing that has ever happened to this family. And I mean, we have got it going on...DVD players, seating for 8, towing package, rear air control, automatic sliding doors and almost 240,000 miles :) She is 10 years old and amazing. There are so many buttons and gadgets, I don't even think I have tried all of them...mostly because I am afraid one of them is OnStar.  I can take anything I want while traveling, and take the whole family plus more to dinner. I'm almost positive we could live in it and it would somehow cook us dinner. If you have ever considered getting a mini-van over an SUV, do it. You won't regret it. 

I hereby formally announce my resignation to the MAMV's. 

(Even though it is a little awkward when I pull up to the tanning bed in my van, something about that just doesn't feel right)