Driving a status symbol

I alluded earlier to the fact that we had made an exciting purchase.  Which we picked up on Saturday.

What is the purchase, you ask?  And why is Mary Lu so very happy about it?

Well, it's a van.

A huge van.

A huge, 15-seat passenger van.

Eek!

Never thought I'd own me one of these.  Well, until Anna was born and we figured out the whole openness to life/adoption/we're-going-to-end-up-with-a-slew-of-kids thing.  Then I knew that, most likely, we'd eventually need some sort of behemoth car.

And "eventually" has become "now", because our swagger wagon only seats 8 people.  Meaning that once we bring our girls home from Ethiopia, our family of nine won't fit, period.  Boo.

Thus the need for a larger vehicle.

And it doesn't get much larger than a passenger van, now, does it?

Check me out, turning to look behind me before I put that puppy in reverse.  I am so awesome.


I have to tell you that I was so, SO intimidated to own one of these.  How on EARTH was I going to drive it?  But, you know what?  It actually is turning out to be somewhat less intimidating than our minivan was when we first bought it.  For some reason, the leap from a sedan to a minivan felt more foreign than when I was driving this guy on Saturday.  The visibility out the windows is actually superior to that of our Toyota Sienna, and the mirrors are better too. 

The main issue will be, ahem, parking.  BUT, I'm HORRIBLY nervous about parking our other van anyway so I am well accustomed to parking with lots of empty spots around me, and in the back of the lot.  :)

I also have to tell you that I am so opposed to cars being seen as status symbols (gross!)...BUT, I've decided that this is one status symbol I am proud to own, and proud to drive.  Dang proud.  Proud enough to even make me cry a little as we brought it home.

Because OH MY GOODNESS, how rich are we?!  We have five, soon to be SEVEN, beautiful children.  We had to splurge and buy an insanely huge car because our current one isn't insanely huge enough to hold all of the love and relationships in our family!  We have had to further put off our landscaping plans (our yard, front and back, is a bit of a disaster) and other house updates (A/C, anyone?)  in lieu of receiving two extra-special daughters with their extra-special chromsomes and extra-special hearts.  Because not only are we paying for this adoption, but we have had to buy a car, too.

So, yes.  People may see me screech chug lurch drive up in my massive, commercial-ish van with all manner of children spilling out and think, ohmygosh how embarrassing to have one of those for your car.  But the reality?  Our riches far exceed anything this earth has to offer.  God is so incredibly good to us.

And, it will mean that our daughters are home.

Because right now the new passenger van is just sitting parked, empty, next to our house.  We don't need it yet.  Until our daughters are here, we all still fit into the swagger wagon we bought in 2007.

So come home soon, girls.  We are getting more anxious by the day to kiss your sweet faces and have you here, with us, where you belong.  We have a status-symbol car big enough to fit all of us now, and we can't wait to begin our life together.  We love and miss you terribly.  Hurry home.