Now that we have three kids, we have officially outgrown my 4Runner… the very same 4Runner my parents surprised me with for my first car back in high school. As we are looking to upgrade in order to accommodate our growing family, I was surprised, and a little embarrassed, at the emotions that came to light. I mean, it’s just a car right? But looking back, there has been a lot of life in my 4Runner.
Surprise!
My parents surprised me a few months after my 16th birthday by taking me to ‘pretend’ shop for a car they had already bought without me knowing. When they finally let me in on their surprise, I was literally speechless. Besides being grateful, I felt a little guilty knowing how expensive new cars were, but mom and dad insisted that ‘new’ meant ‘safe’ and ‘long lasting.’ After 16 years and over 235,000 miles… I think they were right.
School
This 4Runner skipped out on a lot of driving in high school in order to save hard earned gas money. This 4Runner was a concert venue for Destiny’s Child and my best friends on our way to all our high school games. This 4Runner failed at transporting a homemade Spanish project and leaked melted chocolate all over its backseat.
This 4Runner took me to college and only got one parking ticket at Texas A&M and one big Aggie going away present when it got towed on Northgate graduation night. This 4Runner has made countless Sonic runs with my roommates, and was a favorite study spot for me with my moon roof open. This 4Runner spent a lot of time at Baylor University too… where it attracted a homeless man to its driver’s seat, who was rummaging through its console! My now husband, Joe, and his roommates didn’t catch him, and this 4Runner has been without its User’s Manual ever since.
Family Life
This 4Runner has been a big part of mine and Joe’s relationship, taking us all the way back to high school. This 4Runner witnessed our first kiss. This 4Runner knew the 13 minute route down Stahl Lane between our houses all too well, and how to get back just in time for curfew. This 4Runner defines long distance relationship, knowing its own way back and forth on Highway 6 between College Station and Waco.
This 4Runner was my limo to church on our wedding day. This 4Runner navigated itself through the NFL, bringing us, and all our stuff, all the way from Seattle to Jacksonville, and back to San Antonio again. Literally, across the country.
This 4Runner escorted our first two babies home from the hospital and has learned to like fruit snacks and french fries over the past few years. This 4Runner has hosted picnics in the back, lugged around strollers and bicycles, and even played driving simulator in the driveway for our toddlers.
You can see how this 4Runner is so hard to part with, because it has become part of our family. I can’t imagine my mom and dad giving my 16 year old self such a gift, such an important gift: a safe, reliable vehicle for an unsafe and uncertain life. My 4Runner has lived a lot of life, and now you can bet we will be investing in another Toyota, another vehicle to last us the next part of our lifetime.
Our family is excitedly anticipating the birth of our third baby just about any day now. We cannot wait to meet the sweet little boy that we found out was on his way in early January. Madeleine and Joseph have been so excited to welcome a new brother into the family. Even though Madeleine really wanted a sister, she is confident it will be a girl next time;) Joseph is just eager to be older and bigger than someone…lately he is not a fan of being the youngest/smallest.
“Oh! I had a tooty in my mouth!” – J
“Mama, you are such a great mama I wish all kids could have you as a mama. I think we can fit 18 kids in the guest room.” – M
Me-“Joseph, wipe that mean look off your face.” J-(grabs a wipe) “Where is it??”
Madeleine was spinning in circles on the stool in the doctors office and she almost tipped over. I said, “Woah, that was scary, you almost tipped over!” Madeleine said, “Tipping over is always in style.”
We have a tradition to interview the kids on each birthday starting at 2. It has been fun to look back and hear their sweet voice and also how fast their “favorites” change. Here is the commentary from Joseph’s 2 year interview complete with his adorable “um’s.”
There are so many precious things I want to remember about him at this age and I’m trying to write them all down before I forget but when I start to put them on paper I almost go blank. I feel like I need a notepad in my pocket 24/7 to jot down his little quotes and mannerisms. Like, how he always asks to hold my hand when he is scared or upset (even when I am driving and especially when I’m trying to eat). Or when I am putting him to bed at night and he protests me turning off the lamp with, “I wanna talk a widdle bit.” So we talk a little bit and then I say it’s time to lay down and he says, “I wanna a cuddle a widdle bit.” Well ok:)
Lately he has been super mischievous, but when I correct him he tells me he is only “attending” (pretending). “Mama I only attended to throw that at the TV.” Yes. We had to get a new TV. I love how particular he is about HIS side of the rocking chair and how he always wants a stool to see what I’m doing in the kitchen. And his sweet little way of asking questions that begin and end with “why.” “Why do birds have wings mama, why?” “Why is it dark outside, why?” Or how he will hurry and eat his fruit snacks super fast or chug his chocolate milk in the morning and no one notices until he says, “I beat Madeleine.”
I know there will come a time when he doesn’t want to cuddle or hold my hand and he won’t really ask for my opinion, but for now he is my two year old little boy and this is the time of our lives.
