There are two things in life that I said I would never do. I would NEVER wear "granny panties" and I would NEVER drive a mini van. I have come to learn something recently, NEVER say NEVER!
When I was in college and still living at home, my granny would come over a few afternoons a week and help my mom with the mountain of laundry that was always in the laundry room in the basement. Granny and mom would always laugh at me and tell me that there would be a day when the leopard print thongs that lined my underwear drawer would be replaced with "granny panties". We all know what they are. I had volleyball shorts that covered less skin than a pair of control top hanes. Funny that now almost ten years later, marriage, and two kids, the leopard print thongs are in the bottom of the drawer buried underneath the control top panties.
A few weeks ago Bobby was involved in a serious car accident. Thank the Lord that his injuries were minor, but my old civic had driven her last mile. Cars can be replaced, but my husband can't! The first few days after the accident we had to decide what we were going to do about a new vehicle. Bobby and I aren't the kind of people who buys a new car every few years. We drive them until the wheels fall off, or if they no longer serve their purpose. We decided that instead of buying a new smaller sedan for him to drive, that it would make more sense to upgrade the family vehicle. I love my CRV, but after you fit two car seats, and all of the gear that goes along with two babies, there is barley room for anyone else in the car. So, the race was on to find an appropriate family vehicle.
When Bobby and I were dating we made a bet one night, one that both of us remember quite vividly! I said that I would NEVER drive a mini van, I didn't care if I had to tie the kids down to the roof of the car, that I was not going to drive one. Let's just say that he stood to benefit greatly if he won the bet. While driving on the lot to look at the larger SUV's, the wager was fresh on my mind. I thought to myself, I am not going to lose this bet, I am not going to be the "soccer mom". After looking at the larger SUV's I learned something very quickly, they aren't much bigger than what I drive now, and the ones that are cost as much as a small house. My image isn't worth 60k! Discouraged, I looked at Bobby and I said, "Let's just go and look at the mini vans." His eyes lit up with excitement and at that very moment I knew exactly what he was thinking. He knew that he was on the verge of winning a bet! The wonderful husband that he is, he told me, "Babe, we don't have to look at them, I know that you don't want to drive one". The sensible "mommy" inside of me was telling me otherwise. I knew that it was the best option, I just didn't want to admit it. I decided to test drive it because I knew that I was going to hate it and that would end the debate really fast. I got behind the wheel, and I fell in love. It was so nice, and it was so spacious. It was so much cheaper than the Tahoe that I had my eye on. It was the right choice to make, but I was having such a hard time convincing myself that it was OK. It is a double whammy...turning 30 and buying a mini van in the same year. It is like they just put another pair of "granny panties" in the top of the underwear drawer and I might as well just go out and buy my daily women's multivitamins. I'm turning in my cute coach clutch for the over sized mommy bag! I had been trying to avoid it, and convince myself for the past three years that I'm not getting older, and that I am just as cool as I used to be. Those days are long gone.
After a few days of haggling with the salesmen over pricing, I finally was driving off the lot in my new mini van. I had a small breakdown, and Bob was grinning ear to ear. I technically had lost the bet, but I realized something, I really had won. I have everything that I have ever wanted. I have a wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally, I have the two best babies a mommy could ask for. I have a job that I love. I have a family who surrounds me with love and support like no other. I have a faith that can move mountains. What else could I possibly want or need, I have it all.
It is amazing to me that in the act of buying a car, I had come to such an epiphany about my life. I am adjusting to my new role as the eternal soccer mom, but I have decided that I am going to rock out my mini van and be the coolest mom in the neighborhood. After all, I was the kid that had the parents that always had extra kids for dinner every night. I was the kid who had the dad that coached baseball and basketball for 26 years now. I was the kid that had a mom that made the effort for us to eat together as a family every night of the week. If this is what being a "soccer mom" is all about, then I'm in it for the long haul.
I haven't went out and bought a bumper sticker or the stick figurines of the entire family, including the cat just yet, but I will make turning 30 look good while wearing my control top "granny panties" and cruising in my swagger wagon.
ps. for those of you who don't know about the swagger wagon, go to YouTube and type in swagger wagon and watch the video...hilarious!
