Tag: van

Reasons

stephaniemoorewrites

A couple of things happened in the summer of 2017.

The house market was up in our area. So my parents decided they were going to sell their house. (We were backyard neighbors.)

Lance got a new job that allowed him to work from home most of the time.

With those two items I told Lance, let’s sell our house and move closer to where our son’s gym. (His gym was an hour drive each way.)

In July we put the for sale sign out.

Then I got this feeling that I needed to put the kids in school across town. The thought was overwhelming.

If our house didn’t sell that would mean a 45 minute drive to and from school. Every day. And that didn’t count our gymnastics driving.

I decided if all the kids got into a charter school, we’d take the leap.

They all got in.

Then I thought this will be good. I’ll get Rory settled into school. Change is hard with AD/HD and anxiety. It’ll be good not to change schools mid year.

She has an IEP. It’ll be good to get that started at the beginning of the year and start working with her teacher.

Other than the 4 to 7 hours a day I was spending in the van, it was a great school.

But I felt like the move was for Rory.

November 10th we sold our house. My parents sold their house. We put a house across town under contract. We were moving at the beginning of December!

November 13th Rory passed away.

Our family with the bench that American Prep Academy dedicated to Rory.

Rory’s 3rd Grade Class. Teacher: Mrs. Bohls.

Then on November 20th when the boys went back to school, I discovered the real reason for the school switch that summer.

The boys wouldn’t be switching schools weeks after their sister died.

The school administrators rallied around them. One was a counselor before being a principal so he talked with me frequently.

Their teachers cared!

Not only about them but our whole family.

There wasn’t one more change in a life that already felt impossible for the boys.

I’m so grateful for that inspiration. And that we listened.

New Van

stephaniemoorewrites

I told Lance on July 3rd, “If I ever say that we should get a new van, we need to go get it.” Because one minute I’ll be ready for a new van. The next I’m hyperventilating.

So on the morning of July 4th, we were out getting sodas and I said, “Let’s get a new van.”

Lance practically drove straight there. We’ve been talking for a couple of years about what our next van would be so while it was kind of an impulse buy. It totally wasn’t.

So here’s our new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. It’s a pretty blue and way fancy.

We couldn’t quite get rid of our old van though. She’s part of the family. The twins will learn to drive with her in a year.

Side note story:

When we were in the Chrysler dealership there was this beautiful purple Jeep. Rory’s dream car! Sitting right show room!

I think it’s easy to see signs in things when you’re hoping for them. Other times it just seems too coincidental. What are the chances there would be a purple Jeep in the showroom?!?

Our Honda Odyssey

stephaniemoorewrites

As we were prepping to have twins we decided we were going to get a minivan. A beautiful Honda Odyssey. I wanted automatic sliding doors so I could open them before I approached with my arms full of car seats.

We bought our van five months before the twins were born. We were excited!

All of our kids were brought home from the hospital in our van.

All our family vacations have been in this van.

To and from appointments, school, friends’ houses, stores, etc.

This van is part of our family.

But it’s 14 years old with over 230,000 miles.

She’s still running well, but there’s this sick feeling now. How much longer?

8 months ago I was excited about the prospect of getting a new van.

But that was when my family was whole.

Now, I have this fear.

If I get a new van, will I still feel Rory around me as I drive?