Drive into a New Decade

If we are shifting everything up and changing normals in 2020, I might as well drive into a new decade in style.

This month we took the plunge and upgraded our faithful 2010 Honda Odyssey mini-van for a more sporty, economical, smooth riding 2020 Toyota Highlander. We searched high and low for the unicorn color combo that I preferred.

The other day I began thinking of the memories and how each of the cars I have driven have defined the era of my life or decade that I drove them.

I was blessed by my parents to drive a Saturn sedan from the time I could drive through my collage years. It was one of the few “American Made” cars that we all agreed on in the mid 1990s. That car protected me and passengers from both a rear and front-end collision during my first couple of years of driving home from school. It transported me around town to various part-time jobs. That car safely transported me to and from Tampa while attending Florida Collage and then allowed me to finish my collage career at Auburn. That car taught me independence

After getting my first “real job”, as a teacher in Auburn, we traded in the green Saturn for a more spacious Toyota Camry. That car was the vehicle of my 20s.

The practical Camry would be the car that would…

• Carry me to work each day

• Haul boxes of materials and books to and from classrooms, multiple times

• Welcome me safely home to our first 3 houses

• Welcome our first born child home from the hospital

• Accept a 2nd carseat in the back for our growing family

I would have driven that car indefinitely as a family of 4, but in 2010 Jonathan talked me into transitioning to a mini-van. So Mother’s Day weekend 2010, we traded in the well-loved blue Camry for a gray Honda Odyssey van and we quickly grew to love the additional space and comfort it gave our family. That van would be the vehicle of my 30s.

A lot of growth occurred while driving that van…

• Our children grew from toddlers to teenagers

• Would welcome us home to our next 2 homes

• Dropped my girls off for their first days of school

• Hauled A LOT of photo equipment and props for countless photo sessions

• Allowed me to reach many personal goals

• Countless trips between Atlanta and Birmingham

• Even though the van encountered a few bumps and scratches from parking, it kept us safe on the road

• Memories together as a family traveling

• Many visits to see family

• The goodness of essential oils to keep carsick prone children traveling well

• Bucket list items checked off along the way

• Taught me about spark plugs

• Hauled our camp chairs and tent for outdoor church this year

Once again I would have been happy to drive that faithful gray mini van another 200,000 miles, but I sensed it was time to drive into a new decade in a new ride. So the vehicle of my 40s will be an SUV.

I envision this will be the vehicle that will…

• Teach me about the car technology I have been missing out on like Apple CarPlay

• Be sportier and more fun to drive around town

• Be more economical with a hybrid engine

• Be will a safer vehicle to drive and park with all the cameras and safety features that have been added

• Be time alone to think and pray

• Teach both my girls to drive in

• Drop the girls off at collage

• Do I dare say it could be the vehicle we drive away from their wedding in?

Driving down the road the other day, Sarah Beth said, “I hope you drive this car until I have kids.” That comment made me stop and think…. “Whoah… how long do I potentially have before that point?” 10 years? 15 years? Sarah Beth assured me it would probably be closer to 15 years… That sweet girl has her whole life planned out, even though it could change every 6 months.

Am I just nostalgic, or do you mark time and memories by seasons you have owned and driven certain cars?