Twin Tip #1: Embrace the Minivan

Years ago I never saw myself as a Minivan Mom.  That all changed in one single moment in 2008.

For the eight-nearly nine-hour drive from our home to Denver, Colorado, my feet rested on the dashboard of our silver Nissan Altima. I was surrounded by STUFF. Not my stuff. Their stuff–kid stuff.  And there was only two of them. Between blankets, pillows, diapers, toys and treats (and who knows what else), there was just no room for me and my feet. At that moment I embraced the wonder that is the MINIVAN.

When the time came the next year to upgrade our vehicle situation, the decision was already made.  We were sold on a minivan.  How could we not be?  Minivans are equipped with cool features these days. (Unlike the silver Astro Van my mom  hauled me and my four brothers in).  They have excellent safety features like side airbags. I can open my fancy sliding door with the push of a button. Remove, slide and adjust any of the 8 seats. Stow away my back seats and enjoy incredible trunk space. Love silence while the kids watch a DVD with their wireless headsets.

Our biggest buying mistake: we didn’t really NEED all that space yet.  Or so we thought.

A few months later we decided to upgrade our family by “just one more.”  Instead we’re getting two!   The room I thought I’d use for Kindergarten carpool will now be filled with infant car seats.  The fancy automatic sliding door will become a necessity as I load both of those car seats in and out of the van.  Now more than ever I’m thrilled to have a ‘Swagger Wagon’ and glad we purchased it when we did.

There is a moral to our story.  A word of caution: don’t buy a minivan until you really need it or the Lord will fill it up for you!