Welcome To The Minivan Club.

Last night, Bird and I were driving home from Tulsa at 10:30.  It was just us, and we were pretty excited.  We were all smiles...giddy, in fact.  Anticipation was building as we neared my parents' house where we would pick up our three babies and begin our journey together...as members of the minivan club.  It was just time we joined.  We had car seats that we needed to be using that wouldn't all fit together and give the kids enough room to sit comfortably in the back of our sweet little truck...you will be missed, little truck.

Rewind ten years.

Once upon a time, Bird and I lived a much different life.  Before we got married, I would jet off to big bad LA every couple of months, and we would go to shows and movies and walk on the boardwalk by the beach.  We would hang out at some of the coolest places I've ever seen, and we would go to quiet dinners alone and crazy loud dinners with his friends.  He would book musicians and DJs at the weekly spot he helped run where real life B-boys would come dance. Once I hung out with him as he helped judge a b-boy competition (did he judge...?  or organize...?  I don't remember, honestly) at the Colosseum in downtown LA.  You know...where they had the Olympics.  I remember leaving a party once to drive around all night looking for the Hollywood sign.  Ten years ago, we were so fun.

Fast forward to today.

This morning, I woke up early enough to shower before the kids woke up.  I got ready and did homeschool with my six year old first grader.  I made toast and eggs as Bird went off to his 9 to 5 job.  I got three kids dressed and fixed hair.  I swept the floor and washed the dishes.  And do you know what the highlight of our day was?  The kids and I installed car seats in our minivan after I let them choose their favorite spots.  We set up our DVD players on the backs of their seats and then went to get some groceries while they watched Cars for the millionth time.

So that's that. It has finally hit me: we are adults now.  We have jobs and bills and responsibilities...and a minivan.

Instead of starting a show at 10:30, we were headed home.  Because we had stories to read.  And games to play.  And movies to cuddle on the couch and watch as a family.  We had kisses and hugs to get and tickles to give.  We had funny things to hear.  We have family road trips to plan and princesses and huge mice to go see (though I won't lie...those mice are pretty frightening).  We have babies to hold.  We have blessings to be so thankful for...including a minivan.

I'm not going to lie to you and say that perhaps life ten years ago wasn't easier. The things that are fun and exciting now, though they would've seemed silly to me then, are so much better because I have the four most amazing people ever to share them with.

I won't say I didn't enjoy life back then. But I think I will hold my minivan club card high..because I'd much rather have what I have now-three kids, a wonderful husband, and an incredible life...and a minivan.