The Minivan Mom

There's an interesting phenomenon that happens every morning in neighborhoods just like mine . After the husbands are lovingly sent off the work, but before the dew has a chance to melt and the heavy morning mist still blankets the grass, moms load up their cargo (some dressed, some still in pajamas), garage doors open, and the mini van brigade hits the roads. We worry about car seats and spare diapers, not worrying so much if our ragged t-shirt matches our faded jeans. We are the minivan moms.

I don't think anyone who has purchased minivan actually thought that they would ever be that person, but as the family size increases and the demands for a practical way move lots of little bodies increases, the van purchase is made. We are no longer the envy of the road, but we fit in with all the other frazzled parents trying to get things done with their little managers in tow.

Sometimes I think back to my working-outside-of-the-house days when I used to worry about commuting, business casual, office politics, and getting a promotion. Those things are a whole other lifetime away now. Instead, my days are filled with trips to the bank and grocery store, meal planning, laundry, and vain attempts at a clean house. I sometimes miss feeling successful and useful in an office setting, but my lunch dates now are much more exciting, even if the menu includes hot dogs or kool-aid.

It may just be a van, but it's a symbol of who I am. The van, like me, has the most important job of keeping little ones safe and getting them where they need to go, where it's down the street or along life's path. Buckle up, it's going to be a long and bumpy ride!