Who remembers their first car? I do! My first adult car was this super cute Toyota Camry! I was in love! I felt such like an adult! I remembering driving it to my adult job, with my leather heated seats, and automatic windows. Fast forward several years and I was expecting baby number 3, and I could feel that my fabulous teal-green, 4 door Toyota Camry was hitting the end of an era in our family.

After much thought and prayer, my husband and I decided it was time for the much sought after soccer mom van. So we found our next 4-wheeled baby, an Honda Odyssey Van! Transformed our LIVES! We had room for strollers, carseats, diaper bags and more! I drove this van with such amazement at all the precious things and cargo I could fit it in! Soon came baby #4 and it was an easy addition into our van, there was plenty of seats …. so we thought.

Then God blessed us with baby #5 … and you guessed it we began to pray and put much thought into what our next plan would be.

I have this vivid memory of driving home from our last campout, a week long adventure with our 2 Large dogs, 4 growing children, lovely “SWELL” pregnant mama, and hardworking husband. As we are pulling out, Darren looks to me and says, “We aren’t all going to fit next year.” I knew at that moment the Honda Odyssey’s era was coming to an end.

BUT WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT WHEN YOU HAVE A VAN? IS THERE BIGGER?

So my husband in his passionate, researching self went to the drawing boards and starting looking at all the options. Me – I was still processing that there is something that exists that is BIGGER. Darren found the next van of his dreams and me being the supportive wife then turned around and made a Pinterest board on it (hahahaha). There was a lot of dream features he would share and I needed to wrap my head around this new transportation.

With big decisions we try our best to be patient, prayerful and wait on the timing of the Lord. We thought the big day had arrived for us and that it was TIME. So Darren started communication with the seller of our hopefully-soon-to-be NEW VAN. Over email he in writing had an amazing deal worked out! (Almost a too-good-to-be true deal). Darren informed the seller we would be there to come test drive and buy the van the following day.

The next day arrived and we loaded our 4 children, swell mamma, and excited husband into our Honda Odyssey and drove 2 hours away to the location of the NEW VAN. We arrived with excitement, all to hear the van was not at that dealership, and that they “couldn’t find it.” UGH! Really! So we left numbers to be called when they had found it or discovered they had sold it without knowing.

A few days later, Darren received a call saying that they had most likely sold it. (What does most likely even mean, like you did or your didn’t right? Oh goodness!) So, we removed that NEW VAN from our mind and went back to praying and waiting.

A few months after Darren was researching this VAN again and was looking online for one that would work for our family again. He called me over to the computer by saying, “You will NOT believe what I see!” As I approached I saw with him that we were looking at the SAME SOLD, NOT-SO-SOLD, CAN’T-FIND VAN! WHAT!!! It was there on the screen, but priced for $6,000 MORE then the price Darren had worked out with the dealership!

With caution, we decided to make contact again to pursue this NEW VAN. We worked out to come test drive the NEW VAN, knowing if we arrived and it was actually there we would buy it on the spot, email in hand (proof of original price deal worked out).

For the second time we loaded up our 4 children, more swelled mama, and motivated husband into the Honda Odyssey. We prayed as we drove the 2 hours away to view the NEW VAN. Even, my grandparents who had heard the story and lived close by the dealership came with.

We entered, We Saw, We Bought (at the promised price) our NEW VAN! 

Before:

AFTER:

We bought a NV3500. Which seats 12, has a towing package, leather seat warming features, truck feel, huge storage space MONSTER OF A VAN!

 

 

 (Pictures of Vans like ours, still too new to have our own pictures)

 

So this begs the questions, out of the 12 seats we are only occupying 7 of them …. that leaves room for 5 more right?! 😉 (wink – wink)

 

The jury is still out on a name, we need your help! We have so far been calling it our “school bus,” my oldest is so confused then why it is not yellow hahah! Let us know what you think in the comments! We need your creative juices!