Echo

My faithful little Echo turns 10 years old this month. This little two door compact car has carried me more than 133,000 miles. I've only ever had one mechanical problem with it, and that's despite being chronically late on oil changes and often negligent on keeping her clean and pretty. Twice someone has run into my little car when we're at a stop sign, countless times the kids have abused her and she has endured millions of crumbs and many many spills on her seats. Despite all of that, she's still going strong.

I really try not to get sentimental about the objects I own, and I guess I'm not really sentimental about this car, but she holds a lot of memories for me. I bought her in March, ten years ago, six weeks after I'd totaled my Saturn. I was sick of having no wheels and decided one day that enough was enough - I needed a car. "David, I'm buying a car tonight" I announced, and off we went. (Oh the freedom to say that!) I had decided I wanted a Toyota but David suggested we stop somewhere else just in case I found something I liked better. We walked into a dealership, the salesman immediately introduced himself to David and ignored me, and we walked back out. We ended up at the Toyota lot, I test drove my little green Echo and a couple hours later drove away in it. Every decision was practical. Four doors? Who needs four? No one ever rides in my car with me. (This is way back, before I was even married.) Manual or automatic? Manual is cheaper, and gets better mileage. CD player? I don't need that. Extra anything? No.

I didn't consider that I would still have that same car two years later when I would have a baby. (I wasn't even MARRIED yet! Who's thinking about kids?) I made it work, crammed that big infant car seat through the door into the back seat. Remember we had a dog then too? A big one. No matter, he sat in the front. Pregnant again, a couple years after that - thoughts of a van? No way! I am NOT one of those moms. My car is just fine. A four door might be nice, but the Echo works. And then... Another. Another baby. Have you seen my car? The littlest car ever? Two doors? Three kids? And still she carries us on, around town, visits to the grandparents, toting massive loads of groceries and luggage and crayons and toys.

I sometimes tell the kids its like we're riding in a clown car from the circus. One clown in a tiny car parks and steps out. Then another. Well, that's the end of the clowns, right? No, they just keep piling out. And that's how it is whenever we show up somewhere in my little car. We just pile out, one by one, ducking through those two doors and trying not to get tangled up in each other's legs. I step out, let Arch and Shell out, and I climb into the backseat to retrieve Elijah.

I've slowly come around to the idea of having a van but I've had to be very careful about how I talk around the kids. If I express any kind of frustration in front of them about how hard it is to buckle someone, they pick it up and repeat it. They start complaining. And then I remind them, and myself, that we need to be content with what the Lord has provided. And if we don't have a van, its because the Lord knows we don't NEED one yet. Knowing that they're listening and taking cues from me, I've become better at following my own advice. Be content with what you have. Praise God for his wisdom and for providing us with a car that keeps us safe.

And so, after ten years of driving my faithful little Echo, I need to say, thank you Lord for providing for our family so richly, a car that I never have to worry about, a car that has seen my life grow from just me to a family of five. You knew what was in store for us, Lord, and you provided exactly what we needed. Thank you!

My little Echo...

 - Has no clock. Not even a clock! I'm lucky it has a radio!

 - Has seen more than her fair share of dog drool, vomit, diaper messes, gum in the carpet, chocolate milk and coke spills.

 - Has a surprisingly big trunk, you'd be amazed what you can fit in there!

 - Has saved me a FORTUNE on gas money, she gets 40 MPG!

 - Has dings and scratches from bikes, a wheelbarrow, sleds and balls, and worst of all, artwork drawn with a rock.

- Has only let me down once, when the accelerator got stuck while I was on the on-ramp to the freeway and I had to shut the car off and coast to the shoulder.

 - Has taken me to hundreds of appointments, meetings, play dates, days at work and days visiting family... What a treasure this little car has been!