Change

We bought a minivan. We've been looking for months and finally found one. I've wanted a Honda Odyssey -- they get great safety ratings, they retain their value pretty well, and Honda's are nothing if not reliable. In fact, Miguel has owned Honda's for most of his life and they don't die, they go on to new owners. Our CRV has had only one problem in the 6 years we've owned it and it was minor. Now the benefits of owning a Honda are also the pitfalls of buying one. They retain their value so well, that anything we were willing to buy was too expensive for us. Until Saturday.

We took a family trip to Ikea. I love Ikea if only for the Marketplace. They've got all kinds of stuff just lying about for you to pick up and put in your cart. We bought new orange juice glasses, a cutting board, some paper for Angie's easel and I can't remember what else. We had lunch in their cafeteria and headed for the car. Now, it just so happens that the Honda dealership where Miguel bought the CRV is right across the highway from Ikea.

"I just want to check out a van I saw online," Miguel said.
"Fine with me," I agreed. We scooted over and pulled into an available parking spot. Miguel and Angie got out while Maddie and I stayed in the car. It soon became apparent that Miguel liked what he was looking at and that he just might take it for a test drive. So I got out with Maddie and headed over to see him and the van.

It was nice. No, it was immaculate. A 2002 with leather interior, heated seats, bucket seats in the second row and a bench in the third row. The third row was the kind that folds flat into the floor. Heating and cooling vents in the ceiling throught the van, CD player in the front. And clean. No body issues. Only 35,000 miiles on it. And it had had all of the scheduled maintenance performed. We were in love and the salesman made an offer we couldn't refuse.

I drove home with Maddie and Angie in the CRV while Miguel stayed behind to complete the hour or more of paperwork before the van was ours. Now, it's sitting in our driveway, car seats installed, waiting to take us on our next outing.

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Our living room has been way too crowded for the last few months. With Angie's toys strewn about and Maddie's toys coming into play now, there's hardly space to walk. So, instead of throwing out the toys, we got rid of the loveseat. Well, not really. We relocated it to the upstairs reading room.

Now that room looks like a lounge with a very cozy, intimate feel to it. I love the change. We'll probably buy a slipcover to go over it and make it more appropriate for upstairs, though.

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