The Gold Suburban

This weekend I got a new car. Well, it's new to me. I should be excited, and I am. I have driven the gold Suburban since 2000 - forever, it seems. Every important trip over the past 7 years has been taken in the gold Suburban. I cannot even calculate how many hours the gold Suburban has spent sitting in the pick-up lines in front of LBJ Elementary, Nimitz Jr. High, Wester Middle School, Mary Orr Intermediate School, and even Mansfield High School - the school and the field house. How many trip back and forth to sporting events -- too many to count. The states that the gold Suburban has been through: New Mexico, Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Washington, DC, and all over the great state of Texas. It took Josh, Jessica, and Jacob, and me to Georgia the year we went by ourselves because Johnny had to fly out later to meet us. How many friends have been crammed into that gold Suburban? I could never remember...the marks on the ceiling in red marker, though, are a reminder of Jessica's birthday party/scavenger hunt her 6th grade year in Odessa. The first time we brought Josh, Jess, and Jacob to see Mansfield and the trips back and forth when Johnny lived here and we were still in Odessa. How many hours of movies and video games have been played, how many times did I fill the entire back up with groceries to feed the three growing up before my very eyes. They have grown up and that gold Suburban has stayed the same. It's been great -- like a faithful friend. It's only fault is that it gets really bad gas mileage.

So, Johnny thinks I am really silly. "It's not like it's leaving the family," he said. Of course, he's right. Johnny gets the gold Suburban. He says it's an upgrade for him. The white truck (which is actually newer than the gold Suburban) is now "Josh's truck." I guess that makes the Ram Jess's truck. She was only 8 when I started driving the gold Suburban and now she will be able to get her driver's permit next month. Next month, I'll be driving the "new car," but I will never look at that gold Suburban with anything but gratitude for a job well done and precious memories of time well spent.

Serving the King,

Jeanette