My biggest Christmas gift ever

We bought our mini-van in January 2005, six months before Matthias was due.  It felt HUGE and I never thought we'd out grow it.  We only had 2 kids and one on the way.  Little did we know at the time that seven years later we would be buying a bigger van.  On Friday Brad went and looked at a 12 passenger van...yes 12 passenger.  There really isn't much between 8 passenger and 12 passenger so you might as well go all the way.

We had planned on waiting until spring; it's been evident since Veronica was born that we really didn't fit in the Caravan any longer.  Eight people, 8 seats and it's tight...beyond tight when going further than the local store or to church.  I took the kids to Virginia in the fall and it was packed.  I only packed one suitcase for 7 of us because space was so tight.  I was thankful Beth and Aaron have laundry facilities.

So we took the plunge and Brad bought me what will in likelihood be my gift for every holiday for the next 5 years....maybe more.  He brought home a 2009 Ford E-350 12 passenger van and I'm loving it.

This is a picture of virtually the same van we have, same color, year, etc.  I have yet to take a picture of our van, maybe that will be something that gets done tomorrow.  It is so nice to be able to fit all kids, car seats, stroller and even extra adults in the van and I'm really happy not to be squished and no one feels that more than Grant.  I sat in the back of the minivan a month ago and asked Brad how in the world Grant fit back there.  At 5 feet 11 inches and growing daily, I believe, he really didn't fit.  He told me today, "I don't think I'll ever be too tall for this van!!"

It's going to take me awhile to get used to it.  It feel HUGE when driving and judging the new turning radius is going to take awhile.  I drove it to Target today and by the time I got home I was feeling better in it. I even drove and drank a coffee at the same time.  I still won't turn the radio on while driving for fear of running off the road, but that will come.  The proudest moment was when my father took time to show me how to back the van into a parking space.  I told him afterward that I've been driving for 19 years and I have NEVER before today backed a vehicle into a parking space and I didn't even hit anything!!!!