Minivan

First off I want to apologize to my loyal 10 readers. I've been very busy and haven't made time for my writing, which has led to a few late posts on Friday night in an effort to meet my goal. Without time to really reflect and edit my writing, I feel like it has led to lower quality posts. While it is a good exercise for me to practice writing on a deadline, it isn't fun for you to read lame stuff. So, thanks for coming back and I'm hoping quality will improve as I continue to practice.

Let me share with you another struggle I am having. A few weeks ago we bought a new car. A minivan actually. I still have a hard time saying it. I've become a minivan-driving soccer mom. I have always been this person but just didn't have the minivan for the rest of the world to know it too. I am not ashamed of who I am; I love staying home with my children, I enjoy supporting them in their activities, I can even get into my son's soccer games. But for some reason I felt a little cooler driving a small SUV around instead of the typical minivan.

I think my biggest problem is that I don't want to be seen as fitting into a stereotype, even though I pretty much am the stereotype. I'd like to think that I am unique and bring my own flair to being a mom who stays home with her kids and drives them to soccer practice in a minivan but I suppose to the outside world, I'm the same as all the others. I should be proud to be part of such a group but instead I am struggling not to be bothered by the way in which people say so dismissively, "oh, you're a soccer mom."

Yeah, well, guess what? I am! But that doesn't mean I don't have talents, or abilities other than driving kids around, or that I am not smart or capable or wonderfully funny. Or maybe this bothers me because I actually don't feel special. I am doing exactly what a lot of other women around the country are doing and maybe not even as well as them. Other soccer moms are also PTA moms and run side businesses and bake delicious cookies every day while I threaten to throw away toys regularly. I have kept one plant alive in my house for two years and counting though so we're going to throw that into the win category. I'm also good at making lists and checking things off of them. And ping pong. And gloating when I win ping pong.

But the van purchase wasn't about me. We bought the minivan for the kids because they were pretty squished in our other car and as they continue to grow it was only going to get worse. They are already excited to go on our first road trip in the van and last week two of my kids were sitting in the car 10 minutes before we had to leave for church just because they wanted to sit in the van. They love how easy it is to get in the back, how the doors are automatic, how they have climate control over the back seat and how they're not going to be squished by luggage when we travel because of the huge trunk. It is also has plenty of room for soccer balls, ballet bags, friends who are going to the same activity and I suppose most importantly, love and family fun.

If you have any ideas for how to make a minivan cool though, let me know. Although I suppose if I have to ask I'm not that cool. Perhaps the best thing to do is just accept who I am and my minivan and maybe I'll just get a t-shirt that will somehow let people know that there is more to this soccer mom than meets the eye. Like an alive plant and a ping pong tournament winner certificate.