A "New" Car

We've been searching for a "new" car for the past few months, since we were told Sunny was coming to the end of her life. With too many miles and too many problems, we decided not to put any more money into her, though she's been a great first family car for us. We've been happy with our Sunny and I'm finding it hard to say goodbye. She's become comfy, she's been safe, trusty, and I know just what all her glitches are. But at 13 years old, she's ready to retire to the sunny roads of Africa...yep, that's where she's headed...on an African adventure.

We found another Nissan...a well-made car without all the newest electronic technology that eats away at the pocketbook, yet still a step up from our current lil Sunny. It's got LOTS more room in the backseat for our growing boys and mama if need be (in fighting instances, you know!). And it's a station wagon, so the room for luggage is plenty spacious, and if not, there are luggage racks on the roof for a ski box. It's got a boordcomputer (what's that in English???) and tells us our mileage, etc, and it's got airco to take the place of our well-used sunroof (we'll miss that). It's nothing fancy, but it's what we've been looking for. It's a pretty blue (I didn't want silver or black...too many to search thru in the parking lot) and a diesel to save on gas costs...good since Erwin drives lots of work miles during the week. And, it seems like a good compromise for the price, considering it doesn't have the versatility of changeable seats which I really was excited about.

We went for a test drive last night and called to make an offer this morning. The dealer isn't willing to budge on the price, but he is going to sell Sunny for us from his lot...as I said, she's off to Africa, where many used cars from here go when they're pretty much beyond Belgian standards. I hope her new family will love her as we did, and proved to her in each stain on the seats, spilled bottles of fabric softener in the trunk, lots of Jari puke from his bouts with travel sickness, and an entire melted chocolate bunny that never quite came out during our Easter vacation. I remember the day we got our Sunny like it was yesterday...I was in labor with Jari, and we took her for a spin around town. I took pictures of my husband standing before his first ever very own automobile in the parking lot of the supermarket, just as he was awaiting his first birthing experience. His life was changed overnight. Our family has spent numerous kilometers playing games in our car; who can find the first cow, I spy with my little eye, There's an A, there's a B, singing numerous lullabies, and watching for twinkling stars from gramma from the roof. We've chased after hot air balloons, seen much of Europe, and been stressed to the max by too many fights. We've argued and used the window to throw out maps of our vacation address, we've sung champion soccer songs heading to a soccer match, we've crashed her into a kid biking that wasn't following traffic rules. She taught us about many stupid Belgian laws trying to import her from Holland, and she brought us home daily, waiting for us in her place next to the house. She's been a good friend.

But now, it's time to say goodbye. Next week Primera is coming home with us. I hope she will be as good to our family as Sunny has been. I hope she will keep us safe, give us many memorable road trips, and be willing to explore on adventures all over Europe. Our family has grown up since Sunny came into our lives...Primera is going to take us the next little distance.