Our 10-Year Anniversary

Ten years ago today I bought my first car. Yes, I'd had cars before that, I drove my dad's untrusty Ford Tempo during high school and then the used blue Intrepid for years in college and grad school. But I had just graduated with my Masters degree in 2002 and I knew I was about to embark on a wonderful career with a big salary and I was ready to not worry about things like transmissions and new tires and all of the joys that go along with owning a used car. So off to the car dealerships my dad and I went.

I still remember tooling around Lansing, not really finding what I wanted. I knew I wanted an SUV, I actually had dreams of a black Ford Explorer all tricked out after having driven a rental one on a youth group trip. But that was beyond even my dream-filled price range. And then we stopped at the Saturn dealership (oh how I miss Saturn dealerships, my whole family, every one of us a Saturn owner, does). I remember my sales guy, I think his name was Lance. He talked to me, not my dad, and he's the first person who did that. As soon as he knew I was buying the car, I was the customer. I loved that. And the red VUE was the first Saturn I test drove and then Saturn I drove home ten years ago today on a sunny Thursday afternoon.

It took me five years to pay off this car. Five years of writing out $417 checks each month (back when we had the little coupon books - do they still do that?!?!). Five years of not really being sure where or how the money would come in but it always did. I never missed a payment and I'm particularly proud of that. I paid it off and it's mine. These pictures were taken this morning in the driveway. In the last few years I've had some work done, new tires, new battery, new brakes, more new brakes (just last month in fact), even a new back gate latch and blinker but what I love most of all? I still have this car. It's ten years old and it drives well. Sure it squeaks a little when it first gets going but it holds a lot of people, a lot of stuff and a lot of memories. I've driven it from Michigan to Arizona to Texas all the way to San Francisco. I've driven youth group kids and seventh graders and friends and loved ones in this car. I've carried my stuff when I've moved and my stuff when I have to drive two minutes down the road. I'm blessed to have it. And I love that it's red.