The kids did ok for a little while being cramped up in the back seat... for about a week. They were only 1, 2 & a newborn so they hadn't learned how to aggravate each other too much YET. After about a month it became very clear my 30 minute commute each way to work everyday was going t be a challenging one! The one saving grace for us was music. I could turn on a praise and worship song and they would sing and dance and it made the ride easier, not quieter, but easier :) I remember when Bethany was 9 months old the song "Lord Your Holy" (one of my favorites) was playing, I looked in my mirror and could see a little arm and closed fist reaching up in the air, it brought me to tears. I can sing just as loud and off tune with my babies and it doesn't bother them a bit, they love it but when I see them worshiping with their hands in the air it makes me love that 30 minute commute.
Well, we got through year one, still praying for God to bless us with a van. Each morning before we walked out the door for we started saying a morning prayer as a family and then we would put on our "Armour of God" We ask the kids what their prayer request is and what they were thankful for. Atleast one person would say "mommy a van" as their request. Rides to the beach were the toughest for our family because that's when EVERYONE was in the car along with diaper bags and luggage. The toughest night Joey and I ever went through was coming home from Topsail Island on a Sunday night July 4th weekend last year. I had to be at work the next morning so stayed at the beach as long as we could and thought we'd let the kids sleep on the way home, they didn't have school the next day and Joey was off work so we knew they'd be fine being a little out of their routine. We got in line to get off the bridge about 9:00 pm that night, then waited, and waited, and waited. 52 minutes after getting in line we finally got off the island and started are hour and half drive home! Those 52 minutes were the most challenging time Joey and I have ever had in the car with our kids. The kids cried and fought and screamed and all we could think was "what were we thinking!?!" at one point we thought about just walking home, maybe that would tire the kids out?
That night was challenging but I couldn't help but think "it could have been worse" At least we had a vehicle, at least we did get to go to the beach, at least we had three healthy screaming babies. So many times I have to remind myself "be thankful for what you think is a challenge because someone could say it was a blessing" Joey believes that so much he even got a shirt made that says "it could always be worse" seriously he did!
That night was challenging but I couldn't help but think "it could have been worse" At least we had a vehicle, at least we did get to go to the beach, at least we had three healthy screaming babies. So many times I have to remind myself "be thankful for what you think is a challenge because someone could say it was a blessing" Joey believes that so much he even got a shirt made that says "it could always be worse" seriously he did!
Year 2 with a two, three & four year old we got specific. We prayed specifically for a 2006 Nissan Quest with less than 100,000 miles and a dvd player would be nice if that could be thrown in :) We also got a little smarter too, when we took trips to the beach we borrowed Joey's aunts van for the weekend which was such a treat for the kids!
I started checking out dealerships and calling around and I found a white 2006 Nissan Quest, under 100,000 miles, with a dvd player and it was right down the road from us. I just knew this was the van for us!
We took the kids by the car lot and showed them the van and Joey prayed over the vehicle. Joey prayed that if it was the right one for us that we would be able to get it. The morning before we went to the dealership we prayed as a family and explained to the kids that if it didn't work out that it was not God's will and He had something better for us. I got off work early that day and took the kids with me to the dealership.We asked to test so they pulled it up but I could hear and alarm going off, the owner came out and said "I don't know what's going on but we can't get the horn to shut off?" he had to disconnect the horn just for us to drive it. When we drove it I liked how it drove but the dvd player didn't work and something didn't feel right about it. Then when we got back the owner let us know that there was just no way we could trade our car in for this, the bank couldn't finance that much on a used van (because of the negative equity in our car). I'm not going to lie, I was crushed because on the outside this looked like "the one." Deep down though I knew that horn malfunctioning was a warning sign saying "nope, this isn't the one". It was a great learning experience for the kids though because we got to explain to them that God has the best intentions for us so even though we thought this was the perfect van for us, God knows better.
The kids were sad but surprisingly they understood. That sparked us to pray even harder for a van. I tried a couple months later just filling out an online request from the Nissan place in Goldsboro. The next day I got an email from a man named Keith wondering if I would be interested in any other vehicles other than a Nissan van. Hmmmmm, I hadn't really thought about that but I put a Honda Odyssey down because we always enjoyed driving Joey's aunts Honda van when we went to the beach. Another email came back.... we've got a 2007 Honda Odyssey available that I think you may like.
After work that day Joey and I and the kids all took it for a test drive. We liked it. It felt weird that we were driving a van that was different from what we had been praying for but it also comfortable and we couldn't find anything wrong with it?
The next day was finding out about the financing part, this was a biggy. If we were able to trade our car in and still have a low payment then that was the sign that this was really it. That morning we prayed again for God's will for the family.
Well, to make a long story short God did it! We got our van, traded our car, got a lower car payment, lower insurance (because the insurance symbol was half) and got a better vehicle then we had been praying for those three years! In the process of purchasing our van we also met some amazing people and heard some amazing testimonies. It is so neat how God put people in our path during this process that made the story of our van purchase that much richer.
The kids were sad but surprisingly they understood. That sparked us to pray even harder for a van. I tried a couple months later just filling out an online request from the Nissan place in Goldsboro. The next day I got an email from a man named Keith wondering if I would be interested in any other vehicles other than a Nissan van. Hmmmmm, I hadn't really thought about that but I put a Honda Odyssey down because we always enjoyed driving Joey's aunts Honda van when we went to the beach. Another email came back.... we've got a 2007 Honda Odyssey available that I think you may like.
After work that day Joey and I and the kids all took it for a test drive. We liked it. It felt weird that we were driving a van that was different from what we had been praying for but it also comfortable and we couldn't find anything wrong with it?
The next day was finding out about the financing part, this was a biggy. If we were able to trade our car in and still have a low payment then that was the sign that this was really it. That morning we prayed again for God's will for the family.
Well, to make a long story short God did it! We got our van, traded our car, got a lower car payment, lower insurance (because the insurance symbol was half) and got a better vehicle then we had been praying for those three years! In the process of purchasing our van we also met some amazing people and heard some amazing testimonies. It is so neat how God put people in our path during this process that made the story of our van purchase that much richer.
As Keith put that tag on the van I couldn't help but tear up, heck, I was tearing up in the finance office as the papers were being signed!
We prayed so long for a vehicle and it was amazing to see an answered prayer. You know when people say how much they were blessed during the trial they are right!
We had the best times with the kids cramped up in that back seat. We learned how to be content and happy with what we had so that when we were blessed with a larger vehicle we truly could appreciate it more. 
Brock our middle baby told Joey the other day, hey dad "you remember when you prayed over that van and you said if it wasn't God's will then he had something better?" I like this van better dad"
How amazing is that! A four year old summed it all up right there.
Thank you Lord for blessing our family with a four door car just big enough to hold our family of five and thank you for blessing us with a van big enough to hold our family of five and a couple extra :)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
-Philippians 4:6
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