Happy Random Thoughts

I've been waiting and waiting but I'm pretty sure it's just not going to happen. What sucks about summer? Burning your kids legs while you try to buckle them into the car seat and having the other kids pass out from heat stroke in the back of the car because it's been baking in the sun for a few hours while you were in a store somewhere. I know exactly how bad it hurts. Makes a grown person wanna cry to be scalded by searing hot metal on their inner thigh. We never have scalding hot seat belts here. Considering the heat and humidity never quit here, I think it's pretty darn amazing! Realize we've parked in parking lots in full sun for the last six years - including having a parking lot at our own darn house instead of a garage or carport, I'm a very happy momma now. The ONLY relief in the entire state of Virginia was the basement parking at Wegmans and you better believe I used it every time. In Singapore there is no such thing as parking in the sun. This densely populated metropolis is all about high rises and parking garages. Even the kids school is four stories tall and a parking garage. In fact I've gone entire days in this country without exposing my head to the elements at all, neither sun or rain. There are perks to life here and I'm going to enjoy not burning my kids when I strap them into their car seats every time I do it this summer. I just hope they can all do their own belts and we're done with five point harness seats by the time we move home in three years. So for today, I give three cheers for parking garages any and everywhere in this tiny, delightful island country.

Family Planning Revealed

The secret is revealed today--The reason I want three kids and Brian wants four. The truth is this...I'm deeply involved in a love affair. I have been for a few years now. My love has the most beautiful profile. Always ready to go at a moments notice. Takes me wherever I want to go. Is great with three kids. Never complains. Always does exactly what I want. Carries all my heavy loads wherever I need them to go. Looks good day or night. Is lots of fun out on a camping trip. Everyone at summer youth camps love him and wants to hang out with him.

Truth is, it's all about the truck.

I've all but resigned myself to a minivan if needs be. I can deal with it... I think. I hate that I can't carpool to preschool. I hate not being able to pick up friends for playdates and bring their kids to my place. I hate that I can't have a stroller at the ready because I can't leave it in the snow and rain in the truck bed. Other than that I LOVE MY TRUCK. Yes. MY truck.

The problem is this: Brian likes the truck too--although I can't imagine he can love it as much as I do. We have decided that if another kid joins our family we will trade in the car for a minivan. Since the all of the kids would no longer fit in the back seat of the truck, Brian will get the truck to drive to work. That means I will be forced to drive the minivan as my primary vehicle. This is why Brian wants four kids. I don't want to give up the truck so I want to stay with three.

I've always been adamant we will never have "his" and "her" cars. My parents never referred to our vehicles that way. I guess my inlaws did, but I'm not positive on that. The truck and it's amazing V8 engine gets rotten gas milage and since I drive less miles than Brian, he takes the gas friendly Honda Accord. I get the Dodge Dakota Quad Cab. It's a little piece of heaven for me. It makes me happy to hop up into the drivers seat and hear the engine roar. I love to sit up high above all those little cars and tiny trucks. Someday it would be fun to have one of the really big trucks. Someday.

Since no one got it exactly right, I declare the winner to be the first person on the right path about vehicles - minivans and trucks and stuff. Brent, you win. And since you live in Thailand and five US dollars wouldn't do you much good for a few years, how about I send you a care package with candy and such? Any special requests of things you can't buy in Bangkok? What are you craving today? Congrats.