Our last day with the old Dodge Caravan...Sniff...

I know it seems weird to be sad to see my old van go the way of the trade-in but I'm really going to miss it. We bought Violet (why my daughter chose this name, I don't know) new back in 2002. In the nine years we had this van, it was a truly faithful servant. We went everywhere in Violet. It wasn't until the summer of 2011 that mechanical problems appeared. We made a few attempts to put things right but it soon became apparent that the job was not going to be worth the effort. So, off to the car dealer for a new Jeep Patriot.

I'm going to miss Violet. Her passing marks the end of a phase in my life where a minivan full of kids was normal. Saying goodbye to this van also meant admitting to myself that I'm not a young dad anymore. Yet another little part of getting older, I guess.

My daughter, in particular, was sad to see the van go. We bought Violet when she was three weeks old. This was the only car my daughter ever really knew and saying goodbye was a weepy experience for her. I don't blame her a bit. We had a lot of good times with this van.

So, Violet, I hope you find a nice second home for yourself. We have enjoyed the ride :)