Our FIRST Eighteenth Summer in Twilight Moon – Our Kia Sedona

Last week, I promised you an introduction to the newest member of our family for the next year. Thanks to Kia Motors USA for this long term loan, and helping us document our first, last eighteenth summer and other road memories with the houseful. 

She came to us on a cool day in May. May 16th to be exact. A deep blue/purple color, and sparkling like no man’s business. I’d been wanting to get my hands on a Kia Sedona since taking one for a spin during Mom 2.0 in Orlando, Florida last year. I even did a video while I was cruising around I-Drive and searching for the nearest Target to visit. I snagged Michelle from Divas With A Purpose later that day, and we cruised around in an Optima, but that’s another story. 

This is where I fell in love with this vehicle. I immediately began dreaming of all of the road trips that our houseful could take, what with the spacious trunk – we could actually fit all of that luggage plus every single security blanket and stuffy. It was a dream. I couldn’t wait to get it on the road, and now I have my chance. 

As stated above, mine isn’t this inky black color, but one that gives illusion to the eye. Half of the houseful is firmly in the purple camp, while the other half sees blue. It’s like the dress, but with four wheels and 142 cubic feet of space to fit bodies, not in the way you think though. These days, there are six bodies in our house. Well seven if you count Dennis the dog. Pretty soon, we’ll be five bodies and Dennis the dog, and I’m relishing this last summer that I have with my son. His 18th summer with me. 

I had grand plans for him. But alas, the elusive teen let me know that I would have to be complacent with stolen moments here and there. Small road trips to his new school, and weekend trips full of laughter and snores in the back seats. The kids were super excited that they ALL got a window seat, and space in between. Window shades to block out the blazing sun while we’re on the road to making memories, and those Icees that taste sweeter in those same rays. Trips these days seem to be full of sound. So much sound. The endless chatter of the twins and their big sister. The noise emanating from the headphones of the elusive teen, and the news coming from our favorite radio station. There are days I long for the quiet, but I realize that I never really HAD that type of quiet. Even when it was just me and Nathaniel. Our days struggling to get by while I was in undergrad were filled with reflections of things that he had observed for the day.

Mom, did you know that 2+2 equals four, just like me?!

I miss those days. Where his feet couldn’t find the floor of the car, and he needed me to buckle him into his car-seat before we set out on our daily adventures. We’d go everywhere from the local library to the river to let him get out and stretch his stubby little legs and squeal in glee as he conquered certain paths or removing a rock from in front of him, only to turn all the way around and place it exactly where it was to come back to me. We made weekly dates to Taco John’s for potato oles and tacos and just drank life in. 

We’re going back to that moment. Little things. He “lets” me take him and his younger siblings to our local Culver’s for custard and butter burgers. He doesn’t sigh heavily when I hop out of the car to snap a photo to show all of social media that we indeed do get out of the house and have fun. He doesn’t pull away when I ask him to take a selfie with me, and I get the tiniest bit of a corner curve with a ghost of a smile, and I know that deep down inside, he’ll still tell me about some math equation (did I mention he’s a BEAST with the digits) and how he figured out some problem during a lecture. Professors will step up to the plate to offer advice when needed, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that Shomari and I will still be on speed dial just in case. 

This eighteenth summer started off better than I could imagine. We had prom, and 18th birthday, graduation and orientation all in one fell swoop. We’re planning a going away party for next month, and we’re plotting where our days can take us – but only as fast as our wheels can go. 

I’m satisfied in knowing that I’m driving him down in style – with enough room for his dorm necessities AND his siblings, who happen to be sharing that they’re not quite ready for him to go just yet either. I still have several summers to go with them. Nine for the ladybug and 11 for the twizzlers. I don’t think that I quite took Nate’s summers for granted, but I’m recognizing that I can try a bit harder to slow it down for the bottom three.