One Richmond Mom’s Ode to, well, her car, Tina

Ode to Tina, by Richmond Mom Katie Mardigian

I’m so happy I might cry. Tears well up as I write this. A day I have been waiting for is finally here,and I’m almost not sure how to even process it! Eight years in the making, after years of pestering myhusband to no avail, asking for it for birthdays and Mother’s Day, my patience has paid off and the day isfinally here. You guessed it: the family car is getting detailed today!
What? You say you don’t understand the excitement? Let me just say I’m completely jealous of you.

Let me set the scene: We bought our beloved Trailblazer 8 years ago when I was very pregnant with ourfirst child. This big purchase was the official kick-off to our new life as parents, and with excitement andhope for the future we drove our new beaut off the lot and didn’t look back. Our sleek and trusty newvehicle would transport our new baby around town, with room for pack n plays, travel swings, grocerybags, la la la. Our new Trailblazer was the perfect addition to our burgeoning family.
Fast forward 8 years, 2 more kids, endless trips around town and to far away towns, some inadvertentand unexplained scratches (I like to call them “after-market racing stripes”) and 1,735,621 goldfishlater, and this old girl is BEAT. And I mean ‘beat’ as in tired and ‘beat’ as in she ain’t so great to look atanymore. She has safely transported 3 messy, loud kids, their disproportionately large cargo, and manyof their friends every day of her life, and, well, she looks even more tired than I do. We’ve affectionatelynamed her Tina because, like the great Ms. Turner, our girl can take a lickin’ and keep on kickin’. Sure,she’s had countless washes and waxes and vacuums, and even the occasional pampering at Car Pool,but never has she been treated to the Full Monty… until today. And I don’t know who’s more excited,me or her.
Over the last 8 years in the trenches of parenting we have outgrown houses and clothes, replacedcouches and library cards, but we have always had the same car. I feel a certain loyalty and respectfor her. She may not look as purty as she used to, and yes, there’s a loud clicking noise that emanatesfrom a vent when the A/C is on, but we barely hear that over the baby babbling and girls singing KatyPerry and the lady from the GPS kindly telling me to TURN AROUND ALREADY. So, Tina, enjoy your dayof pampering, and please for the love of God keep on kickin’. We’ll have you as long as you’ll have us,goldfish and all.