Dating All Over Again

I feel like I am dating again. I spend most of my day rummaging around on the internet for one that might meet my needs. Might make me happy. Might measure up. I comb through the want ads hoping someone is out there that has what I want. I am consumed and overwhelmed with the entire searching process. In addition to my daily pursuit, I venture out every night physically searching. Looking. Hunting. Trying to find that perfect one. That one that I am willing to take home and make mine.


I may not be searching for a husband. This time I am looking for a replacement van. Nonetheless, the process seems very much the same. Search my options. Take several test drives. Then decide if I am willing to accept the imperfections before I sign on the dotted line. The only difference that I have found is that it only takes a key to turn on the van.

Finding a van may not be as painful as choosing the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with, but is still a considerable amount of hard work. We have been looking for a van for more than two weeks with no avail. I look online, find some that meet our criteria, and call the dealership to see if they still have it on their lot. When Matt gets home from working all day we immediately leave to take them for a spin. We haven’t had a meal at our table since Christmas day. By the time we get home we put the kids to bed. Then we pray that the next day will be better. That we find the one we are supposed to have.

We aren’t even being that picky. It must run and hold all six of us. Simple as that. Of course, we would love to have all the latest gadgets and devices but we would also like to not have to finance this vehicle.

At this point I am just exhausted with looking. I don’t want to see one more ad, one more salesman, one more van. At this point I am almost willing to take whatever I come across next. At this point I think I will just walk everywhere with a stroller or two and forget getting a van altogether. But at least I am not back at the bars scooping out prospective mates while I drown my sorrows in yet another beer.