Breaking 50,000
When my husband, Richard, and I bought a brand-new Subaru in February 2018, it was an emotional milestone for us as a couple. That’s because we had quite literally started our life together with nothing just a few years prior. When we first got together in early 2014, we had both been fleeing from relationships and lives fraught with abuse and trauma. But when we both finally said enough to all of that, we were forced to walk away with nothing but a few simple possessions and no money in our names.
At the time we started seeing each other, I was unemployed and staying at a friend’s house temporarily until I could get back on my feet. Richard was barely scraping by as a music teacher who lived in a tiny studio. Resources were very limited, but we knew we wanted to build a future and a family together, no matter how little we had at the time. So we put all our eggs in one basket, got married, and found a tiny room to rent in a house.
Unexpected Wheels
Fast forward to 2018 and our one used junker that we’d ridden around in for the last 4 years was finally dying. By then, we had given birth to a new baby boy, moved into our own rental house, survived a number of serious family medical situations, and I was fortunate enough to be two years into a good paying steady job. So on a whim, I decided to stop by the Subaru dealership just to look around.
When I stepped foot inside the dealership that morning, I had no expectation of being able to purchase anything. Just knowing that I loved the Subaru name and wanted one so badly for our family. Something reliable so we wouldn’t have to stress about breaking down used cars or getting stuck in the snow again. Little did I know, hours later, I would walk out of those doors with the keys to a brand new 2018 Subaru Forester.
I was in shock. I don’t know if it was just chance or divine providence, but it worked out. And we finally had reliable wheels that we could afford.
Family Milestones
Back to the present day and we’ve made our way into a better home that is closer to my work. We have our three wonderful sons all living with us and despite the usual trials of life with health and money and the chaos of this world, we are happy. We’ve even managed to start doing some traveling together around the Pacific Northwest.
This past week, we loaded up the Subaru with our 6 and 18-year-old sons and hit the road for a few days. Our first stop was to drive north to Anacortes, WA to drop off our teen on his first solo trip in the San Juan Islands, to meet up with a friend for hiking. Then, the rest of us headed to the Kitsap Peninsula for some adventures, relaxation, and, of course, great food!
It was a fantastic time we all had and towards the end of our journeys, we noticed the odometer had hit 50,000 miles! We’ve been traveling a lot these past three years in this rig and made some valuable memories together along the way. So as I think back on all the places we’ve traveled and how far we’ve come as a family and each one of us individually, I can’t help but feel a sense of wonder and peace about the whole trip.
So here’s to the next 50,00 miles! May they be filled with even more wonder and warmth as we travel and grow together!
