Jeep Worthy!

Have you ever had something that you are more attached to than a normal person should be?  My Jeep is that way to me.  I LOVE my Jeep.  Loved it when I bought it.  I'd wanted one forever.  My husband was never a fan of it, not enough head or leg room.  He didn’t think it was safe enough for me. It definitely doesn't ride like a car and there isn't an electronic piece of equipment on it, from roll down windows, to push in locks and a key you actually put in the door to unlock it.  Who knew those things still existed. We couldn't take it on trips so it added up miles on his vehicles because my Jeep was only driven during the week by me to and from work.  Or in the beginning hauling Kaleb around until he got his drivers license. 

 It's a 2013 and I've owned it since the day it drove off the lot.  So why do I love my Jeep so bad.  In the beginning  I loved the freedom of taking the top off when I wanted, the wind in my hair, sun on my skin.  Didn't matter if I had to have the heater on while this was occurring, it was the point that I could do it.  I can park it anywhere, it zips around town, or curvy roads quickly and we all know how I like to drive.  I probably didn't use the air conditioner the first couple of years I had it, didn't matter how hot it got, I used the windows because that's why I got it.  I love to be outside and feel the sun and the wind.  Don't get me wrong I still do these things to this day.  There are just new reasons I love my Jeep now.  

But the reason has changed.  This is the Jeep that Kaleb learned to drive in.  He took his driver's test in it.  Who else goes to take their driver's test, parks in the state police parking lot and someone else taking their test backs into your vehicle.  Only Kaleb.  Thank goodness it was a Jeep, they only hit the spare tire on the back and scuffed up my cover.  But the look in his eyes when the State Trooper walked in and asked who was driving the Jeep Wrangler and he had to say him.  Priceless.  This is the vehicle we made our Braum's runs in and hid our napkins in the console until we could get to a trashcan so there was no evidence.  Speaking of Braums, never buy ice cream and try and drive with the top off.  It sprays everywhere, as we found out one summer day on a trip back from Lake Fort Smith with Ryan and Kaleb.  It's the memories that are in this Jeep that make it special.  I can't make new memories with Kaleb in them.  He'll never be in a new car with me.  

It's also the vehicle I was driving that last morning when I left him at the gas station getting gas.  The last time I saw him alive.  As I waved goodbye and said I love you.  Same vehicle I drove home that day as I was given the news about his death.  It's made many countless trips to the cemetery with me.  So when is a car not a car?  When it's a Jeep that holds your precious memories that are irreplaceable. The memories will always be in my heart, but to not be surrounded by them every time I drive will be hard as I trade in my Jeep that has been my baby for almost 6 years.  To be a grown up and let practicality outweigh the sentimental attachment is hard.  There is no Blue Book value on what my Jeep is worth to me.  It's Priceless.  No one will be able to love Zippy as much as I do.  They'll never appreciate the memories that were made in it.  But maybe some family will get to make new memories in it.