I told you my mom is directing camp this year. Her staff includes my dad, my aunt, my brother, my sister and 4 of my cousins. Not to mention 2 of my best friends. I’m the odd man out. So, she recruits my dh and me to drive the apartment kids to camp & then back home. We have to use our own cars, but no problem. Then my hubby has a genius idea. Maybe we can borrow the van from his dad’s church. We call and it’s a done deal. My mom is rejoicing. So, my dh picks up the kids and drives them to camp. (See, I told you he was sweet!)
I ended up going up to camp a few times to help teach a class (we made friendship bracelets, necklaces and an awesome cool memory book, in case you were wondering.)
Today was the last day of camp. Mama asks again to borrow the church van. No problem, I just have to meet the youth pastor to get the key. Then I’m off to camp, load up the kids and drive 45 minutes home. Now, all the kids are gone. I’m in a hot dirty van all by myself. I decide to head to the gas station to fill it up & vacuum it out. When I pull in next to the pump I realize the tank is on the other side of the van! UGH. So, I get back inside and start…uh oh, I mean attempt to start the van. It’s dead. I walk inside and ask an employee to help me. He was so nice and came outside with his car. We spent 10 minutes trying to open the hood. He jumps me off and we’re good. I drive to another pump and leave the car running. And here’s where it gets better, the gas cap has to be opened with the key from the ignition! And if I shut the car off, it will die! What in the world?! I hop back in the van, drive away cursing the makers of this stupid van, then stop at ANOTHER gas station to vacuum up the smashed pringles and mini marshmallows.
As I’m driving away to drop the van off and pick up my car, I roll up all the windows to eek out as much almost-cool air the air conditioning will give me. And soon I have a throbbing headache. Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning while driving a car?
I don’t know if there is a moral to this story or not. But I don’t want to set foot into a church van for the next 100 years.
You just brought to mind endless drives to six flags over texas in a church van … I always had a boyfriend in the youth group and almost always got scolded for sitting too close in the back seat! Oh, the memories…
I imagine you were glad to have that whole ordeal over with, but you sure are a sweetie to help out your mom!
Oh honey…what a day!! I don’t have enough words to thank you- you and Les are lifesavers!
🙂
Oh man, I’m sure that was very annoying and very frustrating, but it made for a funny blog post:)
Amanda, you are a saint. Thanks again for helping me get my “kids” home. Sorry again about the Pringles!
OH I’ve had times like that with church vans. UGH is right!!
Hate church vans!!! I much prefer everyone meet at the location! FREEDOM! 🙂
I once had to drive a church van on a youth trip and trying to back up in a parking spot with a bunch of teenagers is a nightmare. I did run into a parking lot light, you know, the cement kind?! 🙂 A tiny dent in the bumper and teens screaming ‘STOP’. It was a great memory!! :}
Wow, I’m just impressed you can drive one of those things!
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