one hundred thousand

oh, larry, my friend. you did it! you made it to 100,000 miles. 

i've been anticipating this day for a little while now - consistently checking the little digital box encircled by the speedometer until i saw those glorious five zeroes with my own little eyes. 

but as fate would have it, ryan was actually driving you when you reached your milestone. and then passed it. and he didn't even bother to note it. not until he filled up for gas. and even then it was just a mental note. he drove home and didn't mention your hard work until the next morning. there i was, in the driver's seat like i so often am, shivering in the morning chill as we warmed you up when i saw it. but only four zeroes and two blasted ones were staring back at me. i'm sorry about that. but i did document your big moment right then and there. 

oh larry, you've been so good to us! i know sometimes we complain that you don't have power anything {except steering, we'll give you that}. i know we even complain that there aren't two of you. but you have stayed with us through the thick and thin. 

you were my first ever car. my first! i'll never forget the thrill i felt as i pulled up into my mom's driveway and saw your silvery goodness shining on the pavement. silver! exactly what i had wanted! i remember the way i felt when we made our last payment for you. that we owned you fair and square. you were mine all mine for keeps. 

you drove us from our first home in utah to uncharted territories in the bay area. you've made multiple trips to utah and back; to lake merwin, washington; to southern california. you even abandoned me for a summer to keep ryan company on his trek to alabama and back. and you carried us safely and surely on our 3,200 mile trek across the entire united states this summer.

you brought home our sweet little girl from the hospital. and you've carted her around to countless doctor appointments, therapy sessions, school days and more. you quietly held her during those horrendous, sleepless nights of 2009 and you never once complained.

you've been through the daily grind with us - work, school, shopping and more. 

you've only received two tickets. one for ryan. one for me. both were for speeding. and neither were legit. seriously.

you've been filled with balloons. and with garbage. with sand from the shores of california and snow from the hills of new hampshire. you've survived an explosion of 24 cans of root beer. messy fingers and dirty feet. you've been sparkling clean and downright filthy {like you are right now, sorry}. and you've never grumbled. 

you've only locked me out four or five times. and only once with leah inside. 

other than your consistent diet of gasoline and routine maintenance like oil changes, you are very low maintenance. and relatively inexpensive. 

it's been a great 100,000 miles, mr. larry. and i can't wait for 100,000 more.