The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round.....

One evening about a year and a half ago Mark was killing time looking through internet auction sights when he saw a city bus for sale.  He hollered at me to come take a look and said we ought to buy this for our family.  I wholeheartedly agreed so our bid was placed.  All of our kids were so excited hearing of this and I think every one of them was glued to the computer when the auction time ended.  I was at work delivering mail watching the clock myself, eagerly anticipating the call saying if we won it or not.  The phone rang about four times in a row letting me know that WE NOW OWN A BUS!!!  I think all my co-workers thought we were nuts, but they thought we were nuts anyway because of the size of our family so this just gave them a little more proof!  When I got off work, my son and hubby were waiting and we headed out on the road to pick "her" up.  Filling it up with gas for the drive home was a bit of a reality check, but heck, how can you put a price on fun and family togetherness!  We went home through the town most of the kids live in, picked them all up and cruised for about thirty minutes and thought we were having the time of our lives!  We chatted happily about what all  we were going to do with it.  We tried to come up with a good name for it, but having never settled on one, it is affectionately just known as "the bus".

Every trip when I sit down in the drivers seat or one of the passenger seats I get a very pumped feeling!  It just adds an element of fun when we all ride together.  Makes it feel like that much more of an adventure.  Many of the trips we've gone on, us women and children end up singing at the top of our lungs. Sometimes Christmas Carol's, sometimes other songs we all know.  We always have to break out "The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round!"  They have never said so, but I imagine all the men are very thankful when we come to the end of our songs!

So far the bus has been on local geo-caching trips and took a load of us to Kyle and Dani's college graduation reception.  It has taken all of us girls to Amanda's bridal shower, taken us on two or three picnic outings to Great Grandma's house.  Has taken Granny and her brother and his wife and several of us out to eat at a well known bar and grill situated way out in the boonies.  It has surprised many grandkids when it pulled up to their house all decked out with lights, balloons and banners, full of family and friends ready to celebrate their birthday at a surprise location.  We filled it to the brim with kids, orange lights, balloons and battery powered jack-o-lanterns to go trick or treating last year.  The mommy's said it made the night much MUCH easier and funner for them!  Then when December came we decked it out in red, green, and white balloons and lights to go Christmas Caroling and light seeing.  Shortly thereafter it helped make our oldest grandaughter's "coming of age" party more festive as we took her out for a special night.  This spring it took the family on a trip to the zoo.

Our latest adventure with the bus was to take the entire family to a lake camp about two and half hours away.  You would not believe how fast the miles go by when you have all the people you love laughing and talking in the same vehicle.  Knowing that so many of the ones you love are in the same vehicle is a little concerning, so when we first start out we all pray for safety and thank God profusely when we get home.  I especially like to think about the memories we are making for all the little ones who are going to grow up thinking everyone has a family bus and fills it up with cousin's, aunt's, uncle's and grandparents.  I can honestly say it is the best thing we've ever purchased and when, hopefully in the distant future, it breathes it's last, I can guarantee that we will be online looking for another one.  But we already know that next time we'll have to look for a bigger one.  We are already too big for this one.  Twenty three of us went to the lake and we had to bring a pickup along to not only help hold the luggage, ice chests and other equipment, but also the people who wouldn't fit.

I don't know where our next adventure will take us, but I can relate to the song my granddaughter Wiggy likes to sing when we first pull the bus out on the highway......"On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again!"