an old friend.

i've been driving my little mirage for almost ten years now. she's the only car i've ever had and she's been a good one.

but she's getting up there in age and it may be time to let her go soon. but first, i wanted to relive a few of the memories/events she's held up through.

see where my back bumper is sort of popped out here? and the paint's peeling off here?

that's where a woman hit me at a stop light on main street in salem when i had just gotten my license. the best part was when i was talking to the police a little shaky from the wreck and my timmy drove by, waved and headed on home...

see that crack in the front bumper and all the paint chipped and peeling?

that's where my older brother chris drove over a large metal object {chair?} going about 75 mph on our way home from greensboro. my dad had to attach the bumper and fix the wheel well with zip ties {which are still there  nine years later}.

see the nice dent in the front fender here?

that's where my best friend kasey's stepmother backed into my car in their driveway one morning.

and see how the hood doesn't sit quite even on this one side?

that's where a friend of kasey's decided he was going to try to slide across the hood of my car like they do in movies. it didn't work.

now see this bit of tape residue on the dash?

that's where kasey taped the directions when we drove from virginia to michigan after we graduated from high school.

see this nice little window here?

that's the one we had to have replaced after my car got broken into close to campus. they ransacked my car and stole two things: my emergency preparedness kit and a quarter machine little teddy bear pin kasey gave me one time. i obviously don't keep anything of value in my car...

see this nice paintless area on the back bumper?

that's from austin backing up in our driveway directly into our friend ben's neon green bug. it's neon green, how do you miss it?

here's all my flair that's grown over the years to include buttons, nametags, whatever.

and the only thing that will be saved from this car to be put in whatever new car i get...

a little reminder from my momma to be careful everywhere i go. and of course, i always sing the song she taught us to buckle up with. "buckle up for love, buckle up!"

my faithful little car has been through a lot and put up with a lot from me. i hope whatever new car i get last as long as this one has!