• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Drops of Awesome

Personal Blog of Author Kathryn Thompson

  • Home
  • About
  • Author Page
  • Events
  • Merch
  • Contact

A Eulogy for the Flying Smurf

December 3, 2005 by Kathryn

smurf3For show and tell today, I’m so excited to show off my NEW VAN! Well, new used van. It’s a few-year-old Toyota Sienna and I love it so much. Our trusted mechanic spent the day with it and said it’s in the best shape of any car he’s inspected in the last 3 months — nothing to fix.

My very favorite thing:
-Tinted windows in the back so I won’t have to hang 50 sunshades and pieces of brown plastic wrap on the windows of the car, only to discover that the one spot I missed is a hole the size of a pinhead, pointed directly at Laylee’s eye, burning it to a bubbling, boiling mass in its socket while she screams, “Mommy! Mommy! S’that BETTER?!!!!”

(she started saying, “S’that BETTER?!!!!” to mean, “There’s some light shining in my eyes. Please fix it now or so help me I will leap from this car seat and smash every last window in this piece-of-hud HOOPTY!” one day after I spent a lot of time swerving in and out of cars trying to get her into some shade and asking, “Is that better baby? Is that better?”)

Unfortunately, in with the new also means out with the old. And so on this December day, we say a fond farewell to a faithful friend, the Flying Smurf:

smurf1

You joined our family during Dan’s formative college years. As Dan lovingly reminded me on Wednesday, you joined our family before I did. He loved you with a great love. You were his first car. In you, I sat close to him for the first time, riding love gun, when a group of us went out for milkshakes. I licked the ice cream running down the side of Dan’s cup to avoid spilling on your grey plush seats.

smurf2Dan kissed me for the first time in your front seat. We have laughed, cried and prayed in you. You took us on our first date. You carried us as we had our first talk about marriage — about how we didn’t want to rush into it. You carried us to the place in the mountains where Dan proposed — 3 months later.

You were the roomy vehicle who carpooled to book club and girl’s night out. You were a special part of this family and you will be sorely missed. You are the car we spent thousands “pampering” the past few years and then traded in at the dealership for a pittance. Sorry to sell you out. We don’t be hatin’, we just needed a new ride.

smurf4An addendum from DY Dad: “Dear smurf, I loved you. I bought the Chilton’s manual for you. I took care of you. I jiggled the wiring on the starter to get your solenoid to fire. I noticed right away when you blew your head gasket and got you taken care of, and I took you to get your transmission rebuilt. I personally replaced your sway bar links, brakes, and a tie rod end. I changed your oil, brake fluid, and rotated your tires. I loved the power you gave with your extra-big 3.8 liter V6. You only played the radio and tapes, but I loved your sound system, especially the conveniently placed volume lever. I loved sticking my gas receipts under your lovely carpet dash covering. You were worth so much more than that dealer gave us, baby, I know. But it was for a good cause, because I also got him to lower the price on the van, so in my heart I feel I got more for you. Good luck to you. I will never forget you. Farewell.”
~Flying Smurf 1998-2005~

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Previous Post: « The X-ray Guy Says it’s a Mental Disorder
Next Post: Making Sense of the Season with a Three-Year-Old (who’s really two) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. blackbird says

    December 3, 2005 at 4:12 am

    (tearing up here…)

    A momentous day in the Daring household. The end of an Era.
    And I am proud, PROUD I TELL YOU, to be here, and part of it.

    Congratulations Daring Young Family.

  2. Karen says

    December 3, 2005 at 8:22 am

    I feel a lump in my throat. My condolences as you simultaneously grieve the loss but celebrate a new beginning. . .

    Was this also the car you brought your babies home from the hospital in?? Are you sure you shouldn’t have bronzed it and made a yard ornament out of him?

  3. Anna says

    December 3, 2005 at 8:51 am

    That’s sweet. I still feel nostalgia for my first car, even though it was falling apart. Congrats on your new van, though.

  4. Mom on a Mission says

    December 3, 2005 at 11:43 am

    It may be just a machine, but they really become part of the family don’t they? Good Idea to get some last pictures before trading in the smurf.

  5. Heather says

    December 3, 2005 at 12:22 pm

    farewell, smurfalicious one! I remember the night of that first kiss. I believe you said something like… Sweet lovin’ tonight, girls. Sweet lovin’!

    🙂

  6. Daring Young Dad says

    December 3, 2005 at 1:26 pm

    Another fond memory: I worked on the smurf a few times with my Dad. Now that we live a zillion miles away, I’ll probably never work on a car with my dad again. *sniff* At least I’ll have Magoo to work with me.

  7. Brooke says

    December 3, 2005 at 3:50 pm

    *wiping tears*

    Oh, I now you feel. Hubby’s car is on its last leg. We’ve had it eleven–yes ELEVEN years–and it’s brought all four babies home from the hospital. My husband has joked we ought to just hike it up on some cinder blocks in the front yard with a blue tarp over it. The neighbors would love it, I’m sure.

  8. Stephanie says

    December 3, 2005 at 7:50 pm

    Yeah, there’s something about that first car…

    When we traded The Beast (’88 olds Cutlass Ciera) for our zippy 02 Mitsubishi, there was a definite sadness there.

    Beast was a good friend. I know that Smurf was too.

  9. bon says

    December 3, 2005 at 7:51 pm

    the only vehicle I have ever been that sentimental about was my first motorcycle…alas she was stolen. 1986 Yamaha 650. sorrow.

    congrats on the minivan… that is one sweeeet ride!

  10. Suse says

    December 3, 2005 at 8:16 pm

    Amazing how sentimental we become over our vee hickles, isn’t it?!

  11. GLHM says

    December 3, 2005 at 8:37 pm

    I’m sorry but I am only feeling HAPPY Feelings for you!!! I am so happy you have that Sienna that I’m not even jealous! Loved all the stories of the car and think, they are now all written down in cyber world, never to be forgotten!

  12. The Daring One says

    December 3, 2005 at 10:25 pm

    You guys are so fun and nice.

    I will admit. I’m more excited about the new van than sad about the smurf.

  13. MommyMaki says

    December 5, 2005 at 8:40 am

    Congrats on the latest addition to the family 🙂 I was so happy when we got our subaru wagon 🙂 It’s so useful with kids and strollers!

Primary Sidebar

Buy the Books!

Drops of Awesome Journal

Inspiration Straight to Your Inbox

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On YoutubeVisit Us On LinkedinCheck Our Feed
523 Ways to Be Awesome
Bucket of Awesome

Other Places to Find Me

Amazon Author Page
Familius (My Publisher - Best Place for Bulk Book Orders)
How Does She?
Parenting
I'm a Mormon

Life on the Instagram

[instagram-feed]

So Many Drops

  • November 2020
  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • March 2018
  • November 2017
  • September 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • May 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
  • December 2005
  • November 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005

Copyright © 2025 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress