After 2 years of driving this wonderful Highlander, we hit 50,000 miles and we were told we’d have to trade it in before the value dropped.  This car has served us well, as we’ve driven all over central Washington.  MapQuest tells me it’s 2,500 miles from San Francisco to New York City.  In 2 years, we’ve traveled equivalent of TWENTY cross-country trips!Approaching 50,000:So they brought us a new car last month.  Another Highlander, this one is a blue-ish color.  Here is our car lineup–our first mission car, the new mission car, and the Acura MDX we brought with us from home.

Let me describe the features in our new Mission car.

We have leather seats and seat warmers this time. We also have a key-less starter. The car key (it’s really a fob) just has to be in the area (in our pocket or close by) to get into the car or to start it. You put you foot on the break and push a start button. Wow. It also has a radar feature. If you cross the center or side lines, it beeps at you to make sure you’re awake. And if there’s a car in your blind spot, the side mirrors flash a warning.

If you’re using cruise control, and you come up on a slower-moving vehicle, it slows you down automatically. It’s sensitive to what’s going on around you. It feels safer, but highly digital/technical. When you stop at a light and the car idles, after 3-4 seconds, the engine cuts to almost silence (it sounds like it turns off). I suppose it’s doing something to save gas or exhaust fumes.

It’s a comfortable nice car. But even with all of these snazzy features, my favorite feature is the shelf under the dash board where I can put my stuff–sun glasses, lip gloss, napkins, floss, receipts to turn in, and the gas cards. I love the shelf most of all.

How we pack when we go on the road:We are usually on the road most of the month, going to where our missionaries are. What a blessing to be so comfortable as we travel!