"Hop in MY van"

This here, folks, is the reason for Tol wanting to work at a USED car dealership rather than a new car dealership. Why would you want to sell new cars when you could surround yourself with beauties like this one everday?

This is our neighbor, Brandon's, van. He bought it for work and when he came rolling up in this thing it was like Christmas for Tol. The econoline is a paradise for Tol. It has buttons and switches for things Tol hasn't even imagined before now. It has mood lighting, a TV, a CB radio and a really old stereo with "knobs and funny buttons."

Brandon and Jenn are so freakin great to Tol. They always entertain Tol on his daily visits and play in the van with him. Brandon has even been known to have breakfast in the van with Tol. They are the greatest neighbors EVER and they are great friends to Tol.

The other day, Brandon surprised Tol with his own set of keys to the '86 Econoline equipped with an ignition key, a key to unlock the doors and a FORD keychain. Christmas Part II. Tol has pretty much been living in the van ever since and he won't let the keys out of his site. Everywhere we go, the keys come with.

His routine goes like this: he gets out of bed in the morning, pulls dirty clothes out of the hamper and puts them on, grabs some breakfast and takes it to the van to eat it. He then plays in the van, coming into the house every few minutes to tell us the shuttle is leaving and that we better "HOP IN MY VAN", until I go pry him away from it. This is our pattern. He comes in for meals, his nap (yes, he STILL naps), and that's about it. OBSESSED!

Hopping into and driving the "shuttle" or "van" (depending on the day).

Posing next to the Rosary Beads... the coolest and most fitting [and only]) decoration in the van.

After Tol was introduced to this piece of machinery, he went from wanting to drive an RV to wanting to drive an '86 Econoline when he turns 16. Brandon and Jenn, if you hang onto it for another 11 years, you'll have a buyer.