Minivan Mishaps

So, it's official -- I am a terrible minivan driver. Or more specifically, I am a terrible parker. Seriously. It can't get any worse - or any more embarrassing - than what happened this morning. 

We were running late for preschool drop off, so I pulled into the first available parking spot. A space sandwiched between the curb and another poorly parked minivan. Maneuvering my boat of a vehicle into the parking space was a piece of cake and I ran our kid into school. 

Backing out of this space, however, was a different story.....

By the time I returned to the parking lot, most of the other vehicles had already departed, including the line hovering minivan that was previously on my left. With an empty space on my left and a practically deserted  parking lot, I wasn't expecting any backing out difficulties.

Putting my vehicle in reverse, I tried to pull out of the space, but no matter which way I turned the wheel, I couldn't back up without hitting the curb that was hugging my right side. A few forward/reverse attempts availed without any luck, so I decided to just muscle through it. A little curb check never hurt anyone, right? 

Yeaahh... that is how I got stuck on the curb.

Oh! I forgot to mention that our soon-to-be new pastor was out on the lawn greeting families as they arrived for school? With the drop-off procession nearly complete, there was nothing to distract him from noticing my very embarrassing parking fiasco. (While I might have been embarrassed, he probably found the situation to be quite entertaining.)

Long story short, after what felt like an eternity (but probably only a few moments) a friend of mine, also running late, pulls in a few spots down and was able to guide me off of the curb and out of the parking space.
Ahhh... the joys of minivan ownership.

So for all you other minivan mamas out there, I wish you the best in your own curb-hugging parking lot adventures.