Our biggest need that we are hoping to fund is an accessible van to transport Jolene safely with her wheelchair. 

We currently disassemble Jolene's wheelchair to ride alongside her on our drives. But, being in a smaller hatchback means the chair takes up virtually all available space and leaves little room for anything else we might need to bring (and certainly no extra passengers). Additionally, the safety aspect of this setup makes all my Mom Alarms go off. It doesn't sit well with me to have this heavy chair so close to her sweet face should we ever be involved in an accident.

Jolene is also getting bigger. She is 38" tall and 35lbs of dead weight. Getting in and out of her car seat is increasingly difficult for all parties. I've bonked her head on the doorframe more times than I'd like to admit. 

A larger vehicle is now becoming necessary, and one that can accommodate her limited mobility. Though we pray she'll one day be able to walk, and climb, and get in her own seat, the reality of Rett syndrome means she will likely need mobility assistance for her whole life. 

I'll come clean, though. I never thought I'd be a van owner. You might be rolling your eyes, but admit it-- vans are not cute no matter how practical they are! Will a bumper sticker that says  "Cool Mom" help or hurt the situation? Is this all just VANity? Asking for a friend...