[wannafostersoon]

We currently have 4 bio children under 7. Read: 3 boosters and one convertible car seat. We have a GMC Yukon (5 passenger) and a Oldsmobile Cutlass circa 1995. We had a Town & Country that was totaled and we are currently shopping for another vehicle we can all fit in. We are making payments on the Yukon (2 more years) and don't really want an additional payment although that will probably change in the coming months as our pre-owned auction van options dwindle down.

Originally we planned to foster 1 child under 3. After talking to the homefinding trainer we are seriously considering a sib group instead. We certainly wouldn't mind caring for a medically fragile child because our county has an excessive number of sweet angels needing good homes and care. I myself am a Medicaid certified nurse as are at least 4 members of my immediate family so I know s/he would get excellent care in my home 24 hours per day. I think it would be a blessing to care for a special child in my home. I do private duty peds now and that is my passion. I would get to combine my love of pediatric nursing with being a SAHM. Good stuff! We have enough square footage and enough bedrooms to have 6 more children if we wanted, according to the homefinding trainer.

With that in mind, a typical 7 passenger minivan or SUV is no longer a viable option. For the life of me, I can't think of anything bigger than a 7 passenger vehicle and I certainly wouldn't know where to find anything bigger. Any ideas? What do you ladies and gents use to transport large families?

[Scrapsathome]

Ours is a cherry red 12 passenger van that's the length of a 15 passenger. It's a lot of fun! The downside is lower gas mileage and the fact that repairs and tires cost more. Try to find a vehicle that's not a 1 ton or more if you need to save money in those areas. And I highly recommend looking for a used one. We got ours for $7,000 and they took our trade in. It's 8 years old. Almost new it would have cost us closer to $16,000!

Jess

[jbee]

an astro or safari van holds 8 most times
right now we have a minivan that holds 7 that is full, we are looking for an 11 or 12 pass van cause we are probably getting another kid

[o2b30again]

Just got back from purchasing our second 15 passenger van a couple of hours ago. Originally I purchased one because I do childcare and transport. With our adoption wait winding down we began car shopping to replace our Pacifica...Thought that we would be getting a Suburban but ended up finding a 2000 15 passenger with only 33,000 miles on it for 9300.00! Looks and drives like new so we decided to replace our other one that has more miles and not so pretty to look at (it's an old sheraton shuttle so it is tri colored) We decided to combine the daycare van with the grocery getter vehicle and only have 2 cars instead of 3. If you know anyone in MN that is interested in a 15 seater...inexpensive...message me. I wouldn't mind getting a couple of these extra vehicles out of my driveway. It is beginning to look like a parking lot

[Robbin]

We fostered before and adopted 3, (bringing our total to 7, but the oldest is 28 and moved out, another just turned 18 and is going to college, so we are looking kind of empty w/only 5!) and are in the process of being certified to foster again. When we decided we were going to foster again, we got a....get this.... 15 passenger van! While the gas costs ALOT, you get driver and passenger in front, three rows of three and a back row of four. We took the back row out for a cooler and other supplies and still have plenty of room for the kids we have and some of their friends. We bought our van from a special needs community that was selling it. Prior to that, our church had donated an old 15 passenger van to us so that we could all get to church in one vehicle!