In 2009 I met a man named Chris under a dirty freeway overpass in Chicago. I had just finished a test drive around the city in a brand new bright yellow Chevy Camaro.

“How’d you like it?” he asked

“My husband! The jealously he will experience when he finds out I drove his dream car! THAT CAR IS AMAZING!”

“So your husband likes Camaros?”

“Loves them, grew up with them. Life list to drive one.”

“Let’s make it happen.”

Several months later a yellow Camaro showed up in our driveway and it didn’t leave for a week.

Best week ever.

(neener neener minivans!)

I stayed in contact with Chris and when my Aunt Cheryl passed away, he and his fellow associate Connie along with Chevy took care of my family in a way I never would have thought a company, let alone an automotive company, would.

When I found out I was pregnant a month later Cody and I had the “I think we’re going to need a new car that starts every time you ask it to.” discussion.

Both of us grew up in homes where cars were never bought new. You bought used and you drove it until it died. We wouldn’t be getting a new car.

“I wish we could buy a Chevy, they’ve been so good to us.” I mumbled one night.

“Me too.” said Cody.

Connie had jokingly offered up her employee discount to Cody when I told her how sad Cody was to give back the Camaro. I wrote her and told her that we were actually considering a new Chevy but we didn’t know if we wanted to go with a Traverse or a Acadia and that we were nervous to make such a huge investment into such uncharted territory.

“Why don’t I send you one for a week and you can see how it fits into your life?”

We drove an Acadia for a week and knew that the Traverse was for us. Through other connections we met up with a local dealership and salesman (Brian Eybel at Hare Chevy, tell him Casey sent you) and he found us the exact car we wanted with the exact features and sold it to us through an employee referral program.

To say I love my car would be a gross understatement.

I *LOVE* my car.

Several months later Cody’s dad was coming into town for the Indy 500 and Mecum Auto Auction. He has two old Camaros of his own that get the prime garage real estate, I asked if it would be possible to have a Camaro for him when he got here. The man works harder and loves fiercer than almost anyone I know and he loves Camaros.

On their first morning here a cherry red Camaro with black racing stripes showed up in our driveway, the exact same color of his vintage Camaro back home.

The look on his face when I opened the front door to his surprise was better than a kid at Christmas and Disneyworld combined. The grin didn’t leave his face for four straight days. He and Cody (his only son) hung out in the Camaro, doing whatever it is dads and sons do.

I grew up in an all Toyota household.

My girls will grow up in a Chevy household.

I spent the day at the Chicago Auto Show as a guest of GM today. I sat in Audis, Porches, VWs, Hondas and I even took a ride in a Dodge truck with the most adorable man from Texas you’ve ever seen or heard.

When the day was over I went back to the Chevy display and sat in the 2012 Traverse.

It felt right. It felt like home.

The only thing that felt as good was a 2012 Camaro. Dang sexy cars those things are.

I. love. my. car.

I realize not everyone can have the experiences I’ve been fortunate to have, but I can promise you that all that stuff Chevy talks about with American traditions and keeping it all in the family? It’s true, everyone I’ve ever met who works for the GM brand believe every word of it. Did you ever see the commercial where the sons find the dad’s old car that he sold so they could go to college? Watch it and feel your cold icy heart melt.

I asked the woman working at the Volkswagen display what their twitter handle was.

“Twitter? I know we’re on facebook, but I don’t know about twitter.” (They are, they’re @vw)

If you had a company, wouldn’t you want to know what people were saying about you? (RED ONE! *punch*)

*******

Someone made a comment that they didn’t understand why they brought a bunch of moms that blog to an auto show.

By inviting us, Chevy acknowledged us as invaluable consumers. Invaluable decision makers.

It’s not just about the reporters, the car enthusiasts and the guys who get glassy eyed around sports cars.

It’s about being involved with families who are going to be putting their babies into their cars every single day.

***********

A special thanks to GM for letting us borrow so many cool cars, selling us one and providing me with a car to drive up to Chicago and a fancy place to lay my head last night. If you are looking into buying a new car? Buy a Chevy  (GMC, Buick or Cadillac.) (And nope, I wasn’t asked to say anything or paid anything to love them. I just do.)