Driving

It has become a joke among people who know me, about when I will get around to getting a license. :D Whenever I make a comment about my car, my license, driving or anything along those lines, I get rolled eyes and "Yeah I'll believe it when I see it!”

I never really wanted to get my license. I had seen more than enough accidents to make it clear that I didn't want to; I would rather let my experienced parents drive. Plus I never really had any where to go. The only place I really liked going I either went with my family.....Ballgames, church, market.....And if there was a time when I wanted to go somewhere by myself that tended to be the library and dad works two blocks from one and mom is always driving by one so she would drop me off while she ran her errands. So, why pay for insurance, take time and add stress to our lives by me having a license? Well, that is what I a little over two years ago. :D

I was a month short of my 18th birthday when I got my permit. And I didn't even want to get it! One Friday mom and I were going to bible study and left early one Friday morning, mom never telling me why. Once we got in the car she said "We are surprising your dad, you getting you permit TODAY!!” (Surprise my dad?!?! What about surprising me?!) So, I got it, passed the written test with flying colors got my permit, walked out to the car and got in the passenger seat. lol There was NO WAY I was going to drive then! That night I showed dad the permit as we walked down the street to go to an Astros game. He was so excited he wanted me to drive home! NO WAY! Not, in the dark, not in down town, and not for a while!! Little did I know he would have me driving in the country in the dark for my first time! But, I did and I survived.

Well, I drove almost everywhere afterwards, that I could. Getting as much practice in as I could an enjoying it VERY much, much to my surprise. I have some great memories from learning to drive. :D Most of them have to do with something that I said and dad's reaction. I am sure that he never thought it would be this bad to teach me to drive. (Hey he's been "teaching" me since I was 8!) One of them is from my first time behind the wheel. I am coming around a curve way to slowly, but I didn't want to go any faster. When dad asked why I replied with "There is a mean looking bull on the other side of that fence, and I don't really care to find out if he is as mean looking as he seems!" That left dad speechless for a few seconds!

When a year came and my permit expired we planned on getting my license ASAP, but so much came up, a sick grandfather, a new baby, two out of state trips, the dairy, never really giving us a free Tuesday to go in and get it.

Now here we NEED me to get it, the Woodlands market is my market. With mom and dad at two other markets at the same time, they need me to be filling in there. I will be driving there ever week; a license would be a nice thing. :D We tried three times to get it. Tuesday I couldn't take the test because the ground was wet and it might rain and Wednesday I couldn't take it because one of the workers had to go get her husband, who had been flooded down in Hobby.

After two days of trying to get it and nothing happening we went in the third time, yesterday around two. We would have gone in bright and early, but mom had a Dr. appointment and I had a late start on the yogurt. So we get in there and I walk up and the lady says "I thought you would have been here earlier!" Oh, boy! So, we get an appointment time, and then go out to sonic. What fun, mom and me time!

We get there, pray (as I am sitting in the car near to dying!), start the test with the inspection, the lady gets in the car, looks back and sees our white board from market the night before and asks "So, what do y'all do sell milk?" "yes, mama goat's milk, chocolate milk, yogurt, kefir and a new coffee flavored milk drink" (The salesperson in me kicked in! lol) "I think you know some friends of mine _____, I think they used to buy your milk, they said it was great." (And yes, I did know them).

So, we go on with the test were I flunk parallel parking, but did well on everything, but one turn and passed. She was so busy asking me about my siblings, family, goats and dairy that she forgot to grade me until she was getting out of the car! And no, it was not my fault! I was not going to talk, because I was advised by more than one person not to, but I do have to answer questions when asked, don't I? lol

So, we go into the office and as she is getting my information she asks me if anyone in my family will be in Hempstead tomorrow, because she would like some chocolate milk. lol

So, I got my license, didn't kill anyone or even come close :D made a sale, and kind of enjoyed it. :D I now can drive and prove to people that I am as old as I say I am! Now I need to get driving a standard down pat.

Well......

So, after practicing my parallel parking last night (in a stick shift and the rain). Mom and I got up at 5 this morning so that we could be first in line for the driving test. In Hempstead they only do the driving test Tuesday morning, and with dad having been there, he told us the earlier the better.

The whole way there mom is of course giving me tips (I had already had a good handful from dad.) and I am thinking, well if I can pass in this rain, I can pass anything. I just need to get pass the parallel parking, considering I had not tried it in this car (just the stick shift) and I HATE this car. So all things considered, if I can pass now, I feel O.K. driving.

Well, we get there at 6:30 and NO ONE is there. Hmmmm....Well, we find out they don't open 'till 8. So now what? Well, we decide that mom is going to get breakfast and I will stay there so that we don't lose our spot as first (hey, it's Tuesday and we have to get ready for market tonight!)

So, I walk back with mom to get my book bag (which I always have with me) and as I am about to walk up another car drives up and the driver says....

"We don't open 'til 8."
Me: "Thanks" As I walk towards the door.
Driver: "Are you getting in line?"
Me: "Ummm...Yes"
Driver: "What for?"
Me: "Take the driving test"
Driver: "Oh, we do that ever day of the week now, so we don't have lines."
Me: "Ummmmm......O.K....Hmmm..."

So, mom and I went and got breakfast together and filled up on gas. :D Got back and sat there for an hour (If we had gone home, we would have had to turn around as soon as we pulled into the driveway). At eight we go in and get told that they won't be doing any test today because of the weather. They want the ground to be dry when they do the test! And here I was thinking I could do it and knowing if I could pass in the rain (and lots of it) that I would be good. But now, I am told I have to wait until the ground is dry to take the test. Which means no license until late next week. :S And I had just talked myself into doing it, saying I could do it and it was no big deal. Now, I have to do that all over again. Here's praying I don't get sick right before I need to take the test next week! :D

At least now we know for the other kids, They don't have to wait until Tuesday, any day they talk themselves into doing it they can! lol