On the road to happily ever after
It was supposed to be the culmination of 10 months of learning and effort.
But that’s not quite the way it went down.
Last December my oldest child got her driver’s permit. (Don’t even ask me how she’s old enough for that to have occurred. I have no idea.) Since then, we’ve made a habit of instruction. Giving her regular stints behind the wheel and lots of verbal pointers while she rides along as a passenger. She’s studied the manual, taken practice tests and demonstrated the responsibility my husband and I required for her test for the license.
The big day finally arrived.
She completed the skills test with no problem (albeit a few marks down; one for turning on her signal too soon). Off we went to take the written test. Arriving at 2:14pm, we had ample time to take the test before the 4pm deadline, after which we’d have to return another day.
We sauntered up to the window and handed over her permit. (Yes, I really do mean we “sauntered up” because that’s how it is in this part of Idaho. No lines. Don’t hate.) But the sweet lady behind the desk said she had no record of my dear daughter having completed driver’s education (required by law).
I got a little edgy.
Despite the fact that we have to prove her completion of driver’s ed to even obtain the permit, the computer system doesn’t allow for testing unless the documentation is in the system. Mind you, she finished it 12/30/2013.
Texted the instructor. No reply. I ask the officials what happens if we can’t prove that she’s done it. Square one? They tell me not to worry; they’re certain everything will work out.
Hmph. I’m not convinced.
Eventually, the instructor replies. Said she’d fax over the necessary proof within 30 minutes. Would notify me when she’d done it.
So we waited. Walked to a park to pass the time.
Went back to the DMV. Nothing received, despite the instructor’s text that it was sent.
Good grief.
Texted the instructor again. She lives nearby and is willing to bring it down personally. She arrives, leaves the paperwork with the officials and departs.
Back to the counter. Huge smiles. All will be well now.
Full stop. The dates on the paperwork say she only completed driver’s ed in May. (Too soon to be tested. And completely incorrect, I might add.) I text the instructor again…. “Please come back. Dates wrong.” Now it’s 3:15. Testing window is closing in 45 minutes.
We wait.
And wait.
And wait.
No text in reply. No answer to my calls. Nothing. The sweet ladies behind the counter keep smiling at me as my frustration mounts while the minutes dwindle.
Finally, a little after 4pm, we give up. Surrendered to the anticlimax and headed for home after two hours loitering in the DMV.
And then — bing! — a text. Instructor says she’ll meet us back at the office to amend the dates. I turn around and drive 10 minutes back to the DMV. My new friends are surprised to see me again so soon. I ask whether they’d be willing to administer the test. With graciousness, they affirm. (Because, again, that’s how we roll in Idaho.)
My girl takes her test. Passes with flying colors and receives her license. And just like that, everything is right with the world. (Except for the part where I have a TEEN DRIVER. I cannot even fathom this.)
In the midst of it all, I couldn’t even get outside myself to see how this optimism challenge could inform my response. Only afterwards did I observe how readily I assumed the worst (Will she have to take driver’s ed again? Why wasn’t it reported correctly in December? Do I have any recourse? Why won’t the instructor answer — she had left just seconds before!?) and was blinded to the possibility of all working out in the end (believing the best about an instructor who came down to the office twice and wonderful people accommodated a late test).
My instincts remain pessimistic. Yesterday was a big, fat “fail” in this challenge. But I had an optimist along for the ride: my daughter cheerfully tells me, “Hey, you’ve got something to write about now!”
Cue the sunset for us to ride off into it, please. My daughter will do the driving.
[Tweet “If at first you don’t succeed in seeing the bright side, try again. #thinkonthesethings #write31days”]
This post is part of a 31 day series entitled “Think on these things: Learning optimism.” For a full catalog of all the posts, visit the first page in the series by clicking here.
I’m impressed that the instructor came to the DMV and then returned.
You will make it through the teenage driving years. A little grayer but you will make it.
Wondered why you hadn’t responded to our FB queries about this… LOVE the response in the form of this blog post. Congrats to your new driver! And hey… it was indeed “afterwards” that you saw the connection to the optimism challenge, but not *very long* afterwards… 🙂 Enjoy the passenger seat.
We stayed on the fly until 8:30p — went straight to a college fair last night (visited SPU!). This “my daughter is getting older” is a wild ride in every way! Thanks, Jenni.
Why can’t we “like” these posts? 😉 Love that you visited SPU, of course, and I assume Jenni above who went to SPU just might be the Jenni I know & love…wish she could have been in Breck last weekend. Kept thinking of her!! xoxo
Lori, you CAN “like” the posts! See the little ^ below the comment? Just click that to effectively “bump up” the comment as being on you like. I wish Jenni could have been in Breck, too. How great would that have been. (Of course, I have great memories there with her at your family’s cabin!)
Wondered why you hadn’t responded to our FB queries about this… LOVE the response in the form of this blog post. Congrats to your new driver! And hey… it was indeed “afterwards” that you saw the connection to the optimism challenge, but not *very long* afterwards… 🙂 Enjoy the passenger seat.
We stayed on the fly until 8:30p — went straight to a college fair last night (visited SPU!). This “my daughter is getting older” is a wild ride in every way! Thanks, Jenni.
Why can’t we “like” these posts? 😉 Love that you visited SPU, of course, and I assume Jenni above who went to SPU just might be the Jenni I know & love…wish she could have been in Breck last weekend. Kept thinking of her!! xoxo
Lori, you CAN “like” the posts! See the little ^ below the comment? Just click that to effectively “bump up” the comment as being on you like. I wish Jenni could have been in Breck, too. How great would that have been. (Of course, I have great memories there with her at your family’s cabin!)
Wondered why you hadn’t responded to our FB queries about this… LOVE the response in the form of this blog post. Congrats to your new driver! And hey… it was indeed “afterwards” that you saw the connection to the optimism challenge, but not *very long* afterwards… 🙂 Enjoy the passenger seat.
We stayed on the fly until 8:30p — went straight to a college fair last night (visited SPU!). This “my daughter is getting older” is a wild ride in every way! Thanks, Jenni.
Why can’t we “like” these posts? 😉 Love that you visited SPU, of course, and I assume Jenni above who went to SPU just might be the Jenni I know & love…wish she could have been in Breck last weekend. Kept thinking of her!! xoxo
Lori, you CAN “like” the posts! See the little ^ below the comment? Just click that to effectively “bump up” the comment as being on you like. I wish Jenni could have been in Breck, too. How great would that have been. (Of course, I have great memories there with her at your family’s cabin!)
Iowa’s a little like this, too. 🙂
Iowa’s a little like this, too. 🙂
Iowa’s a little like this, too. 🙂
Iowa’s a little like this, too. 🙂
Iowa’s a little like this, too. 🙂
We stayed on the fly until 8:30p — went straight to a college fair last night (visited SPU!). This “my daughter is getting older” is a wild ride in every way! Thanks, Jenni.
Why can’t we “like” these posts? 😉 Love that you visited SPU, of course, and I assume Jenni above who went to SPU just might be the Jenni I know & love…wish she could have been in Breck last weekend. Kept thinking of her!! xoxo
Lori, you CAN “like” the posts! See the little ^ below the comment? Just click that to effectively “bump up” the comment as being on you like. I wish Jenni could have been in Breck, too. How great would that have been. (Of course, I have great memories there with her at your family’s cabin!)
Congrats, Dania! It is extremely handy having an extra driver (albeit quite expensive!). We toured SPU this summer, and if still remains on our list (though mercy, it is also very expensive!).
Congrats, Dania! It is extremely handy having an extra driver (albeit quite expensive!). We toured SPU this summer, and if still remains on our list (though mercy, it is also very expensive!).
Congrats, Dania! It is extremely handy having an extra driver (albeit quite expensive!). We toured SPU this summer, and if still remains on our list (though mercy, it is also very expensive!).
Why can’t we “like” these posts? 😉 Love that you visited SPU, of course, and I assume Jenni above who went to SPU just might be the Jenni I know & love…wish she could have been in Breck last weekend. Kept thinking of her!! xoxo
Lori, you CAN “like” the posts! See the little ^ below the comment? Just click that to effectively “bump up” the comment as being on you like. I wish Jenni could have been in Breck, too. How great would that have been. (Of course, I have great memories there with her at your family’s cabin!)
Why can’t we “like” these posts? 😉 Love that you visited SPU, of course, and I assume Jenni above who went to SPU just might be the Jenni I know & love…wish she could have been in Breck last weekend. Kept thinking of her!! xoxo
Lori, you CAN “like” the posts! See the little ^ below the comment? Just click that to effectively “bump up” the comment as being on you like. I wish Jenni could have been in Breck, too. How great would that have been. (Of course, I have great memories there with her at your family’s cabin!)
[…] The Bright Side Let’s do Lunch Or… Borrowed Glasses True /tro͞o/ Necessarily Negative On the road to happily every after Pure /pyo͝or/ Expecting the worst Synonyms? Closer to Center Honorable /ˈänərəb(ə)l/ […]
[…] The Bright Side Let’s do Lunch Or… Borrowed Glasses True /tro͞o/ Necessarily Negative On the road to happily every after Pure /pyo͝or/ Expecting the worst Synonyms? Closer to Center Honorable /ˈänərəb(ə)l/ […]