Oh, The Places She'll Go...

Now that she is a licensed driver. Yep, it's true, Katelyn passed the driving test on Saturday--after a small adventure at the Department of Licensing. Her cute little face was beaming and her dimples were out in force as she came back into the DOL building to find her dad and me. So what was the adventure and why were both Dave and I at the DOL? Well, remember how I told you Katelyn has a difficult time parallel parking and backing around corners? Her Grandpa Whiting was nice enough to let her borrow his Smart car to take the test in (thanks Mom for suggesting that to Dad). Anyway, she practiced all week and was getting dang good at all things having to do with backing up. She was pretty sure parallel parking was in the bag. We arrive at the DOL at 12:50 Saturday afternoon, 10 minutes before her scheduled drive. I go in to wait while Katelyn hangs out in the Smart car waiting for her examiner to come. I watch the clock and at 1 o'clock I see the examiner go out to meet Katelyn. Alright, Kate show 'em what you got, I think to myself and then go back to reading Sports Illustrated. Imagine my surprise when 5 minutes later Katelyn taps me on the shoulder and says "They won't let me take the test. The lady said that there is a brake light out." "A brake light out, are you sure?" "Yep, the lady said that the center light should go on when the brakes are applied. She said if we can get it fixed right away, she might be able to still get me out today." "Ok, you go back out and wait by the car and I'll see what I can do." Ok, deep breath. Let's think. First, call Grandpa to see if he knows anything about the center light being out. Nope. Ok, now call David to see if he can bring the Mountaineer. Next, cut in front of all the people who have drawn numbers and are waiting to ask what the heck the center light has to do with anything. Argue, unsuccessfully, with the nice DOL lady that there are 2 working brake lights and the center light is an accessory. Walk away from the counter, defeated and trying to ignore all of the glares from all of the people I have just cut in front of. Go outside to tell Katelyn and the examiner that another car is on the way. Examiner says that her next appointment is here and they really don't take anyone out after 2 p.m. (it's 1:20). Examiner leaves. David arrives with Mountaineer and Katelyn begins to balk at the thought of going out in that. Dave does a good job of building her up and convincing her she can do it. 1:40, the examiner is back and said that her 1:30 appointment must not have shown so begins going through the "pre-test" checklist with Katelyn. 1:42 the one thirty appointment shows up. Oh no, my heart sinks. The examiner goes over to talk to the guy. What, he doesn't have a current insurance card? Yes, Katelyn is back on. Dave is pacing. I said to him, "Don't talk to me. I'm going to say a prayer for Katelyn" As I am praying, Katelyn and the examiner get ready to head off. Katelyn revs the engine because she thought she had put it in drive. Oh, please let her pass. 2:00 Katelyn is back and you know the results. She still failed the parallel parking (I only prayed that she would pass. I didn't pray for the parallel parking). But the important thing is she passed. And she has the type of personality that allowed this adventure to not totally throw her for a loop--the same cannot be said about her brother. Yeh! for Katelyn.