Tuesday, January 27, 2015

No More Backseat Driving

This gal has moved on up, taken the wheel, and is safely buckled in the driver's seat! 
Millie Girl can now check the TX driving examination off of her to-do list. There are many steps to complete in order to be granted a Texas driver's license. 

Classroom instruction, the written knowledge exam, and hours and hours of driving lessons were completed a long time ago. A log of all practice hours was filled out and submitted. All of the necessary paperwork (countless forms and documentation) was submitted to the Department of Public Safety a couple of weeks before Christmas. There was only one final hurdle: the actual driving exam. 

Walk-in appointments at the DPS are not allowed, as the driving exam is done by appointment only. Appointments for this test are only scheduled on-line, and the exam slots are booked solid for weeks. HOWEVER, as of yesterday, the dreaded driving test portion of the process is in the rearview mirror. A freshly printed, temporary driver's license is in her hand. And there's a big smile on that pretty face.
 Congrats, Millie Girl!


Call us crazy, but we actually allowed our teen to make a solo trip to Starbucks, on day #2 of being a new driver

Don't fret -- Millie took to the streets with adequate prayer coverage. And yes, I did remember to call our "good neighbor" to make sure that she also had adequate insurance coverage. That sounded like a good policy to me.
She was not travelin' solo for long. Millie stopped to pick up a certain young man before going to get java. We had reminded our daughter that drinking too much coffee can cause a latte problems, so she is not allowed to drink and drive. We wouldn't want her to have a brewed awakening.

Oh!!! Before you have a chance to ask, yes, we knew she was going to pick up Braxton for a coffee date, so we are not steamed, and she's not grounded. 
This girlie is definitely on the road to being an independent young woman. We certainly hope and pray that there will be no detours or tickets along the way. We are not worried; Millie is pretty good at steering clear of trouble. 

As I watched our youngest drive away, the phrase "a wing and a prayer" came to mind. And I don't mean that in a negative way. The "traditional" meaning of that phrase implies that a person does something, hoping to succeed, although not prepared enough for it. "A wing and a prayer" means something entirely different in this instance: Millie Girl now has wings, and there will definitely be prayer for her safety -- lots of prayer! I'm ready for her to soar.
I have a feeling that this will become a familiar view -- the parting shot.  It's just going to take some getting used to seeing my youngest flying solo.