Tuesday, April 01, 2008

If you're in Alabama, I have some words of advice: Stay Off the Road!! There's a new 16-year-old driver amongst you!!
(and some "drive-by" Random Tuesday fun!)

Yesterday there was an unbelievable amount of squealing, high-fiving, jumping-up-and-down, shouting, and smiling in our house. All because McKenna is now officially a member of the driving community and she was EXTREMELY excited about it.

Yep, McKenna got her driver's license yesterday...hence the title of today's post (although, she really is a very good driver... if you try and ignore the fact that she's 16-years-old and it seems like yesterday she was just three and riding around on her little pink plastic tricyle!).

I thought I'd try and share some of the excitement of the day (literally, no one in the house could stop laughing and smiling! it was just one of those "happy to be alive" kind of days... you know, kind of like the day you head out on vacation or are getting ready for a wedding!) via a couple of phone conversations we all had with each other.

We let McKenna take a day out of school and, in the morning, Gary took her to the DMV for her test (he was Super Pop yesterday, taking her for her test and then working on her car the rest of the day. He is re-vamping a 96 Mustang convertible for her and has it up-and-running now!). I got a couple of phone calls from Gary, which included such statements (all given to me in separate calls):

"Okay, she just went into the room to wait."

"All right, they just called her name."

"I can see her driving down the road now. Oh no, she's turning back and heading this way. I hope that doesn't mean she's already failed. Nope, she passed by me and now she's driving the opposite direction."

"I'm pacing outside and some guys just asked me if that was my daughter taking her test. I told them, yes, and that I was really nervous about it."

I'm telling you... it was nerve-wracking waiting to hear about the test. And, obviously, Gary was sorta freaked out about it too. (LOL) McKenna was so excited about getting her license, but I was so afraid she'd get too nervous and not pass. (All of you parents of drivers--did you feel the same way on their test day?)

I told Gary to have McKenna call me with the news, and when I got the call it went something like this:

"I passed!!! {followed by a high-pitched squeal that lasted for a full ten seconds!}"

Gary later said that McKenna was so excited, but that she then kinda moped and told him that she wished she could drive around town but that "Mom probably won't let me." Imagine her surprise when I let her drive throughout town the rest of the afternoon (although I was very nervous on the inside, I decided that it was important to let her extend the excitement and enjoy the newness of it all!).

So then came the most priceless phone calls of the day, all from McKenna throughout the afternoon as she and her cousin Lori (who also got her license yesterday) experienced their first day of "solo driving":

"Mom, we drove up to the church and had to show Carol [their youth minister] and then we went and showed everyone in the office our licenses. And then we showed Carol how we did our three-point-turns."

"Mom, can I drive up to McDonald's to get something to eat?"

"Mom, can I drive over to the Dollar Tree?"

"Can I pick up Steven (another cousin) and go spend some time at the park?"

"Hey Mom. We're sitting here at the Snow Cone place. This is so fun!"

"Mom, it's almost 2:30 now. Can't I just go on and pick up Delaney from school for you?"

As I received each call, I just smiled and chuckled a little to myself. And I said "Yes" to every request, relishing in the joy and excitement she was experiencing.

Later in the day, I took McKenna, Delaney, Lori, and Sydney shopping and got the biggest kick out of the bottle of sparkling grape juice McKenna pulled out in the Mall parking lot. She had bought the bottle, so they could all share in a celebratory glass once she and Lori both got their driver's licenses. We all toasted the two of them...smiles on every face... smiles that wouldn't go away, no matter how hard we tried!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~

And, now, extending the theme of the day, I present you with a "Drive-by" Random Tuesday post dedicated to cars and driving and related topics. (You know how Random Tuesday works! Put your answers in the comments section below, if you so desire, or borrow the post for your own blog and share your answers there. Just let us know that you're doing it, so we can go check it out!)

Okay, how about some fun share time...

(1) When did you get your license and what was the first car you drove? I was 17 (I wasn't as anxious as McKenna for some reason to get my license) and my first car was a 1980 red Mustang. Yep, I learned to drive on a stick shift!

(2) Ever had a wreck? I was in one when I was 15 (someone else driving!), but the only time I've ever "wrecked" was when I ran into one of those concrete poles at the gas station (Gary does NOT let me live that one down!!).

(3) Honest now... how many speeding tickets? I'd probably say three (not positive!), but the worst had to be the one I got when I was racing to take McKenna to day care and to get to class on time in graduate school. I thought that the cute little baby in the car seat next to me might speak to the police man's soft side, but no... I guess he thought I was endangering the child or something!

(4) How much are you paying for gas right now? Yikes...it changes (goes up!) almost everyday. I think I paid $3.16 yesterday.

(5) What would be your Dream Car now? I LOVE little BMW convertible roadsters, but any small, brand-spanking new convertible would work!

(6) Favorite road trip you've gone on? I loved the trip that Gary and the girls and I had throughout Georgia one summer (we did Plains, Savannah, Tybee Island, and lots of places in between!). But I also have fond memories of the college road trip to Greenville, SC (Jeff, remember that one?), and one to the beach with my best girlfriends (THAT was some fun!).

(7) Road trip you'd love to make? I would absolutely LOVE to take that "classic" American road trip out West and see the Grand Canyon. Maybe someday...

(8) Ever gone "parking"? Uh, duh...of course! (it gets more difficult the older you get, believe me! lol)

(9) Ever done the Chinese fire drill? Duh, again...my favorites were when we did it in my friend Cheryl's station wagon she drove in college back around 1988. It took FOREVER to get around that wagon!!!

(10) Any other "crazy" car-themed activity you want to share? Maybe I shouldn't share too much...lol...but I'll never forget riding around in my college friend Jay's car (it had TWO gears... it didn't have first gear and then went straight from 2nd to 4th!) and then riding in my friend Cheryl's old Vega (it didn't even have a front seat!). By the way...I don't think I will share any of that information with McKenna, lest she gets some bright ideas!!

(And I guess a last, extra question might be: What is your favorite car-themed song? There are a lot of them--"Drive my Car" by the Beatles, "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts, etc.--but I gotta put this one as my choice:



Have a GREAT day!!

22 comments:

Adrienne said...

awwwww how exciting! I would be terrified! LOL

Second Act said...

OMG! I am staying off the roads! Yall live too close. JK! I am a terrible driver, maybe yall need to look out for me! Tell her congrats!

~Telah said...

Congratulations to McKennna! I was 17 before I got my license too.

Kelly said...

I did my answers on my blog.

Good luck with the new driver in town.

Monogram Queen said...

I love the excited pic of her. You & Gary are such cool/wonderful parents!
Answering your car questions:
1) When did you get your license and what was the first car you drove? I was 16 (permit at 15) and it was a green Karmin Ghia.

(2) Ever had a wreck? One involving another car, several involving inanimate objects. Hey can I help it if i'm easily distracted?

(3) Honest now... how many speeding tickets? Oh my, I honestly have lost track. Went over ten years without one then got one two years ago. Rats. Thought i'd learned my lesson.

(4) How much are you paying for gas right now? I think $3.19 when I filled up on Saturday. Ack.

(5) What would be your Dream Car now? I did want a new VW convertible but my next car will be a Dodge Charger or a Chrysler 300. (most likely Charger - here come more speeding tickets! Uh oh)

(6) Favorite road trip you've gone on? Any with my BFF Mindy. We have had some wacky things happen to us!

(7) Road trip you'd love to make? I would love to drive around the whole US (backroads) with Stacy.

(8) Ever gone "parking"? Sure have!

(9) Ever done the Chinese fire drill? OMG yes! Not in YEARS though

(10) Any other "crazy" car-themed activity you want to share? In college I had a yellow toyota with a wooden back/side window. We drew a smiley face on it!

(And I guess a last, extra question might be: What is your favorite car-themed song? Little Red Corvette (Prince)

camport said...

(1) When did you get your license and what was the first car you drove? at 15 I got my day license{sunrise to sunset driving}. A Dodge. But after I wrecked that one, I got the best car ever, a 93 VW Cabriolet, red with a white top. I called her Lil Red.

(2) Ever had a wreck? I totalled the Dodge at 15.

(3) Honest now... how many speeding tickets? none

(4) How much are you paying for gas right now? $3.29/gal

(5) What would be your Dream Car now? a Dodge Viper...with racing stripes. Or a Porche.

(6) Favorite road trip you've gone on? The 101 from Seattle to LA. It was the best trip ever.

(7) Road trip you'd love to make? the entire Route 66. I've been on portions, but I want to do the whole thing!

(8) Ever gone "parking"? Yes. And we were busted by a cop b/c we were on government property...

(9) Ever done the Chinese fire drill? nope

(10) Any other "crazy" car-themed activity you want to share? I used to ride around with a friend in highschool and yell stuff out the window at boys. I still get embarrassed over some of the things we used to yell out. LOL

What is your favorite car-themed song? there's a Tom Petty song but I can't think of the name and any of the songs from Dumb and Dumber during their road trip.

:)Fun post! Congrats to your new driver!!

Jeff said...

Congrats to McKenna for the license!!! Yay!

(1) When did you get your license and what was the first car you drove? I got the license when I was 16. I learned how to dirve in my mom's Chevy Chevette (stick shift, ick) and then drove a 1957 Dodge Coronet as my first car.

(2) Ever had a wreck? Nope... never, although came VERY close about two weeks ago out on Long Island.

(3) Honest now... how many speeding tickets? I think it's 2. One in Alabama and one in California.

(4) How much are you paying for gas right now? Happily, nothing. Though if I were paying in NYC I believe it's like $3.85/gallon for regular.

(5) What would be your Dream Car now? A Mini Cooper.

(6) Favorite road trip you've gone on? The first road trip Will and I took to Portland, Ore in 1998. It was our first out of state trip together and it was a good time. We saw "Les Miserables" up there (his first time to see that), we went to some funky shops, ate some fab food. It was lots of fun.

(7) Road trip you'd love to make? Not sure what that would be. I'm so over driving at this point in my life :)

(8) Ever gone "parking"? Actually, no. (hangs head in shame)

(9) Ever done the Chinese fire drill? Cheryl, didn't we do this going to or coming from Chattanooga? I seem to have vague memories of that.

(10) Any other "crazy" car-themed activity you want to share? There was a lot of weird stuff going on in the car on the way back from MOC. I'm not going to embarass either Cheryl, myself or the other participants with that story... but there are some random bits of video to prove some of it happened.

What is your favorite car-themed song? "Rockin Down the Highway" by the Doobie Brothers

Mississippi Songbird said...

Oh, My Goodness...lol
That is exciting.. Tell her be careful and drive safely..
Bunches of hugs....

Linda said...

I was 16 when I got my license
First car a corvette (dad took it away after 2 months....see tickets)
I had a wreck when I was like 20 a guy backed into me with a dump truck and totaled my NOVA.
But I got a mustang after that so all was cool with me. HEEEEEHEHEEE
Tickets????? Cannot count that high...see the first answer (I mean comeon what fool gives 17 year old gilr a corvette...?

I filled up last night, $3.53...I go through about $340.00 a month in gas right now...it sucks.

Fav car...I'm a truck girl..always have been..besides, I have to have a truck to put my dirtbike in.

Fav roadtrip....hmmm, can't think of one.

I'd love to see the East Coast in Autumn. But my to die for road trip would be hauling the toyhauler throughout the UNITED STATES to every great and wonderful OHV area we can find. WOOHOO...dirtbike heaven.

8 and 9 DUH!!!!!!

10. Hmmmmmm....I might be too old for that so never mind. LOL

Tell her congrats. Kaitie is 17 and still doesn't have hers for several reasons...first and most important, in my house, your grades are bad, no license.

But I am really happy for her...I still remember the thrill of it all/

Lynilu said...

Oh, CONGRATULATIONS, McKENNA!!!

And I'm going to take the list over to my blog and circulate it from there, Cheryl. You'll have to take a short drive over there to read it! LOL!!

hippo chick said...

Hey Cheryl,

First of all congrats to McKenna. How cool. I do remember that for myself and both my girls. Such excitement.

Here are my answers to Tuesdays questions:

1. I was 16 when I got my license. I drove my dad's "pink" Mercury. It was the coolest car he ever owned..

2. Never had a serious accident. PTL.

3. After 18 years of driving I got a speeding ticket. I was so remorseful and told the officer how I'd driven all that time without a ticket - to no avail. He said, in essence, "good for you, here's your ticket."

4. We're paying #3.35 here in Vegas.

5. I have two dreams a cooll Mini Cooper convertible and a Cadillac CTS.

6. Jim and I drove across country last year, stopping to see friends and relatives along the way. It was really great.

6. My next road trip dream is to meet our friends, Linda and Jason, in Seattle in the fall and do the Pacific Northwest. I think it will happen.

7. Don't tell my girls I went parking. After we were married, we sometimes forgot and just sat in our driveway and cuddled.

8. No to Chinese fire drill though my kids have done it many times.

9. Favorite car song "Little Deuce Coupe".

Have a happy day.

Auburn Kat said...

Congrats to her! Like you, for some reason I didn't really want my license and waited about 6 months to get it.

Kimberly said...

Congrats to Mckenna! I was 18...i was scared to death to get mine. Don't know why. I have only had two speeding tickets and (knock on wood) have never caused a wreck but have been hit a few times. I will never forget that I took my drivers test in a mini van! LOL!

Edleen said...

Congrats!!! woohoo...she looking all happy there :D

hope you're all having a fantastic time :)

Mandy said...

Congrats to McKenna!! Such a fun, exciting time.

I waited two months after my bday before I got my license. I didn't get my own car until I graduated high school, so I had to learn to drive the minivan. Now wasn't that fun?!

Kimberly said...

You have been tagged!

Anonymous said...

Yeah and cool! Also, I'm game...

(1) When did you get your license and what was the first car you drove? 16 and a 73 Chevy Nova.

(2) Ever had a wreck? Mild ones -- ran over a huge rock and scraped against a fense -- I wasn't the greatest driver when I started out.

(3) Honest now... how many speeding tickets? 0.

(4) How much are you paying for gas right now? Not sure (I should know better, but I was in a hurry last time I filled up).

(5) What would be your Dream Car now? I really want an electric car that seats four and can go long distances (oh, and some fast refilling stations).

(6) Favorite road trip you've gone on? When we all went to Whistler for the mountain-bike adventure!

(7) Road trip you'd love to make? I'd love to go through New England in the fall.

(8) Ever gone "parking"? Nah, I prefer open spaces (heh-heh).

(9) Ever done the Chinese fire drill? Yup. Even now, we tease about it.

(10) Any other "crazy" car-themed activity you want to share? I lived out in the country and we'd play hide and seek chase in our cars (didn't say it was a smart activity, but it was fun)!

(And I guess a last, extra question might be: What is your favorite car-themed song? Route 66.

Leah said...

yea McKenna! Sounds like such a fun and exciting day!

Teresa said...

Thank you for your blog comment!
I am completely in LOVE with OLW...even though I know that my style is not good enough to actually win...but hey...live, lern and grow :)
Have a great week!

Heather Landry said...

I love that you have the Prince song up. LOL That is too sweet that she got her liscence. I'm dreading having to teach my girls. Maybe I can bribe DH to do it?! LOL

Brown English Muffin said...

wow 16 and driving that's fantastic...I think they can drive even younger to and from school in Kansas too at least they used to when I went to college there....

So did you warn Dawn that she'll be sharing the road with a new 16 year old...she's coming to AL to visit her mom soon!!! LOL

Anonymous said...

(1) When did you get your license and what was the first car you drove? I was 18 and I had a mustang that I'd purchased about four to five months before I could even drive!

(2) Ever had a wreck? Yes, 4 months after getting my license I had a wreck and totaled the car. Wasn't my fault; someone ran a stop sign!

(3) Honest now... how many speeding tickets? I've no idea how, but I've never gotten a ticket!

(4) How much are you paying for gas right now? About $3.65

(5) What would be your Dream Car now? Not sure I really have one.

(6) Favorite road trip you've gone on? Probably our family trip to San Francisco.

(7) Road trip you'd love to make? I'd love to take a very long road trip to the east coast and check out US History!

(8) Ever gone "parking"? Sort of, but not really. My dh and I would go to this park and talk for hours before we ever even 'dated'. After a while we'd talk and he's kiss me, but we didn't really 'park'.


(9) Ever done the Chinese fire drill? Nope.

(10) Any other "crazy" car-themed activity you want to share? Nope, I'm completely boring!

(And I guess a last, extra question might be: What is your favorite car-themed song? Drive by the Cars. Used to be my ex's and my song, but I still have fond memories and love the song.

Jacquie