Allow Me to Introduce to You . . .

Yesterday was a very big day in the McDonagh/Valentine household. After many hours of last minute parallel parking practice, son #1 and I drove to his long-awaited road test appointment. I was worried because, as usual, we were almost late and the road test website specifically states that there is a chance that you could lose your appointment if you're not on time. As luck would have it, after being behind a VERY slow moving construction vehicle for about a mile, the road opened up and we only hit one or two lights all the way there and arrived at exactly 2 pm which was when he was scheduled for. Once there, we sat and waited. And waited. And waited. Apparently a bunch of other people were scheduled for 2 pm as well and they took you in the order that you arrived.

I got out of the car and walked to the front of the line to see how it all worked. As I walked back I looked at all the faces of the young kids about to take their road test and started to wonder how I got to this point in time so quickly. Wasn't it not that long ago that I was the one sitting in line with the nervous stomach, awaiting MY turn to take my test? Wasn't it not that long ago that I was the one who was going to picture the driving instructor in his underwear, like Marcia Brady did, to calm my nerves? Here I was, 26 years later, with my own son. It's just crazy to me how quickly the time passes by!!

He wasn't thrilled with me taking pictures but I told him that I had waited sixteen years for this moment and he needed to humor me. Surprisingly, he did. : )



While we were in line it started to do this outside. The poor parents whose kids were in the midst of taking their test got soaked because there wasn't any shelter for them. Connor got a little worried that his test was going to get rained out.




By the time we made it to the front of the line, the sun had come out again.








Alas!! We had finally made it to the front of the line.


Don't you just love the Road Test sign? Lots of graffiti. It is New York, after all!! : )



I wished Connor luck one last time and told him the "Marcia Brady" trick as I got out of the car. If looks could kill!! : )












I snuck this picture as they pulled away from the curb.


They weren't gone for more than five minutes which made me think that he did something really wrong. Then the instructor came out of the car and walked towards me. I looked at her and put my thumb up and then put my thumb down. She looked at me and put her thumb up!!! YAHOO!!! He PASSED!!!! It wasn't a perfect run and he still has some things to work on but his K Turn was perfect (I'm patting myself on the back right now) and his parking (thanks to my wonderful husband) was awesome.

So now, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you New York State's newest licensed driver!!!! Drum roll, please . . .









Congratulations, Connor!!

We are so proud of you!!!!




So fast forward a few hours.

"Mom, can I take your car to football practice?"

And so it begins . . .



Many blessings ~ Wendy