licensed to drive...

This is a story about last week. Since Paul and I are planning to stay in Oregon for a while, I decided that I needed to get an Oregon driver's license. At the time, I had no idea that such a small decision would be such a BIG process.

The story starts at the DMV. I arrived with all the things that I needed. I had my Idaho driver's license, my passport, my social security card and MY MOTHER-IN-LAW. Yup, I needed to have my mother-in-law there to claim residency for me. She signed her life away and made a statement saying that I was in fact living at the same address as her. There was one last thing that I needed in order to get my Oregon driver's license...a passing grade on the driving knowledge test. I thought "No biggie, I've been driving since I was 15 AND I passed the test in Idaho not even a year ago. This is going to be easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy". So I go and sit down at the computer terminal and start taking the test. Well, the questions were really really tough :( I knew I had to get at least an 80% to pass. I got to the point where I had 22 right and 7 wrong and I knew that if I got one more question wrong then I would not pass. I wanted there to be a "withdraw from test" button because I knew I was going to fail and I didn't want a computer screen telling me that I failed. After much time and thinking really hard, I missed my eighth question and failed the test. 

So, I spent the next few days studying the wonderful book that the DMV gave me. I learned lots of new stuff about driving and the rules of driving. I also reviewed lots of things that I already knew. I wanted to have that book memorized so I would pass the test. Three days later I go back to the DMV and I am ready to take the test and actually pass the test.  They send me to the same computer terminal and I start the test again. I'll save you the sad details about test #2 and just tell you the conclusion.

I FAILED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...and I also cried. The questions were so hard!!!

{Apparently I can pass Abstract Algebra and Advanced Statistical Methods, but I can't pass a stinkin' driving knowledge test! Sheesh!}

The next day I go back to the DMV to take the test again. This time I know everything and anything there is to know about driving and everything involved with driving. By now, everyone that works at the DMV knows me by name and they know why I am there. Once again, I go to the same computer terminal to take my test. {I almost asked for a different computer because OBVIOUSLY in my brain that computer was the reason I was failing my test.} This time I will tell you the details about the test. The questions were not hard at all; with some of the questions I could tell you the exact page in the book where the answer was found. Half way through the test, I knew that this time I would be leaving the DMV with an Oregon driver's license in my hand.

I passed the test with a score of 97%!!! 

I was so excited to finally have an Oregon driver's license and to not have to take that test again!!!
The next day, we had waffles for breakfast to celebrate :) THE END