May 31 2011
Behind The Wheel With Mom
Josiah got his learners permit last September. Dale and I decided that it would be best for all concerned if Dale, not I, taught Josiah how to drive. Dale taught Josiah the basics: how to adjust his mirrors, start and stop, back up, and park. Periodically, throughout the last several months, Josiah would drive home from church or around the local area. He drove I95 once. They were moving at a leisurely pace that was acceptable to me up until last week. (One never knows when a particular way of doing something will become unacceptable to me, but when it happens, expect things to change in a hurry.)
Josiah has to log 45 hours (10 hours after dark) driving with his parents before he can take the official behind the wheel class and get his license. Personally, I want him to complete everything for his license before school and Cross Country practice starts in August. Oh, how I hate driving to Cross Country practice! This is my true motivation to get a move on.
We started on Sunday. I was a bit like the mother bird tossing her baby bird out of the nest. For our first lesson, I had him drive to his friend Cody’s house down I95 at night. Admittedly, that may have been a bit crazy. My very presence in the car made backing out of the driveway difficult for him. While he drove, I sat in the passenger’s seat praying and attempting to maintain a calm and even tone. I had taught him to ride a bike by running alongside, pushing off, and telling him to pedal. I apparently don’t know any other way.
Praise the Lord, we made it to Cody’s house safely, picked him up, and I drove home, so as not to give Cody’s parents a heart attack. The next day (Memorial Day), we drove down I95 once again to pick up a different friend, Britton. We were passed by a large contingency of Rolling Thunder and everyone driving from New York to Florida. We made it safely to Britton’s house, and once again I drove home. Later that day, Britton’s mom came to retrieve him. Britton was also logging his behind the wheel hours with his parents. “We’re taking route 1 home,” she said. “95 is crazy with people cutting in and out.” “Yes, it sure is,” I replied.
This morning, Josiah drove once again with me down I95 to drop off Abby at her friend’s house in Lake of the Woods. Along with driving the interstate, he had to drive through the most congested part of Fredericksburg (Route 3 – the mall/target/walmart/chickfila strip mallaganza road). Route 3, as well as being completely congested, is also under construction.
When we finally left the city limits and began driving through the country, and there was not another car in sight, I said, “These are the kinds of roads I learned to drive on.”
Do as I say, not as I do – words to live by.