Freshly Licensed Driver

I'm beginning to have a new outlook on this teenage driving thing.

On Tuesday, I took Alex to take his driver's test. Talk about stress. Not on him....ON ME. When Joey took his test way back when, I sat and wrote while he took it. I couldn't turn around and watch. It made me way too nervous. I decided that I wanted to again preserve my thoughts and feelings for all time by writing again while he was testing. I asked Alex if I could share my writing on my blog, and he said I could, so that will be coming up soon. I know better than to ask Joey...the answer would be a resounding NO! So I won't even go there. These two boys are as different as night and day.

Alex passed his test! We are so very proud of him! We couldn't go directly to the BMV because we didn't have his social security card with us. Ah yes, the elusive social security card. Okay, this is a story for another time too.

Let's jut say that Alex actually did get his actual license on Tuesday and immediately had some errands to run. He wanted to go to the bank, stop by his friend Tim's house and then stop at "the grandparents' place." Okay, that worked out, but I was still on pins and needles. How are parents let us drive without cell phones, I'll never know! Of course I had told him that he was never to talk on the cell phone while driving and absolutely NEVER answer the phone while driving. At one point the phone rang here and I saw on the caller ID that it was the cell phone, so I answered in a semi-panic. He was so sweet...he was sitting in the Rite Aid parking lot and just wanted to call me. He said he was doing fine, and everything was going great. And he made it home a little later on, all in one piece.

Yesterday Ted and I went to Sam's Club. I know, I know...I really didn't think we'd be getting there anytime soon, but it worked out. Of course no trip to "the big city" is complete without getting a meal at a restaurant that we don't have in our community. My new absolute favorite restaurant is Bravo!, an Italian place. They have the most delicious olive oil that you dip your bread into...and the bread...well, they give you two kinds! You get foccacia and ciabatta bread.

Okay, as usual, I digress.

While we were gone Alex was going to the mall to get a pair of athletic shorts. He was given instructions to call us on our cell as soon as he got home. He did...what a great kid. He REMEMBERED! Last evening he went over to A.P. and U.T.'s and eventually called and said they were going out for ice cream. U.T. had him drive their car, and Big Mar (pronounced mare) was with them. Mary is A.P.'s mom. They were taking her back to the rehab center/nursing home after getting the ice cream. U.T. has always enjoyed driving, but apparently was ready to let someone else chauffeur him around. Alex did just fine. And ended up getting a "gig" out of it, hahaha. A.P. still can't drive due to her recuperating from her surgery a couple of weeks ago. Next week she and her sister need to meet with the administrator of the rehab center/nursing home to see about moving their mom into the retirement side of the facility. She's finished rehab and is adjusting SO well to having two prosthetic lower legs. A.P. asked Alex if he would take her over there for the meeting on Tuesday, and he wholeheartedly agreed! Anything to drive....

Alex and Joey want to have a family cookout on Saturday. They have been asking and asking. I kept putting them off. They really don't realize the work that's involved to pull this off. I finally told them that I just didn't want to go through all of that. They said that they would do everything. Yeah. Right. I know how that works.

Surprise, surprise. They came up with the menu. They did all the inviting. They are getting out the things that they need. They will do the cooking, except the grill work. They WILL do the cleanup too, although they haven't agreed to that yet. Alex told me what he wanted to fix, and I mentioned this morning that I needed to go to WalMart, I hate WalMart, to get a bunch of stuff for this shindig and he said, "I'll go. I mean it Mom, I'll go to WalMart!"

Okay, this driving thing may work out yet...I told him that I would have to make a list of stuff and since he was going there, I would have a few other items on the list that do not pertain to the cookout. He said that was absolutely fine. Okay...here we go. He did not utter one single sound of complaint, and Joey just sat here with his mouth closed...smart man. Joey certainly knows when to keep his mouth shut. He knew if he said a word, he'd be asked to go too. If he stays quiet, he sort of fades into the background and we forget he's here in the room with us, hahaha. Yep, he knows how to play the game alright.

Alex left for the bank (I had to write him a check so he could pay for this stuff) and WalMart. I told him to call me when he got there. He did. And bless his heart...since he has actually been in the store, he has called 6 additional times, SO FAR, asking where certain things were. (and he's not even out of the grocery department!) He is NOT pulling the typical male trick of just coming home without things and then saying that he couldn't find them. I love this kid, hahahaha.

Yep, this license thing may be worth the increased insurance costs yet.