But now that the world is gradually opening up bit by bit, we were able to complete one of the biggest, most anticipated milestone's of Chloe's life - taking her driver's test. I had 3 different appointments set up through the DMV. Each one came and went because the DMV was still closed due to the lock down.
You cannot even imagine Chloe's disappointment. Of all my kids, she was the one most ready to take this driver's test. She's a fantastic driver. Just look at all the hours she's accrued since she got her driver's permit a year and 2 months ago:
Thank God, now-a-days there's an app that logs and tracks all the drive time (unlike with the boys - let's just say there was a lot of fudging going on with their driving logs). This girl LOVES to drive! But no matter how good or how ready she is, there was absolutely nothing we could do. Everything was out of our control. She learned some important life lessons about waiting, patience, expectations, and acceptance. I think all of us have come out of quarantine with these life lessons secure in our back pockets.
The law in Colorado states that driver's between the ages of 16 and 16 1/2 need to show proof of 6 hours of Behind-the-Wheel instruction with an approved driving school prior to taking the driver's test and getting their license. We had all three sessions lined up for the last week of March/first week of April. And then covid put life into a tailspin and all our best made plans were laid to waste. She was able to get one session in before the driving school closed. Two months later she completed the final two.
If someone could graduate from driver's school Suma Cum Laude, it would be Chloe. Her instructor said she's one of the best students she's ever had. Chloe told me they small talked the entire time (each session is two hours, one through town, another in the mountains, and finally the highway). Her instructor even "broke the rules" and let them listen to the radio, usually a big "no-no." She even told Chloe that some kids are so insecure with their driving that they spend the entire 6 hours of training just driving around the school parking lot. So proud of my girl. The instructor even called her "a girl after my own heart" after Chloe said she preferred 80s music on the contraband radio.
Her instructor mentioned that Chloe could take the driver's test through their school, not just through the DMV. So we signed her up on the spot. Yay! Finally, no more waiting! This past Monday, Chloe passed her exam easily. We were hoping to drive directly to the DMV to make it official with a license. However, new safety regulations require an appointment (before you could just go, take a ticket, and wait forever for your number to be called). The earliest appointment was for May 29. *UGH!!* Devastation! Massive expectation disappointment. BUT....there's now a light at the end of the tunnel and my sweet girl knows she will spend the rest of the summer driving herself all around town to visit friends (and hopefully to a job) and just enjoying the carefree life of a completely independent 16 year old.
