12 November 2006

Cars and Drivers

The last 2 weeks have been full of adventure and change. Life will never be same. We can't go back. We are destined for it to be different forever.

What am I talking about? The kids are now licensed drivers. First, Andrew passed his test. Two days later. The next day, he drove solo, to work, for the first time. The day after that, Jessica passed her test. She also took her first solo drive the morning after. The day after that, she bought a car, following in her brother's footsteps who had bought his car a month earlier.

Now both kids have cars, licenses, a little money, and independance of a sort they've never had before. Life will never be the same. We can't go back. We are destined for life to be forever different.

A week before Jess passed her test, we had a trip out to Hope International University. Tam and I represented CMF for a missions fair. Along with Jess, we also toured HIU and Cal-State Fullerton. It's looking increasingly likely that Jess will will start university there in January.

On the trip back, I had Jess drive the last 100 miles back on the interstate (her first time) and through Phoenix during rush hour (also her first time). She did a wonderful job. In fact, without having to worry about driving standard transmission cars, both kids picked up on the driving very quickly.

Was I nervous teaching them how to drive? Yes!! I tried not to hold the arm rest without leaving finger marks in it. I certainly left an impression in the floor boards where my foot tried to brake.

But now it's different. Now, it's watching the kids go out the door, with their own cars and independance, and a different kind of nervousness accompanied by pride. Life will never be the same. We can't go back. We are destined for life to be forever different.