Third time lucky...

 or so the saying goes. But I know it's not luck, but God who helps us get through things. Tuesday was definitely a day full of learning to trust God more. It was the third time I've taken my drivers license test, but let me back up a bit....

Because I moved to Australia when I was nearly 15 years old, all of my driving experience (except for tractors, go-carts, lawn-mowers, scooters, and the occasion time in the car around the car park) was in Australia. I got my permit when I turned 16, and when I was 18 I got my auto drivers license, passing the test on the first go! Then a few years later our family had 2 manual cars, and rather than wait until I was 23 (when I would have my full license) to be able to drive them on my own, I decided to take my drivers test a second time, this time to get my manual license. And again, I passed on the first go. I think my mum put up with the most bunny hops and stalled cars during this time around of my learning to drive, thanks Mum! Then 11 years later, I moved to America, and I've never held an American drivers license, so once again I found myself needing to take my drivers test. If that's not bad enough, add in COVID-19 and DMV's backed up for months (not to mention that only half of them are doing the road test). So, soon after realising I'd have to get my license I booked a test for my learners permit and my drivers license as early as possible (3 months out). I was told to check back on the DMV website from time to time to see if someone cancelled and I could get an earlier test. So every day I'd check back, looking for available options. 

I was able to get an earlier permit test in Danville (1hr 20minutes from home) so I drove down there on February 11th. I was standing at the desk, showing all of my documents when the computers went down and they looked at me and said I would have to reschedule. I told them I'd driven all the way from Lynchburg, and could I hang around for an hour and see if the computers would come back up? Well, they took pity on me, and continued to process things (the things they could do without the system) and by the time they were ready to process the payment (the main problem of the computers being down) things were back up and I was able to take my test. Now, I'm a studier, especially when it comes to drivers tests. Back when I did it the first time from January 2007 (3 months before I turned 16) I was taking the online practice test multiple times a week, and it paid off and I passed with flying colours. Well the same was true this time. I passed 100% and was on my way to being a licensed US driver. 

A few weeks ago when I was checking the DMV website there was a test slot available 1.5 hours away. So got everything ready to go, then read the website just to double check that I had everything that I needed. One thing that they said would be an issue is if you have any lights on, on the dashboard then your car is not eligible for the test. Well, we've had a check engine light coming on and off for the last couple of months. Our mechanic knows the issue, but they said it's not something that we need to spend money on right now to fix, so we haven't. I decided I didn't want to risk the 3 hour return trip only to be turned away, so I cancelled the test deciding to wait on my original date of March 30. This gave us some incentive to get it fixed. Again our mechanic said, we can turn the light off for you, it won't last, but should last long enough to do the test. So we decided on this solution. We did it once, but the light came back on. We did it again the day before the test, but later that night as we were driving home it came on again. So that started a late night search of 'what are our options?' I checked out the website and found out that we could use a rental car so long as it was in my name. No problem! I have an international drivers license, I can get it with that, we should be all good. Only problem, no cars in Lynchburg. But there were in Danville! So I planned to go down 2 hours early, hire the car, and practice driving it around. Then we saw the second problem, we needed my passport to prove my citizenship, only problem was it was 9pm and the passport was in the safe deposit box and the bank didn't open till 9am, and you have to make an appointment and there were no available appointments. (Did I mention that my test was at 10:30 and it was 1hour 20 minutes away?)Well, this heightened our blood pressure and we weren't sure what we were going to do. Why hadn't I checked more carefully what I needed? So, my sweet husband and I devised a plan. 

• Leave at 6am drive to the rental place, leaving Maria there to get the car 
• Nathaniel drive back to Lynchburg (did I mention its an hour 20 minute drive?!) to the bank, beg them to show mercy and let him in without an appointment, and drive back to the DMV with the passport
• Maria fill out all the paperwork for the car, but wait until we hear about the passport before she books and pays for the car
• Maria drive the car around for a while to get used to it, then drive to the DMV, fill out the paperwork, wait for Nathaniel to arrive with the passport. Show the paperwork, take the test, and hope and pray we never have to do this again

There were so many things that could go wrong, and so many things that needed to fall exactly into place for this to work out. So we prayed, asking God to work things out, and asking Him to help us to trust him. And we slept VERY fitfully. 5am rolled around and the wheels started rolling. 

We got to the rental agency which didn't open until 8. So I walked around, talking with my friend Grace and Audrey, nice to have the company. I got to the rental agency and got everything set up except the payment. They were very gracious to let me do that and sit around, waiting for the 'GO' from Nathaniel. So I sat and waited, doing my devotions, and asking God to listen to my prayers, to show mercy, and help everything to go smoothly. At 9:13am NJ texted to say he had the passport. So I finished the booking, we did the final inspection and went to pay, only problem, our credit card is only in Nathaniels name, so they couldn't accept the payment. And they only do credit cards for international licensing.... What was I going to do. I asked if there was any way, but they said there was no way. So I decided to walk to the DMV (it was only a 20 minute walk, and I couldn't get through on the phones) trying not to cry and I'd ask about the check engine light, and if it mattered enough, ask if I could be a few minutes late while my husband got a hire car, worrying all the time that it wouldn't be good to take the test in a car I'd never DRIVEN! I rang Nathaniel on my walk and explained the situation, telling him to come to the DMV to give me the passport and get the credit card if we needed the car. I was met at  the door of the DMV by the friendliest staff and told that she didn't think the check engine light would matter so long as everything was in working order. That was a major relief. So I started the paperwork, my dear husband arrived with the passport, and I gave him some paperwork that he had to sign off on to say he had observed my driving skills in certain areas. Good thing he was there! (The original plan was that I would drive my self to and from my test and he would be at work) When I was checking the website the night before I noticed that there was this paper, but it said only for drivers who had never been licensed before. So if he hadn't been there I would have pushed that, but he was there, so he signed off on my driving and I went inside to finish the paperwork....they didn't ask me for my passport...I decided I wouldn't mention that fact to my husband until the whole thing was done. I'm sure we could laugh about it later. 

So I took the drivers test, which really shouldn't be called a road test. Because of COVID they have a course set up in the car park that you drive through while an instructor stands outside of your car, giving instructions, and you do the course. After finishing the 4 things I had to do, I was told, 'you missed a couple turn signals, but you passed!' my immediate response, "Praise the Lord!" I could have hugged the man, but that probably wouldn't have been a good idea with social distancing. So I went back inside and they started processing and said, 'you only got your learners in February?' (you have to hold your learners permit for 60 days before you can take the drivers test, UNLESS you have been licensed in another state or country) I explained that I also had a foreign license and they tried to work on issuing my license. While I was standing there I saw the drivers instructor notes that he had written and saw I got a score of 2! Which didn't sound so great, but I passed and P's get licenses, or something like that. Then I saw it was like golf, and low scores were good, you had to get a 15 or below to pass. I'm pretty happy with my 2. They told me to go wait in the car while they tried to sort everything out. So we waited and waited, NJ worked and I tried to take a nap. They called me back in and asked if they could see all of my documents again please. I told them I was really glad they needed to see my passport because my husband had driven all the way back to Lynchburg to get it. We really did need it in order for me to get my license. They said they'd had to go through back channels, but they were able to do it, and handed me a piece of paper, and said my card would come in the mail soon. 

I went out of there so thankful that we have a God who is the best Father, who orchestrates things in hard ways sometimes to help us to trust Him more. Thankful that I wasn't able to pay for the rental car because I didn't need it after all. Thankful that my passport was needed, and that I have a kind husband who drove 3 hours to help me get my license. And thankful that I passed, and hopefully never again will I have to take a drivers test, because three times is enough.