Driver License

I've always called it a Driver's License. My little paper here calls it a Driver License. Go figure.

A few months ago, I looked at the expiration date on my DL and noticed that it occurs on my birthday of this year. "No problem," I thought. "We'll be moved out of here before I need to renew. I don't have to worry about it here at all."

Then Man's orders got extended. "No problem," I thought. "We'll be out of here before I need to renew."

Unfortunately, I misjudged the time frame. Or, rather, the Army managed to take long enough to give Man his orders that my time frame got warped.

So, there I was, just a couple of days from an expired license, with the following conundrum:

1. I've lived most of my life in State A.
2. My current DL is from State A.
3. I'm registered to vote in State A.
4. My immediate family all live in State A and that's where I've given birth to half my children.
5. My military home of record is State B.
6. I have rental history in State B.
7. I have inlaws in State B, and therefore a familial claim of residency.
8. I was born in and have relatives in State C.
9. I currently reside in State C.
10. I have a vehicle which I purchased and have registered in State C.
11. My DL was to expire in 2 freakin' days so I didn't have time to mess around with mailing things to and fro. It was faxing to and fro or nothing, and stinking State A wasn't answering phone calls or emails.

So, where to get a valid license? State C, of course.

So I farmed out my kids to various friends, packed Frieda up, and off we went. I waited in line to get a number, then waited for my number to be called, got sent to the wrong person, who sent me to the right person, who said I'd have to take the written test all over again since I was getting a brand spanking new DL/ID in this State. So, there I was, studying for a driving test like a teenager, hoping that common sense would see me through since I hadn't time to go through the whole driver's booklet. After I got done with the test I waited yet again to get it scored, then waited to go get my interim license. Bad news: it can take up to 60 days for the real one to mail, and we're leaving much sooner than that.

"Great," I thought. "Just peachy."

Good news: I won't have to get another one for 5 years. Go, me. I guess that means I'll spend an average of 46 mins and $5.60 per year to have a DL. That's cheaper than some luxuries.

I missed two questions out of 30+. So, if you see some mom with fuzzy hair in a van and she's either going too quickly across railroad tracks or totally puzzled over a poorly worded question concerning double yellow lines, intersections, and turning left, wave. Because that's me.