Licensed to Drive and Big Bargains!

I took my driver's test this morning for my USFK driver's license. I went with Curt last week to do it and the plan was to trade off with Ian, I got to the test center and realized my US driver's license was at home so I could not take the test.

I arrived on post about 15 minutes early. I thought about going to get some coffee to kill time, but headed straight to the testing office instead so I could get in and out. The elevator doors opened and a PLATOON of soldiers in the waiting area for the testing office greeted me. I hate taking tests so I thought about bailing and coming back another day but decided to power through since our car is here and I'd like to start driving. They moved us through fairly quickly, but the Cherrios ran out before we made it to the testing room. Ian was bored and grouchy so I had to nurse him through the test. Worked out: he was quiet and I made 100% on the test.

Obtaining the license is a two-step process: take the test between 8:00-10:00am and watch the safety video and get an eye exam at 1:20pm. So, I had time on my hands. That is when I went to the gift shop and found the cool rocking motorcycle and elephant stool. I called Curt to come get the items and put them in the car because they were too big to lug around. He couldn't come for about a half an hour because he had a conference call, so again, to kill time, I went next door to the thrift shop and found a big bag of Duplo Legos (and some Mega blocks) for $5 and a big bag of wooden train tracks for $7. Some of the train tracks are Brio, some are IKEA and some I can't tell, but they all appear to be the same system. The lady at the checkout almost fainted and said,"Whoever priced these didn't know what they were looking at!"

I got Ian a wooden train to see if he likes trains. He does and so I was planning to buy some tracks, so it couldn't have come at a better time. We just bought Ian a starter set of Duplo Legos and he really likes them. He doesn't need more Legos right now because he isn't building anything complex, but as he gets a little older he will benefit from the extra blocks and for $5, I couldn't pass it up.

After loading up the car with my purchases, Curt went back to work to another meeting and Ian and I went to lunch. It is funny because I ran into two people I know at lunch and I don't know many people. When we finished eating we went to the playground until it was time to go back to watch the safety video. Ian was very fussy in the waiting room. He wanted water from the drinking fountain but didn't quite get the art of drinking from the fountain. I chugged my iced tea and filled the cup up with water which kept him occupied until we were called back to watch the video. As soon as I walked into the classroom, he fell asleep. Got the video watched. Did the eye test and headed out for the next mission.

On one of Ian's modeling jobs, I met a woman named Rachel who let me borrow a stroller until mine arrived. She had only known me for a few hours and not much direct conversation because of all the action on set and she lent me the stroller. It helped so much to have it while we waited for ours to arrive. I called her when our unaccompanied baggage with the stroller came, but she was in China at the time. She just got back and called me so we set it up for me to return the stroller today. Curt was off-post at another meeting by this point so I had to find his office and hike up very steep hills with the stroller. Luckily, there were people at the office and it was open. I ran in, grabbed the stroller and headed back down the hill to the PX where I took a cab to Rachel's house. We had a nice chat and she gave me a catalog that Ian is in (the modeling agent didn't have our phone number after we left the hotel) and we met Curt at the commissary. (Bonus, when I got home one of the Fly Lady missions was to return borrowed items).

Curt made braised short ribs and green beans for dinner. Feels like Friday today! It's refreshing to have a lot of little successes in a row after so many frustrating little setbacks.