Journal Jar entry

Q: Your first experience with driving...and all that entails...

A: My Dad had it correct. We could not touch the automatic car until we had the stick shift down pat. My first attempts to master the stick shift were made in a parked car in our driveway. My Dad would have us go out and just practice shifting the gears back and forth and working the pedals. I still remember watching Marshall Hutchinson (your fabulous husband Cherrie!!) while he drove me to seminary every morning and watching his feet as he shifted. He probley thought I was crazy and had some insane foot fetish...But it helped!!

Once we thought we had the shifting somewhat down, we graduated to the good ole Church parking lot, AKA- beginner drivers course. It was the best place to learn and I have used it a number of times on Sarah, and the Red Flame as well. Not much you could run into (especially other cars) and good practice for the real deal.

My "real deal" was a nightmare all it's own. For those of you who remember Grandpa Pederson's (Great Grandpa Pederson for some of you out there!) red truck, I had to drive that thing on one of my first outings. I was headed to a "Daddy-Daughter" night at the church and was already nervous enough since I had not had the opportunity to do anything like this with my Dad before. So I was doing pretty well with shifting...till we got to the stop sign. For the life of me I could not get that thing into first. I kept on putting it in second and killing it immediately. So here I am, in the middle of the road, killing and re-killing the engine while my Dad is telling me to put it back into first, try again and go! Second gear you said? Oh ok. I can do that! Ugh. It was horrendous. I really don't remember how I made it out of the middle of the road, surprised that I did not get into an accident (or cause one for someone else) and got to the church. Needless to say, I was drama (shocker) and probley made it fairly painful night for my Dad. But that my friends is what we call parenting to the only girl in a family full of brothers. Sometimes there will be a little drama.

Ahhh. The joys of learning how to drive....