Hello, Monday! I’m starting a new Monday series called “My Life Mondays” where I will share little bits and pieces of life. I hope you enjoy!

I have been wanting to start a “My Life” series, but I wasn’t sure how to start until I was lying in bed last night trying to sleep. I was thinking about how I was so thankful to spend a weekend at home with family and friends even if we were only there for less than 24 hours. Then, I started thinking, “I’m so proud that I could actually drive us home this past weekend.” This was when my mind triggered an old memory from when Kyle and I were first dating, and thus, “My Life Mondays” began.

You might think I’m sounding crazy… Yes, I can drive. I would even say that I’m a good driver, just don’t ask my husband about me backing into parking spaces! But, I could not drive a manual transmission vehicle for the life of me when Kyle and I first started dating.

So, of course, he had a manual Ford F-150 pickup truck and thought it would be a great idea to teach me how to drive it. Well, we had only been dating a few months, so I don’t think he knew the challenge he was setting himself up with 😉

One spring Sunday afternoon after we got home from church was when it happened. I really had no idea that I would be so terrible at driving the truck for the first time, but I was. 

We set out on the vacant country roads just a few miles from town for me to learn. In the beginning, Kyle was very understanding, sweet, and helpful, but as I kept driving, I think he realized that he had brought this (now hilarious) situation upon himself!

I could not keep the truck on no matter how hard I tried. It was everything that I could do to keep it from dying as I stopped at stop signs and tried to shift to the next gear. At this point, my version of keeping the truck moving was literally making it “jump” forward as I attempted to shift gears. 

You can probably imagine that this was not easy on the truck. So, after a few miles of my crazy stop-go driving, he tells me that maybe it would just be best to try to turn and drive back into town, that we would try another day – he was probably scared for his life!

Now, here I am trying to turn right at the next stop sign and I cannot turn the truck! By then I was getting frustrated because it seemed like everything was going wrong, that I would never learn to drive a manual transmission, and Kyle was thinking that I was crazy!

We scooted along for another mile ahead, and I tried to turn again. No such luck! By this time, I am self-diagnosing the problem. Let me tell you, I really don’t know much about vehicles even though my dad loves them, but I was sure that the power steering was out. Kyle was absolutely positive that I had no idea, so once again, we scooted along for another mile.

The next mile we get to I cannot turn AGAIN (what, no way?)! Kyle is utterly confused at this point and sure that I am absolutely crazy, tells me to scoot over, and he will drive home. Well, sure enough, he gets into the driver seat and, bingo, the power steering isn’t working! I felt pretty accomplished at this point and even giggled a little to myself.

By the time we get home, I am scared that I have broken the truck. Kyle and my dad popped the hood and realized that I had been shifting and driving in such a choppy and jumpy manner that the power steering hose had blown off and the fluid was sprayed everywhere! Oops…

A few weeks later, we tried again and I had much better success at driving without harming the truck. I am so thankful that Kyle gave me another chance and was still willing to try to teach me after our crazy adventure!

So, you see, on our trip home last weekend, I drove our manual transmission car for the entire three and a half hour trip! I was so proud!! Over the past several years (coming up on 7 now), Kyle has given me more lessons, and I can finally say that I would feel comfortable driving by myself! Yay!

I am smiling and giggling as I tell this story because we were young, in love, and I gave Kyle a run for his money that first day! I definitely wouldn’t have guessed our afternoon to turn out like it did… We had absolutely no idea where the road would lead, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

I know this will be a story we laugh at for years to come (I hope you laughed, too) and one we tell our grandkids someday!

XOX,

Kara