No, it’s not what you think:  I’m retiring as chauffeur.  My son passed his driver’s license exam this morning!

It’s tough to pass the test in Hawaii – as it should be – but he was well prepared and ready to take the test.  I’ll tell you what’s REALLY tough – it’s sitting on that bench, watching as he walks out to the parking lot with the examiner and waiting while they go out on the road.  This is my third time through that process, and it doesn’t get any easier.  My stomach is always in knots as the test begins, but as time goes by and there’s no early return (meaning failure) the knot starts to settle.  It’s a great feeling to see your child come around that corner with a confident smile and a thumbs-up.  (My middle daughter thought she would be funny and walked towards me looking as downcast as possible, sending my heart to my toes until she lookup up and grinned and said “I passed!”.  Stinker.)

My life as chauffeur is over, and I am thrilled to become the chauffeured.  Congratulations, Matt.  Well done.