Fun at the DMV?

Ah, the Department of Motor Vehicles. I believe the DMV may be God's ultimate tool for testing the patience of his people.

I've spent a lot of time at the DMV this week. Actually, Margo and I visited the DMV last week as well only to discover that we needed additional forms of identification and proof of residency. The rules in Virginia are very strict! So, with old driver's licenses, passports, birth certificates, a marriage license, social security cards, vehicle titles, emmissions reports, insurance cards, and pre-completed forms in hand, our family decided to spend a delightful afternoon with the fine folks at the Warrenton branch of the DMV.

You have to hand it to the woman who helped us. When she called our number, up walked all 5 of us ready to transfer 2 driver's licenses, obtain 2 permits and 1 identification card, and register 2 vehicles. She instantly knew she was going to be with us for a while! To make it even more complicated, the rules for permits in Arizona and Virginia differ greatly. (For that matter, the rules for anyone under age 19 differ greatly, even if they're arriving with a valid license from another state and have been driving independently for a couple of years. They still have to get a permit for 9 months and verify both classroom and behind-the-wheel instructional hours.) And if that wasn't enough, we're homeschoolers so the rules are even more complicated -- no relying on that Driver's Ed class at the local high school. There's a whole 2-sided page of rules for obtaining a license specifically for homeschooled teens!

It was a loooong process with a few snags (turns out I had a small hole in my muffler so I didn't pass the annual Virginia inspection until I had it replaced, and they made Margo put on new wiper blades in order to pass... tough inspection rules!). Poor Beth has only had her permit since the beginning of July, so she didn't qualify for a simple transfer like her older brother; she has to start the process all over again, even though she's been driving for a couple of months now. But we're pretty much done now. At least my new Driver's License picture turned out great (Margo and I both look really tan in our pics for some reason.)

But what made the experience enjoyable were the attitudes of both our family and the delightful DMV employee behind the counter. Everyone kind of buckled up (no pun intended) for the long process of paperwork, and we had a great time joking and laughing along the way. What was it that Mary Poppins taught us about a spoonful of sugar? She was right, you know. What could have been miserable drudgery was actually entertaining. And we even got restaurant recommendations from a couple of the DMV folks once they realized we were new in town! I had to swing by the DMV again yesterday to finish registering my car (which now passes inspection), and was warmly greeted by a couple of folks who remembered us. They even asked if we had tried that new Chinese restaurant they recommended.

It's amazing how much of a difference a good attitude makes. In the past, I've been guilty of letting frustrations and disappointments erode my joy. That only serves to make other people miserable, too. But a few smiles, a little laughter, thick skin, patience, and a stubborn determination to find something fun in any circumstance -- these simple things can make even the most wearisome task enjoyable. I think the world needs more light-hearted people. I'm committed to being one of them.