Tenure

When I walked out of my door this morning, I kept having premonitions that I would somehow get detoured on my way to work..a tree down..my car overheats..you know, something absurdly ridiculous that never happens to me on my way to work, but somehow today it was going to happen.

Of course it didn't. I made it to school just fine. And when I walked through the doors, it was a quiet little moment all by myself, but certainly not without a smile on my face.

Today is the day that I receive tenure. In the state of New Jersey, that means that I've pretty much got a job and can't be fired as long as I continue to do what I do - be a great teacher! Here in NJ, we get it after 3 years. For me, it's been much longer than that. I put in 3 years at a Catholic school, not to mention 3 other years here, where I took off some time to have my son. In total, I've really been in education for nearly 8 years without tenure. Today is the big day.

I feel like I can breathe now. It's a big relief really! But at the same time, so hard to let go of now that I've got it.

So alas, I'll continue teaching, and stay at home in the summer with my little man. Hey, at least I can be home and snuggle him by 3:30, right?