FULLY LICENSED!

This may look like a normal envelope, but it's much more than that. It's actually one of the most anticipated, exciting letters I've ever sent out-- it contains my completed forms and evaluations saying that I'm ready to be a fully-licensed Speech Language Pathologist! There's an internship that you do after grad school in order to be fully licensed, and I finished mine yesterday. The internship is called a Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY), and in it you have a supervisor who meets with you, observes you, and evaluates you (18 times throughout the 9 month period). Once you've finished all of the requirements, you get your Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). When you have your CCC, it basically means that you are able to go out anywhere and practice on your own. It really opens doors to have it.


In order to complete my masters and CFY (both finished after Benson was born), I've done a lot of different things:

1) I finished up classes while John watched Benson (1 month)
2) I was a stay-at-home mom (3 months)
3) I worked part-time while a babysitter watched Benson (5 months)
4) I worked full-time while Benson went to daycare (5 months)

Now that I'm all done with my requirements, I'm going to be a stay-at-home mom again. My sister pointed out that I've basically tried every option moms have, and now I'll be able to relate to any mom in the world! So if you are ever considering any of these, you can talk to me! My favorites on that list were #2 and #3. I would love to do part-time work in the future, and just go in to work twice a week. I think I could sustain that until I'm 90. When I worked part-time, it felt really good to get dressed up and get out of the house a few hours a week to work on my own thing. I came home refreshed and recharged as a mom. It was my outlet. (I think it's healthy for all moms to have an outlet to get a break, whether it's reading or exercising or talking to friends or shopping or cooking or working.) I'm not going to work this next year (we're moving next May, and we're traveling a lot these next few months), but I may pick up a part-time job wherever we move.

My last day of my CFY (yesterday) coincided with the last day of school at the elementary school where I've worked. I was filled with mixed emotions. ("I'm DONE!" mixed with "I'm never going to see these kids or coworkers again," mixed with "Now I can stay HOME WITH BENSON!") I honestly think speech pathology is the best job in the world. I love working with my kiddos, and it is the most rewarding feeling to watch them gradually overcome their speech/language challenges. It gives them so much more confidence-- instead of being embarrassed every time they speak, they can say what they want and let their true personalities come out.

And honestly, who wouldn't love a job if it involved sweethearts like these?




As I was saying goodbye to my kids and leaving school yesterday, I kept tearing up. I can't believe it's over! I've loved working with the kids, and I think they really liked me too.


I was still feeling kind of blue when I arrived at daycare to pick up Benson for the last time. I walked through the door to find Benson immediately at my knees. (He had been waiting at the door for me for who knows how long.) He shouted, "MOMMA!" and I melted. Tears came to my eyes again, this time they were happy ones. I'm thrilled that I get to be a full-time mom now and spend more time with my little man.