I'm a REAL Texas Teacher!

Good news...I passed my Texas Licensing Exam for my (ready for this...)

Family and Consumer Science Composite 6th-12th grade Certification (quite the mouthful).

It started out rough this morning as I dashed out the door with a bowl of frosted mini wheats in hand (I know I know, it's dangerous to eat cereal and drive). I couldn't find the testing center for 10 minutes and I was a little nervous that they wouldn't let me take it if I was late. Luckily I actually made it to the testing center before the employees! The door was locked. (Which made me second guess myself again...did I write down the right address?) Then this lady carrying a trash can full of water bottles (I don't make this stuff up people) came to the door and unlocked it.

I was ready to sprint up the stairs, sit down to a computer, and get the test over with before all the information I had studied fell out of my brain. What did the employee do? She says, "just a second honey I have to go get the newspaper." Well by all means, you don't want to forget the morning paper.

Now we are upstairs and she says, "I have quite a bit of paperwork for you to fill out." I haven't even given her my name yet. I give her the form I printed out with my test info on it and she says, "Oh ok, this test...not as much paperwork as I thought." She hands me a slip of paper and says, "sign here." That's the paperwork.

I am now in the testing room, waiting for the 1980s computer to boot up (seriously I had flashbacks to MS DOS with this computer). And off I go! I'm focusing...I'm focusing...and then...what the? A guy sits down right next to me. Now I know I can't have the whole room to myself, but when there are 25 computers, do you have to sit right next to me?

Now I don't know what kind of test taker you are, but I was the kid that liked to be in the corner with my feet propped up on the desk next to me and no one around me. And here's why: not 5 seconds after he starts his test, he is reading his questions out loud. Seriously. I am sitting there trying to get through my 150 questions and I just hear this half whisper/half full voice..."welding style...inaudible...steel...cut through..."

Now I am distracted.

So I had to channel all my energies into remembering how I ever focused in high school with kids sitting all around me talking. Tunnel vision Jessica, tunnel vision. And I did it. I got through the test. I walked out to the reception area, eager to find out if I passed, and the employee handed me this:

But you know what? It doesn't matter how elaborate the message is (or isn't) the idea is still the same. I'm a real teacher now. :)