I don’t know how it happened.  Maybe I was board.  I was looking at a 8.5 hour car trip (10 hours with stops).  Maybe I was giddy since I was going back home.  Or possibly I had a bit too much caffeine this morning.  Whatever the reason, today when the Husband asked me a question I sang my answer back to him.  Then I did it again.  And I laughed until my cheeks hurt, trying to decide how I would sing my next response or question.  It was like being in a musical!  So I declared it ‘Musical Day.’  This would be a day in which I would sing everything!

That lasted for 2 minutes.

My time here in Illinois is done.  It looks like I will be staying in Tennessee for a little while longer.  It also means that I will be taking another Bar in the future and then deciding what the plan of attack is after I get those results back.  I enjoyed my time here, but I am realizing that it gets pretty cold this far north.  Brrr!

I know I have mentioned previously that there is stress in the Household.  After publishing that post, I have had some friends ask me if there is a little bun in the oven.  I want to clear that up first: no, I am not pregnant.  Far from it.  Years away from it.  No baby anytime soon.

Now that the question is out of the way, I thought I should let you in on the stressful situation going on right now in my life.  Just a couple of weeks ago the Husband was notified that his job wants him to move.  Normally that would not be a bad thing, as I am use to bouncing around from state to state.  But I just took (and passed) the Bar in Tennessee.  I had plans to open up my own law firm in Tennessee.  We have been trying to find that perfect house to settle into in Tennessee.

Moving means throwing all those plans out the window.  It also means taking another Bar exam (and paying all the fees involved in such an endeavor).  And it means having to work for someone else while I go through that process.  With student loans coming due next month, I have to start working. If I am not licensed to practice in a state, I can’t open my own firm.  So this week I have been interviewing at some law firms.  The biggest obstacle is that I am not licensed to practice in this state so I can’t even do the work of a lawyer while studying for, taking, and awaiting the results of the new state’s Bar.  Working in a firm means doing intern work, if they can work me at all.  See the pressure?  See the stress?

The Husband’s company is a great company.  I want to do what it takes to make sure they are happy with him and his job situation.  So I interview with law firms and I will take another Bar.  But I remain stressed and frustrated.

Of course, if they could wait just a little bit longer, I could take the new Bar and still open up my own law firm in Tennessee and transfer it to the new state upon Bar passage.  Isn’t that a great idea?  I will keep you posted.

Do you know the song lyrics?  I won’t be singing them for you here, but the song came to my mind.  It is because I got to see a dear friend of mine today, Steph.  Steph and I go back to the years before we were teenagers.  Before we really cared about boys.  Before we really cared about any of the things that seem so important in our lives today.  I can count on one hand the number of people I have known and remained friends with for that many years.  With all the moving around I did growing up (3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools), that is a bigger accomplishment than you might think.  So thank you Steph for being my friend, then and now.

Today I was sworn into the practice of law in the great State of Tennessee.  Yes, I am officially fit to practice law.  Now I know none of you had your doubts and had confidence and faith.  Actually, I am sure that 50% of my regular readers wrote personal references for me.  So if you find yourself thrown in jail in Blount County at 2 a.m. you will know who to call.

That is me in the center of the picture being presented by the President of the Knoxville Bar Association.

Taking the Oath

Mom was able to watch.  She cried. Again.  Love you Mom!

And even though Dad had to work, he was proud of me too!