Tested... and Triumphant :-)

Otherwise known as... The Best FELE-ing EVER :-)

Today was not like any other day.

Today was... a little bit of hell, and a little bit of heaven, and definitely a lot of purgatory.

I am Catholic... I have grown up with a healthy respect for purgatory.

:-)

As readers know, I have a happy little group of friends that have become my Stetson family.  We go to lunch together on our Saturday break.  We tag each other on Facebook.  We magically dine together on fine September evenings.  And today... we took the Florida Educational Leadership Examination (FELE)... TOGETHER.

I would not have taken the FELE today... we don't have to take it until October, and even then still have time to retake it (just in case) before the new-and-improved FELE is in effect for students' examination pleasure in early 2014.  (Or is it December?  I'm really not sure.)  My Stetson family, however, had other plans.

Y'all know that I am a classic overachiever.  My friends take that label to a... whole... other... level.

That's probably why we're such good friends-- they push me to be better than I already am, and I love that.

So, everyone else decided that September 17th would be the day.  It wasn't really a good day for me-- I had a School Advisory Council meeting yesterday and didn't get home until 8:00 at night-- but that didn't matter.  What mattered was that we were in this together.

'Cause that's how we roll. 

This morning we were Facebook messaging throughout breakfast.  Mom was sitting at the table, witnessing the frivolity.

I was out of my seat, dancing to music in my head.

Jen, if you're dancing without music before the test has even started, you're not going to have any problem.

That's what moms are supposed to say.

I picked up Han, my gay boyfriend, at 6:45.  We listened to Katy Perry's Roar on two  different radio stations, and I danced as well as I could in the driver's seat of my Honda hybrid. 

Han would have preferred NPR.  I normally listen to NPR as well, but on this particular morning, I needed to not think about the problems of the world.  I needed to dance in my seat, and sing, and summon my power. 

Because whatever I knew, or didn't know, was already in my head, and there was nothing I could do to change the outcome.  My plan was just to get through the day, and with any grace or goodwill I had left in the universe, by golly I was going to pass. 

I was the first to check in.  I gave my belongings to Jake, who is my younger big brother, to put in his locker.  I could have had my own locker, but somehow everything seemed more comforting sharing Jake's.  So that's what I did.  He took my watch, and work ID, and my admission ticket, which the testing people never actually examined.  Who am I to judge?

During the first section, there were lots of items that I totally knew, and a few that caused consternation.  I finished the test, reviewed items I had flagged, then reviewed the entire exam.  I was on my second full review, when I looked up and realized that the rest of my group was outside.  They didn't take the entire two hours.  They were finished.  We hadn't made an official plan about what to do in case of early completion... I just assumed we were all going to take the entire time and I would be the first done!  I raised my hand, and practically bounced outside.

We laughed, and high-fived, and felt pretty good about the first section.  I snacked on my pistachios, drank a bit of my water, and a few minutes later was headed back in for Section 2.

I will freely admit, my head took a few good minutes to get back into the swing of testing, and there were a number of topics that my Stetson education had been remiss in its preparation.  I again completed the exam, reviewed the questions I had marked, and checked the whole section through again.  Looking at a question and knowing that your answer is absolutely CORRECT is a really, really good feeling.

Not as good as completing a half marathon, but super close.

During the second section, I was very aware of Jake's presence, two monitors down.  I wanted to make sure that I wasn't the last to be finished, and I definitely wanted to eat lunch with the group.  I finished my first go-through, reviewed items I had flagged, and once again went through the exam.  As I said, there were items I knew were in the bag, and there were others that I had no choice but to make an educated guess.

My education preparation has resulted in pretty good guesses.  Thank goodness.

During the third part of the exam, I answered the questions, wrote the required essay, reviewed the questions again, and then... I was done.  I looked around.  Han had left, but Jake and Steph were still testing.  I decided I wasn't waiting anymore... either I passed, or I didn't.  And I needed to know. 

I walked into the lobby, and the sweet ladies confirmed what I had hoped-- I passed.

I PASSED!!!

Han and I hugged, and 10 minutes later we had the best confirmation-- Jake and Steph passed too. 

In about a month we'll find out the results of the third section-- but I have no doubt.  If I could pass the second section, my awesome inner-writer could definitely pass the essay-- and the questions were all about material I had covered well. 

We celebrated at Cafe Tu Tu Tango by indulging in tapas and all manners of delicious libation.  We laughed freely, Steph and I danced in our seats, and Han and Jake were their dry, wonderful selves.

I was really glad that I passed, but I was even more thrilled by the fact that my entire Stetson family passed as well.  Because we're in this together.

Like Stephanie told me today, after talking to her mother, Jen, I told my mom that you are a friend for life.

Likewise, Steph.  Likewise.  And that's the best part.