I'm a professional now

I passed my state inspection yesterday. What does that mean? It means I'm legal. It means I can have up to ten children in my care at one time. It means I have bragging rights and can advertise that I went the extra step to do everything just the way Clinton County would like childcare providers to do them. And for the first time IN MY LIFE, it means I'm looking ahead at the possibility of a career in pre school. I'm not big into careers. My kids have been my career. And I do want my family to come first. I'm not driven enough to be able to put their needs on the back burner to further what I want to do in life. (I'm not talking about working. I'm talking about how some women would prefer to climb the corporate ladder than be home w/ their family.) But I am starting to find a real kind of satisfaction in my little job and feel like I'm accomplishing something that is meaningful and important. And the thought that I contribute to the bottom line is also very satisfying. So today I am relishing in the fact that I am a professional now. And it feels good.