Leaving My Mark

In college, both my husband and I were English majors. Remarkably, we never had a class together even though our department was quite small. This I was fine with.

According to Justin, I am a highly competitive person. He does not mean this in a flattering way. According to me, how can one see always knowing the right answer as a bad thing? :)

Personally, we do very well together. However, as soon as we are discussing a English-major-related issue, we are all nails and teeth. (To be honest, that's me. Justin is all eye rolling.)

Since there are SO many jobs one can find with an English degree (HA!), it was surprising that we both fell into teaching. Not.

Although Justin and I both started teaching eight years ago (good GOD, btw), I taught at a public middle school and he taught private school. Different schools. Different systems. Different cities. Different kinds of crazy. Our jobs were so different that we very rarely discussed, (read: bickered), about teaching.

Then we moved to Sacramento. Justin desperately wanted to find a non-teaching job. No luck. So he started subbing in Elk Grove. This experience re-awakened his love for teaching and kids (and the double paycheck re-awakened our practical natures), so he signed up for the credential program.

Now, Justin has a credential. And he has a summer school teaching job. At my school. In my territory.

Don't get me wrong. I love seeing Justin work. He is a fabulous teacher. Simply fabulous. Probably...maybe....better than me. Ack!

But it is weird having him at my school. I have spent two years building up the image/facade that I am put together, on top of my shizz, etc. One well-place comment by Justin could blow that all to smithereens: "We're really proud of Hillary; she only cried once this week about work" or "You should see Hill's temper tantrums when the cable goes out...wow!"

I don't actually envision him saying any of these things. He's much nicer and clever than that. :) But I have found myself out of my element. I never realized how much I have separated my home life from work.

We have a position at my school for next year which Justin is totally perfect for. He would be a great asset to our school. Still, he would drive me completely crazy. Always has.

I guess that's why I love him so. :)