5 days

That's how long remains of my Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.

And then if I pass that, all things going well, on 14 August 2012 I will be admitted to practice in the state of Victoria.

And so will come to fruition over 7 years of study. 7 years of staying up into the wee hours. That's the thing, and hear me out.

I started studying before I had kids. I got pregnant with Lexi when I was part-way through my law degree. And continued on, at a lesser course load. I finished the degree when pregnant with Tabitha.

Throughout this time, I did not sleep a great deal. Tabitha was the classic non-sleeper, and Lexi suffered awful night terrors from 10 months old. So basically my nights were wrecked anyway, and going to sleep just exacerbated this. Well, going to sleep before about midnight anyway. So I used that time to my advantage. I rarely studied while the kids were awake because it wasn't practical. I used that "dead" night time, where I was waiting for "something" to happen to actually achieve something. And I did.

And when I became pregnant with Angus I knew I wasn't going back into the workforce in the immediate future. My degree was finished, but I would be at home with three kids, full-time, being a SAHM. I loved that, don't get me wrong. But I needed something for me.

So I started my Masters degree while pregnant with Angus. I did the same thing - studied at night after the kids had gone to bed and before the night terrors hit, before the bottle scream, after the bottle scream and after the night terror. I was used to very little sleep so to be honest it was not that big a change.

And so I eventually ended up with two degrees.

And now I'm working. And in five days I will have finished the last final qualification needed in order to practise as a solicitor in Victoria.

I feel sick. I feel excited. I feel nervous. I am praying to God that I pass everything and that admission CAN go ahead.

I am wondering. What will happen next?

I feel sure that my career choice has been the right one as I truly love my job. I just hope the next 5 weeks go according to plan and on August 15 I can state, outright, I AM A LAWYER!!!!!!!!!!!

Better get back to studying........