Mi Casa es Su Casa

This past week, our home has seen many visitors and overnight guests.  We had one person staying with us all week from Sunday to Saturday.  Then one of my boy's best friends from college and his family came and stayed with us for the weekend.  To say the least, I am exhausted after having so many people stay with us all week, but it was also a lot of fun to see everyone and hang out during this time.  (It also kept me from having to do much bar review over the weekend -- I promise, starting next weekend I will study every weekend until the bar exam)

One of the fun things we did over the weekend was go to a petting zoo.  We saw a bunch of animals and enjoyed the time.  And of course I named all the animals along the way.

This was little baby Wilbur pig - because what else would I name a pig.

This is Herbert the goat - who at first seemed dead, but then he arose from his slumber.

This is Kenneth the peacock of course.

And here we are with my boy's friend and his family. 

A great weekend if I do say so myself.



Happy Father's Day!

I am so blessed to have be given the father I have from God.  I could not even ask for a better daddy.  He is everything I could ever need in a dad and more.  And here are the top ten things I love about him

1. He is always able to calm me down when I have a freak out - whether about school or life or whatever.

2. He is the best guy to call when I am sick because he will diagnosis and tell me exactly what to do...and if I need him to he will come over and take care of me.

3. He is super smart and basically answer any question I ask him.

4. He has taught me to learn from my mistakes and to live a life of integrity.

5. He showed me what kind of husband I should look for and then approved of the one I found (but he always had my back and even told me as we were walking down the aisle that we could make a run for it if I wanted to and he would run with me).

6. He has always loved me unconditionally and without judgment.

7. He is the best home fixer upper and can basically fix or build anything.

8. He makes me laugh and helps me gang up on mom and make fun of her.

9. He always encourages and has helped me believe in myself.

10. And most importantly, he has taught me to study the Bible and to always go to God when I need help or encouragement or guidance.

I love you Daddy!!!  Thanks for being the best and continually loving me and encouraging me.



Getting Through the Week...

With another week of bar review studying almost done (not really done...still hours to do tonight and over the weekend...and then another week)...the stress of it all is truly starting to sink in and hit me - and hit me hard.  After ever practice MBE multiple choice test I take...I wonder...will I really pass this thing?  But I have to put those thoughts aside and realize that I am doing everything I humanly can at this point in time to prepare and what is the worst thing that can happen - I fail.  Ok.  Then I try and take it again.  No life or death occurring with that.  I will move forward.

So the top things that have pushed me forward and gotten me through this week:

1.  Well, you all know my new found love of online shopping -- here are the exciting packages I received this week.  Not one, but two new pairs of shoes.  I even wore the teal heels around the house since I had no where to go in them while I am busy studying.

2. Having a live in 19 year old boy staying at our house this week certainly kept the mood light for the most part - which probably helped with my stress.

3. Food.  Food most definitely helps.  Whether it is mac and cheese, chick fil a, baja fresh, pizza hut, a sports grill's sliders and fries (and yes - I got ALL of this during this week) ... it all just helps.

4. This boy helps.  He encourages me and tells me that I am doing great and that I will pass even when I have my doubts.  He continually pushes me forward and will not let me quit.

5. And finally, and most importantly, God's encouragement through His word and through other believers has gotten me through this far...and I know it will continue to push me forward and keep perspective of the important things in life. 

John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.



Thoughts on the Bachelorette: London

For those of you who know me...you know that I LOVE THE BACHELORETTE!!!  I know...my boy hates the show (but I think deep down he loves it because he usually stays in the room when it is on).  I realize that most of the couples from the show do not end up together forever...but this crazy process of trying to find someone and some of the crazies that come on the show are the reason I love it.

Based on last night's episode, I absolutely adore Sean.  He seems pretty perfect and him and Emily would make pretty blonde babies for sure.  He seems grounded and manly.  Yet, he doesn't seem to have a ton of experience in the relationship area because he is "picky."  Now, picky is definitely not a bad thing, but I mean, Emily has had lots of ups and downs in relationships in the past...so I am unsure if Sean is ready.  But I do think he would be a great dad to Emily's daughter.

The group date was kind of ridiculous.  All of these mostly manly men dressing up and acting out Romeo and Juliet.  The only part of this that I remotely enjoyed was when Doug and Arie dressed up as nurses and were able to let go and have fun with it - that is something a good dad would be able to do.

On this group date, I was also SO HAPPY that Kalon finally was sent home.  Honestly, he would have been gone long ago if it was my choice because of all his condescending comments in the past - like telling Emily not to talk until he was finished talking.  But the fact that he referred to Emily's daughter as baggage - yeah that was way too far.  And I am so glad that Doug brought it to her attention.  Also, I completely understand why Emil was questioning all the guys.  A girl wants a man that will stand up for her when others say mean and awful things about her or her family - especially her daughter.  Emily is looking for a husband and a father to her child - if a guy cannot stand up to a guy like Kalon, then when would he stand up for her???

Jef grew on me during his one on one date with Emily.  Although he isn't as manly as I would like, Emily seems smitten with him and he says a lot of the right stuff to make her feel better after her terrible group date night.  He also is cute about how nervous he gets about kissing Emily for the first time which makes me think that it actually means something to him besides actually getting physical with a girl -- unlike Ryan who seemed like he just wanted to rub it in all the guys faces (especially Arie) that he got the kissing scene in Romeo and Juliet and then milked it for all it was worth.

So overall, pretty good episode.  I enjoyed watching Emily go off on Kalon and stick up for herself and her daughter.  My favorites right now for Emily are Sean, Jef, and Doug (at times he annoys me though).  I do still kind of like Arie and Chris, but they totally did not stand up for Emily this week which moved them down in my book.

What did you all think of last night's episode???

Colored Jeans...A Boy...and a Concert...

Colored Jeans...a Boy...and a Concert...make for a pretty perfect day.

Love me some red jeans!!! Outfit courtesy of The Limited

Love this boy!!!

Love going to concerts with this boy!!!  We spent Saturday just enjoying the day of softball and a Colbie Caillat and Gavin Degraw concert.

Pretty perfect day having fun and relaxing with my boy...would have been even better if I didn't have to spend part of my day with BARBRI...but still an awesome day!!!

Bar Review Blues...

Well...it has been almost exactly one year since my last posting - and what has happened in my life???

I GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL!!!!

Yeah, I said it!  No more school for me!  Ever! Ever! Ever! .... well except for these two plus months of bar review torture...and that is assuming I pass the bar the first time...if I don't, this torture could continue forever.

Well in my mindless hours of studying...and study breaks...I came upon this link that was posted by another recent law graduate from my class.  http://www.bitterlawyer.com/ten-things-you-will-do-studying-bar/

This link tells us 10 things that I will do while studying for the bar.  And let me tell you...I am well on my way to completing this list.  Let me demonstrate.

First on the list is "fail a practice exam" - believe me, this happened probably the first day of bar review and has continued at various points since.  Especially since I am supposed to retain a whole body of law on a topic within maybe two days and then move on to another whole body of law the next day to learn.  Basically, my brain will be fried by the end of this course and I am just hopeful that I am retaining something throughout these studies.

Second on the list is "resent anyone who says you will pass" - oh yeah.  This is so true.  Especially those people who have no idea what the bar exam really is.  Now, this is not to offend all of you wonderful people who have told me that I will pass - but really - you have no idea.  You don't understand the hours of sweat and tears that I will be putting into studying for this two day exam that decides the rest of my life (well not really the rest of my life, but at least whether I will be able to go into a courtroom and say "I object!")

Third on the list is "abandon something you normally do" - I am not sure if I have completely abandoned anything yet.  These first three weeks of bar review - I think I have been somewhat in denial that I can't have a life and study as I spent most of all last weekend doing nothing in regards to studying.  But I am sure this denial will soon pass.  I did give up work to study for the bar exam so that is something.  I also have given up leaving the house very much - so I may go stir crazy soon.

Fourth on the list is "buy something ridiculous" - Well, I haven't bought anything totally ridiculous yet BUT I have found my new love of online shopping!  In the past two weeks I have ordered a dress, a shirt, and two pairs of shoes from three different stores online - and for me that I a lot for online ordering because I have always enjoyed actually going to a store to try things on.  But hey - I am stuck at home remember.  And the joy of finding a package at my door is so thrilling!!!  It is the highlight of my day.  And then opening the package and trying on the dress and thinking of what I will wear it to, and then remembering that I won't be leaving the house or wearing a dress for the next two months....oh well.  At least I will look great after the bar exam.

Fifth on the list is "have some kind of sleep issue" - No real problems here as of yet.  I am sure as the bar exam comes closer I will have all kinds of trouble sleeping and terrible nightmares about the bar exam, but as of yet - my sleep is doing alright.

Sixth on the list is "gain or lose weight" - I will have no idea if this occurs as my home contains no scale!!!  So there!

Seventh on the list is "pick up a weird habit" - I think that online shopping is a weird habit for me (see #4).  But also, I have started watching Hell's Kitchen - not because I think the show is all that great or anything - but because seeing people yell and scream at each other is kind of a stress reliever I have found and I can yell at them too!  So I think I am turning into a weird, yelling, stay at home all day kind of freak.  Yes, this is what the bar exam does to you.  Another weird habit for me that I have picked up is exercising -- yes exercising.  I never want to do this - but the past two weeks I have done it just so I don't have to keep studying.  So maybe bar review is helping me in one way...

Eigth on the list is "drink alone" - And no, I have not done this.  As those of you who know me, I am not a huge drinker to begin with, unless it is fruity and doesn't really taste like alcohol...

Ninth on the list is "have a weird run in with a stranger" - This has not occurred yet, but in reality, I could see this happening at some point between now and the bar exam.  The bar review really does change one's outlook on life and I could see myself saying something completely inappropriate or laughing at the completely wrong time because I will have lost sense with reality by bar exam time from staying in the house and away from people for so long.

Tenth on the list is "cry" - Yes.  This happened the second day of bar review.  The instructor did say we would have a break down at some point before the bar exam....and I think I jumped the gun on that one.  But maybe this means this won't happen again...doubtful.

So yes.  I enjoyed this list that I found.  And now you all should be wary around me because now you know I could snap at any moment in time.  Oh bar review...how you have taken over my life and my summer.

One Mistake

In my Liberty online class this week I studied Numbers and Deuteronomy - I know, at first thought this sounds like a very boring week.  Yet there are some great stories amidst the lists of people and lists of offerings in these two books.  One fascinating story is the great sin of Moses that caused him to not enter the Promised Land of Canaan.

Moses committed his great sin at Meribah, meaning “rebel waters” (Numbers 20:2-13). The Israelites complained to Moses about there being no water. The Lord told Moses to speak to the rock and then it would bring forth water. Instead, Moses struck the rock with his rod. Water still came out, but he disobeyed God’s direction. Because of this, God said that Moses would not enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:10-12). In an act due partly to unbelief and anger, Moses screamed at the people and disobeyed the Lord by striking the rock twice instead of speaking to it once as God had commanded.


Moses thus, becomes at least one of seven Old and new Testament individuals who failed God, not in their weakest but in their strongest point:

- Abraham’s strongest point was his faith (Gen. 15:6; Heb. 11:8-10), yet he failed God by his unbelief (Gen. 12:10-20; 20:1-5)

- David’s strongest point was his kindness (he spared Saul’s life on two occasions, 1 Sam. 24:1-6; 26:5-13), yet he failed God by his cruelty (he killed Uriah, 2 Sam. 11:14-15)

- Solomon’s strongest point was his wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-12), yet he failed God by his stupidity (he allowed riches, power, and women to ruin him, (1 Kings 4:26; 10:27; 11:1-6. Contrast these verses with Deut. 17:14-17)

- Elijah’s strongest point was his courage (he stood up alone on Mount Carmel against 450 priests of Baal, 1 Kings 18), yet he failed God by his cowardice (he ran from a woman, Jezebel, 1 Kings 19)

- Peter’s strongest point was his loyalty (Matt. 16:16; 26:31-33), yet he failed God by his denials (Matt. 26:69-75)

- Paul’s strongest point was his liberty in Christ (entire book of Galatians), yet he failed God by placing himself back under legalism (Acts 21:18-26) (OTS page 132)

Thinking on all of this, I think a lot of Christians, and even just people in general, believe that there is one area in their lives where they have everything together - whether it is their faith, their integrity, their courage, whatever it may be - but we need to remember that we are not perfect - not in anything - and many times in that one area that we think we have all together - that is where we can fall the hardest because our pride comes into play and we are not closely watching ourselves when we think we have it together.  I have tried to get this across to the youth girls that I teach in the area of purity - even if you grow up in church and have heard a million times to stay pure and to not have sex before marriage - and even if you think you would never have sex before marriage or do anything sexually unpure - a boy may come along that will tempt you and if you are not on guard and you allow yourself to be put in situations where you can fail, then you probably will fail - none of us our perfect.  We may know the right thing to do, we may have heard it all our life, and we may think we have that area altogether - but failure will happen - and it will happen even more when we are not continually growing and studying God's word.  Thank goodness we have a loving and forgiving God that forgives us for our mistakes, whether they are big or small in our eyes.  He loves us and cares for us no matter what.