It's been so long!!

Hey y'all! Not sure if anyone is even out there anymore, but law school finals are over and I'm down in the Florida Keys relaxing after Christmas....Law school finals went great and the grades are coming back great thus far! It's been so very nice to relax and go running and read books I enjoy that aren't law school...

Will post more soon, headed back out to the ocean!!

Jack is Harvard Bound!!

So very excited for my little brother, Jack who has been accepted into Harvard next semester!!

Y'all.....I'm Still Here!

Law school is killing this blog. I always intend to sit down and catch everyone up with what is going on in our lives but I'm so swamped with reading cases, studying for finals and doing hypos, that this blog is hardly surviving.....And I'm not sure that until Christmas arrives, much content will be posted. When 100% of your final grade for each doctrinal classes relies on one single test for each class, there's just not a lot of time for much else.

Anyway, enough about the stress of school. I'm headed home to see my sweet boy this weekend and I'm so excited to see his sweet little face. He's staying with his Grammy and he loves Kentucky but I sure do miss him.

Halloween is coming and I'm loving these Fall pumpkin ideas from Southern Living....

 

I've also ordered Charlee B's dog Halloween costume! More pictures to come on that.

 

 

Fall Loving

I'm loving that Fall is on its way even though it's still super hot during the day time. Law School is still quite the beast but I'm starting to finally understand some of my doctrinal classes and my Torts professor, is quite possibly my favorite. She is fabulous, gorgeous, extremely educated (Columbia graduate) and most importantly after meeting with her this morning after our class, I found out she is a huge animal law enthusiast. And she makes being single look great! How awesome is she?!!!

Not much else is really new though. Most days consist of class, the library, reading and studying and repeat. Charlee B made it home to my Mom's in Kentucky and though I miss him at night, it's definitely for the best and gives me the time to focus solely on my classes. The scariest part is that our entire grade is reflected in the final exam. One single test that will be pressure soaked and adrenaline packed. After that, I will turn 31 in December, and get to fly to Atlanta to see all my wonderful girlfriends.

I'm excited for a weekend of reading + studying, preparing for oral arguments next week, and getting my hair highlighted! It's the little things friends...

Enough about that, on to what I'm loving this fall.....

This sweet baby!

 

These Tory Burch Riding Boots + Sweater.

Anything made by Tory is alright by me..

 

I used to not drink coffee, but now I live by it! Pumpkin Spice means fall is officially here!!

 

 

Still Here Y'all!

This blog is barely breathing and I always have the intention to write but by the time night rolls around and my eyes are worn out from reading law, it's the last thing I want to do. Law school is challenging and the law is like a foreign language. I have asked some of the dumbest questions and my Contracts professor fell over laughing when I answered an electrical question that I really thought I had the right answer to. He must think he has legally blonde in his class and the worst part, is that he is absolutely drop dead gorgeous. I wanted to crawl in a hole and die!

But I'm finally settling into a routine and my stomach/emotions are still on high but I'm not waking up sick every morning. All of my professors are wonderful, super smart and really cool! One of my favorite professors is my writing professor and he is hilarious. He thinks that Florida is the only state that has the correct and most up to date law and so we've been required to watch Absence of Malice, an old Miami movie regarding journalism and the law, both of my backgrounds. So that's it friends!

Hope to update again soon!!!

I Survived The First Week

I can't believe one week of law school is underneath my belt! It quite possibly has been one of the most challenging, stressful, vomit feeling weeks of my life. And the stress, most certainly is not leaving. We start our actual doctrinal classes Monday. Charlee B has found his way home to my mom's house in Kentucky and though I miss him, I've found the workload doesn't allow much time to quite honestly think about him or anything else for that matter.

I have met some wonderful friends already and I think we're all in the same boat that we are in this together. But what a wonderful challenge to be able to rise to meet! Our professor told us last week that law school is the sharpest learning curve we have ever faced since kindergarten. Yet, I've learned more in one full week than I think I ever have in my life.

And the crazy dreams have started as well. I keep dreaming that I am representing a shark in a wrongful death lawsuit after he ate a surfer he thought was a seal. Our professors warned us those will continue as the brain continues to expand!

So that's it for now, about to head to the law library! I promise to catch up soon sweet friends!

Pictures from the New Place!

 

Hey sweet friends!!!

 

I am finally getting time to sit down and talk about what we've been up to and show pictures of our new place. So, let's dive right in.....

 

Every morning, we've been getting up and going for a long run around the campus, which is only a mile away and then normally, I hit up the pool and read law books. I've finished my reading for the first week and slowly but surely, the books for my actual classes are still coming in. But the first week is the pass/fail course so that's my main concern at the moment.

 

And then I'm always fixing myself a yummy energy drink about mid-morning. I saw this watermelon breeze recipe in a magazine and it's to die for.

 

 

 

My new complex has a tanning bed as well, so most of the time I'll stop by for a good dose of extra vitamin D after lunch. I know it's terrible but what can I say, I love the sun!!

 

And finally, here are some new pictures of our place.

 

 

My cute little pineapple "Welcome" sign! I couldn't decide if I wanted to place it on my front door or on the wall coming in. I decided on the latter. 

 

This is my desk area where I have my new computer, printer, books, etc. It's a nice little nook! Learning the vast differences between civil and criminal cases, can get dry which is why I wanted to make my desk cute. 



All my beachy art. Love these! Most of these came from the Keys.

 



 

Beach sign from Momma Darlene and a picture of my first dog, BJ. 

 

And finally, my Nana gave me a new gorgeous Coach purse she had bought and did not want. It was bright and perfectly me!! 

 





Moving, Traveling & Studying

We moved about 3 weeks ago, is that right? I think so! Life has been so hectic with the move, getting Charlee settled in as well as the girls, traveling on the weekends and studying that I completely forgot about my little ole blog. I passed my first law school test one week ago so I was quite excited about that. One less thing to worry about once everything really begins.

In the meantime, I've been reading lots of  required textbooks for my classes that commence in one week and I'm still waiting on several to come in via the mail. I used to read all the time for pleasure, but now I find my eyes requiring a break from all the heavy reading.

Here are some pictures that show everything we've been up to!

 

Dinner with my favorite Aunt Ann & Momma!!

 

 

 

Meet Buck, the German Shepherd!



 

Goodbye Atlanta....

So I said I wasn't going to blog, but as this is the last time I will be blogging from Atlanta, I had to blog one more time. This is it! Saturday, we will leave and head down I75.

I can't quite capture all that God has done in my life here in Atlanta, except to say how grateful I am for every experience. Every dear friend, my horrible insurance job, every broken heart, I am SO thankful because it lined me up to God's will for my life. And I think that is truly the only way to live- in submission to Christ.

It's bittersweet and sad, but so very exciting!  Thank you Lord for everything you have done and redeemed. Atlanta, Georgia will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Counting Down the Days....

Hey sweet friends! In the midst of our BIG move that is occurring next weekend, I am taking a break from my lovely little blog. We moved the girls (aka...Lily & Daisy) last weekend over the 4th. This week, I am packing, purging (yes, still!) and already have taken 1 very long and arduous test for law school this morning. In addition, I've already received my assignments for the pass/fail course that is a week long before school actually starts. And I'm in the midst of applying at the ASPCA up in New York City for their summer clerkships, which would be a dream to get! Say a little prayer.

Needless to say, we are swamped and Charlee B is going to be staying in Kentucky with his Grammy the first week because the classes will be very long, and I don't want any distractions.

So cheers to seeing you back once we've moved on the 20th and I can finally relax a bit before my classes begin in early August. Lots of pictures ahead!

In the meantime, this is what C man has been up. That ornery Rover!!!

Playing with his BFF, Zeke Zang!

And I'm in my last week at work. The old gang got together for a big goodbye lunch at the Cheesecake Factory up here at North Point and I'm going to miss these wonderful friends dearly! 

Miss Lyn & I. When I first started working at NAMB nearly five years ago, I sat next to Lyn. She is such a sweet soul and such an encouragement to me. I'm going to miss her SO much!

My dearest and closest girlfriend, Kayla! We are the exact same person!!

It's not Goodbye, it's I will see you soon!

Our time here in Atlanta is drawing short and it's hard to believe we have mere weeks left...

It's hard to believe that seven years ago I moved down here fresh out of college and breaking off an engagement to a wonderful guy I loved dearly not really knowing what the future held but that it was the right move to make. For the first time I was acting unselfishly and doing what I knew was right.

I was young and naive and had not a clue what was in store for my life. I didn't know a soul besides my Aunt Karen and Uncle Brian. My Dad and Nana moved me down here because my Nana has lived in Florida off and on most of her life and she is the expert packer. I still remember them driving away.

 

I started my first real job working in insurance and absolutely hated it, got fired and that was probably one of the BEST things that have ever happened in my life. It wasn't fun but quite honestly, I bounced back as quick as going home that afternoon and beginning the job search. I realize now I'm taking you down memory lane but one day wherever I end up, I'm sure I want to remember these times.

I had no idea really what I wanted to do career-wise and so I had started working at an emergency vet hospital at night because I loved animals but that turned out to be quite brutal and the abused animals really affected me.

I begun working in ministry after my dear friend, Kristi got married and moved away to Birmingham. And God began His work in me. His work began when I accepted Christ in college but in Atlanta he's thrown me into the depths of things that at the time seemed painful but I learned SO much. I learned what it means to trust in God at all times, the calling on my life, His character, the lesson of NEVER giving up and so much more. And I've learned that nothing, nothing is in impossible with God. If He can part the Red Sea for the Israelites as they journeyed out of Egypt from slavery, keep the lions from eating Daniel in the lion's den and everything else He did, then surely He can do something great in my life!

At the cross, I have found true purpose, joy and so much peace in the midst of all circumstances. I'm in awe of what the good Lord has done and so thankful for everything that has happened to me in this city though at times I wondered what in the world He was doing.

I've met such wonderful friends, many of whom have moved away and many who are still here and that I'm going to miss dearly. And one of my best friends from college, Craig I was able to introduce  to a girlfriend of mine and they ended up marrying. How neat is that?!!

And that's what these last few weeks are about. Having dinner with girlfriends, playdates with C man's BFF's, lots of dinner dates with my Aunt Karen, serious purging of things/clothes, eating at all my favorite places, shopping at Swoozies, enjoying church and visiting First Baptist Church Atlanta's bookstore (to stock up on all my favorite Charles Stanley books- love him!)

 

I've been in many small groups and volunteered with so many great people at Buckhead Church. I am going to dearly miss all of these sweet friends! And not to mention the fact that I'm going to miss Andy's sermons every Sunday.

And I've been able to adopt all my sweet fur babies down here. From Lily & Daisy initially, to this sweet girl that resides up in Heaven now, Dixie...AKA, Big D. 

And now I'm left with this rotten dog that rules the roost. He is not aware that his life is about to change 100% as law school hits! He may end up in Bardstown, KY living short term with his Grammy. :)

And so in a way, it's a very bittersweet and scary move that I'm making but one that I know God established long ago. I'm going into deep debt for law school and lots of bills are beginning to surface yet I know that it's worth it and hopefully I will end up back in New York or DC working for an animal right's agency. To know that one dog/cat doesn't have to live in fear, shackled to chains or abused... it's worth it. That's my dream, and law school is the vehicle through which God is using to prepare me for that work. There's lots of hard work and studying to be done.

There are many tears that have already been shed with some of my closest girlfriends because I'm going to miss them terribly because once again I'm moving somewhere where I don't know a single person. I met some sweet girls at orientation and my Dad has many attorney friends in this city but it's not the same thing. Yet I choose to trust God and as my favorite preacher, Charles Stanley (Andy's dad) always says, "Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him."

Because at the end of my life, I want to have lived what God called me to do. And when I take my last breath and stand before the Lord with Big D in the back wagging her tail I want Him to say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

I've learned in Atlanta, it's all about Him. Not me. Because He is Lord of all.

So once again, it's not goodbye....it is, I will see you again very soon!