you have to fight for your right to..... party!

i promised myself that if i was going to be an overcommitted and exhausted law student-- i would at least save a little energy each week to have a good time. there's less than 100 days until graduation and the countdown is bittersweet. my body is pretty beat up from 9 years of school- but my heart will hurt when i have to say good-bye to my lawschool family. i'm tearing up just thinking about it.

here's a tribute to my lawschool loves and the good times we've had:

my LAST semester in school EVER...

For the last 20 years of my life, I have been in school.  I have learned MANY things; however, I have not quite learned how to regularly keep up with my blog.  So here's the latest:

I HAVE A JOB AFTER GRADUATION!

Beginning in August 2009, I will clerk for Judge John C. Hayes III in York County, South Carolina!  I will serve as his law clerk for one year, and Lord willing, start practicing law after that.  I am VERY VERY excited about this opportunity.  This job will be a perfect transition between law school and being an attorney.  God is so good.

I MAILED MY SOUTH CAROLINA BAR APPLICATION!

I always get excited about the little things in life.  The South Carolina Bar application was a beast to complete-- they practically wanted my first born child.  I recently received a letter saying that they received my application, and I will find out by July 1st if I am approved to sit for the bar exam.  I am one step closer to being an attorney... whew!

MY LAST SEMESTER IN LAW SCHOOL ..... 

I function best when I have a million things on my plate.  This semester will be just as busy as every other one... and I am excited.  I have a light class load, and all but one class are classes that I have been waiting to take.  I am taking a Non-Profit Law class!, an Estate Planning course!, and completing an externship at the Community Mediation Center.  For my externship, I have the opportunity to become a certified mediator as well as help the Community Relations Director strengthen the marketing for the center.  I can finally use my MBA, and I am excited!

I am still clerking for the ACLJ, serving as a Law COGS Senator, and a board member for the Moot Court Board.  

I will share more soon... I hope!  For now, I have to get back to cheering for UNC!

the promise of summer....

i am 2 months into my last year of lawschool and i am deeply missing my summer.  my summer was amazing and exhausting.  my 3L is amazing, exhausting, and a bit stressful.  here's the update on my life:

my class load is the least of my worries.  my extra-curricular activities have taken over my life.  

i am still working as a Law Clerk at the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ).  we are very busy because we have a case heading to the Supreme Court on November 12th.  we are helping Dr. Sekulow prepare for his oral argument.  for more details on the case, go to www.aclj.org

i am applying for jobs after graduation & the bar exam.  

i finished hosting the Regent Cup Competition for the Moot Court Board and immediately jumped into another Moot Court competition-- this time I am not hosting- i am competing.  being a competitor is a daunting task.  we had 30 page brief due at the end of September and we have had 3 weeks to prepare oral arguments.  i am a bit exhausted, but i have learned so much during this competition.  i am hoping that my pearls and southern charm will take over for me next week when we compete at American University.

i am serving the law school as a COGS Senator (the Council of Graduate Students).  serving as a Senator has been a rewarding experience, yet challenging at times.  I enjoy serving the students and working with the administration to make the law school and Regent a better university. upcoming events:  Regent Recycles Campaign, Operation Christmas Child, Jingle Bell 5K Walk/Run for Arthritis, Coffeehouse, and the Christmas Ball.  

lastly, my family has had a challenging and exhausting month.  my mom's best friend, Angie, unexpectedly passed away around Labor Day.  angie's passing shook us to the core.  before we could fully recover from her loss, we faced a tragedy with Rusty's passing that was quite possibly the worst tragedy that we have yet to face.  i felt like i was having a horrible nightmare and couldn't wake up.  

in the midst of the losses, i have learned so much.  i have been reminded that i have an incredible network of friends & family that will support me through the hard times and lift me up in prayer constantly.  i have learned that i can cry in front of professors and it is okay.  and i have learned that God can take any tragedy and use it for His own good. 

so that's the update on my life... i am loving my 3L year- through the stress and exhaustion.  

here's my recent "famous moments".... i think they've made the refrigerator back home...

this picture will be featured in the new Regent Law "Prospectus"

this is my little blurb in the Winthrop Alumni Magazine.  

(ps- my great grandmother is a Winthrop Alum-- i think she would be proud).

Just hanging out with Former US Attorney General John Ashcroft....

Our Moot Court Competition brief is D-O-N-E.

with the General and his precious wife.

the craziness of 3L year.

hey friends & family.  

i am sorry for my failure to post updates.  my last year in lawschool has been absolutely insane; however, it has also been an INCREDIBLE school year thus far.

so here's some highlights...

• i moved back from DC and realized how much i fell in love with DC.  i don't think i realized how much i would learn and how much i would love it.  here's a picture of me with the Senate Steering Committee

• i chopped off 13 inches of hair and donated it to Pantene Pro-V so that wigs can be made for cancer patients.  

• i moved into a beachhouse with 4 lovely friends.  this place is incredible.  feel free to visit and/or send me care packages.  my new address is 661 South Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451  (will post more pics of the beachhouse soon).
  

• i have also been planning MANY parties & events for Moot Court, COGS, and friends.  i daily wish my mom would come up here to help me.  she is much better than i.

Back to School Beach Bash for the Law School

Movie on the Lawn event for the whole Regent campus.  We showed the Chronicles of Narnia- Prince Caspian.  More than 500 people attended... simply incredible.

the spread for one of our many beachhouse parties.

my girls- Katie, Erin & me-- dear friends since the beginning of lawschool.

healthy fast food. #1= Chick-fil-A.

i'm not surprised to find that the fast food experts have placed Chick-fil-A in the #1 spot as the healthiest fast food restaurant.  and you shouldn't be surprised either.

however, i am SO amused by this because i have been at war-- or rather-- in a friendly debate with my dear, precious friend Coulter because she is obsessed with Taco Bell and their liquid meat products.  she gets angry when i turn my nose up at her Taco Bell Fiesta Meal and she tries to hurt my feelings by telling me that they use deformed chickens at Chick-fil-A.  she then takes it one step further and acts like a deformed chicken.  she's bitter and that's fine.  however, she forwarded me the below article because she knows that when it comes to "healthy fast food" restaurants... i win!  and by "i"-- i really mean Chick-fil-A.  

#1=Chick-fil-A

i heart Israel...

a friend took this picture while we were in Israel and i thought it was worth posting.

this is better than Christmas morning....

we are less than ONE month away from moving into our beachhouse.  by "we" i mean- Katey, Danielle, Tara, Erin and I.  we figured that 3L year would be stressful enough; thus, we needed to manage the stress.  logically, a multi-million dollar beachhouse seemed to be our best option.  because it seems too good to be true, i thought i'd post a link to the realty site.  please note that these pictures were taken before the house became fully furnished.  trust me, we will post more pictures once we move in and get settled.

661 S. Atlantic Ave.