Flying Solo (And Other News)

Well hello!

I am alive. 

Alive and well, I might add.

What have I been up to, you might ask? Oh, you know, the usual. 

Did you want a more specific update than that? 

Okay, here goes...

I am just under 6 weeks away from graduation. From law school. Read: No more school ever. I am something like 95% done with law school. Which means I'm probably about 99.7% done with all of my schooling. 

I have "Senioritis," but for law school/schooling in general. I'm not sure there's a word for it. 

Basically my thought process goes like this: I need to read for class today. *opens book. skims a few pages* Yeah... that's good enough. I probably won't get called on anyway. All done!

So far it hasn't spread to not actually going to class... yet, anyway. The weather is getting nicer. And I still have a few absences to spare before it starts affecting my grade.

Oh wait, grades? Yeah... they don't really matter at this point. I just have to pass the final exams, which I know I will. So the 5% points I get for class participation/attendance are pretty meaningless in the long run. Uh oh. I can feel senioritis spreading...

But in all honesty, if you know me at all, you know that I love to learn and go to school, so I will make the most of these last four weeks and do my best to prepare for class AND actually go to class. But only for four more weeks. And the time it takes to study for finals. After that, I get a break. Until I have to study for the Bar exam (which I've heard is just as terrible, if not worse, than all of law school). 

Graduation is on April 20. The Bar is on July 24 and 25. 

What are my plans after graduating and taking (and hopefully passing) the Bar?

Good question.

When I originally decided to go to law school, I partially did it because it would be a great career to have as a mother. It would give me skill to really support my family well if I ever needed to, and the flexibility to be at home for my kids. 

Somewhere along the last three years, I lost sight of that goal, or maybe thought that it was no longer realistic. I'm not sure. Either way, I've been stressing out the last 8 months or so about what I would do after graduation--if I could find a job; if I did find one, what would I do with Ajax; how would I pay for my student loans, etc. I knew I wanted to be home with Ajax, but I also didn't want my skills and education to go to waste, and I didn't want Jonathan to have to take over responsibility of paying off my student loans. 

Finally, Jonathan and I talked it over. We both decided that it was important for me to be home with Ajax. Jonathan volunteered to take on a few extra days of work every month to cover my student loan payment. 

But I still felt there had to be a better solution. I know that I was supposed to go to law school. And now that I am almost finished, I want to still pursue it as a career and be home with my kids.

After a couple weeks of prayer, my answer came in the form of an invitation to a seminar titled "Going Solo: The Basics of Setting Up Your Own Practice."

Jonathan and I had discussed that idea many times throughout the last three years. Frankly, the idea terrified me. Starting my own business? Right out of law school? With no real-world experience? Taking a risk? No way. Not my style. 

But suddenly, I was no longer afraid. I was excited. This was my answer! 

I signed up for the seminar and went last week.

The teacher was excellent. I guess in the past the people who had taught the seminar had all worked at firms straight out of law school, and then started their own practice later. This year, the teacher graduated from the U of U law school last year, and started his own practice as soon as he found out he passed the Bar. He's only had his practice for about five months, but he's already found success. He did it. And he taught me and a few others how to do it too.

More than anything, I came away from the seminar with confidence. I can do this. Sure there are many things I still have to learn. I might not feel like I know what I'm doing for the first little while. But you know what? I am smart. I can figure it out. And I can do it.

So this November, after I pass the Bar and am sworn in by the Utah Supreme Court, I will hang out my shingle. 

I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me. He has always guided my life, and this is only one of many examples. This option is the only one that will give me the flexibility I need to focus on my family and raise my children, while still being able to keep up my skills, build my career, and take on only the work I want or need. 

In short, it is the perfect fit. It's one of the main reasons I went to law school in the first place. And I can't wait to start.

If you read through all of that, thank you. Writing it all out was mostly therapeutic for me, but I appreciate you taking the time to read it. Now, I shall reward you with some pictures.

First up is our front entry way remodel. Many of you know that Jonathan is quite handy. He can do anything. His skills have been very useful in updating our home. This last month, he replaced our old, ugly front entry way tile with brand new wood floors.

Simply taking out the tiles ended up being a lot of work. They were glued directly to the sub floor, which resulted in...

Having to rip out and replace the sub floor.

Jonathan working hard, with a little help from his Dad.

Almost done...

 And here is the finished product, baseboards and all. I am amazed at the difference. It makes me happy every time I see it.

Isn't Jonathan amazing? He really is. You know what else? He is a wonderful husband and an awesome father. I can't say that enough. He does such a great job taking care of Ajax and I. We both know we are loved very much. Especially me. When I've had a long day balancing Ajax, school, work, the house, etc., Jonathan is always ready to play with Ajax, or make dinner, or run errands--whatever I need. I have no idea what I would do without him. I would make a terrible single parent! I don't know how they do it. But I do know that I'm so blessed to be married to Jonathan for time and eternity. I love him so much.

 You know who else I love? You guessed it--Ajax. He is my little sweetheart, and I can't get enough of him. He is so much fun, and I love being his mom.

You'll get a lot more about Ajax (including video and pictures from his blessing day) next week when I write up his 3 month post. That's right, he's almost 3 months! I'm sure you can tell from his picture above, but he is a lot bigger than he was a month ago! Look at those cheeks. :) For now, just know that he is still really dang cute.

And since you made it to the end of this wordy, lengthy post, I will gift you with one of my favorite pictures of Ajax. It's a grainy cell phone photo, but I love it anyway:

He loves his monkey.

PS--Happy birthday (on Tuesday) to my only little sister, Amanda! I'm so happy that fifteen years ago I got my wish for a little sister. After three brothers, I was starting to lose faith. And even though sometimes I still feel like I'm fifteen, and you should only be five, just know this--no matter how old you get, you'll always be my little sister! :) Happy birthday, Amanda! I love you!