DO YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LAW SCHOOL?!

GET 26 EFFECTIVE AND PROVEN LAW-SCHOOL STRATEGIES

to help you to succeed and reach your

GOALS

Like most new law students, what to expect and what is required of you in law school can be a grey area and very overwhelming to even think about. The first few weeks, and sometimes months can feel like you are drowning if you are not prepared for law school from day one.

I have created the ultimate product to help you get a head start that is perfect for any law student.

The concepts in my ebook are short, practical, and easy to follow to keep your head above water.  

Get your copy now!

If you are still struggling to create a law school attack plan after finishing this E-Book, subscribe and stay tuned for the Luxe Legal Papeterie Physical Planner that will be available in Spring 2021

The Best Ways to save for your CHILD'S future

Let me start by saying...no one said you have to save for your child's college. College may not be in your kid's future, you may not have the ability to provide for their college financially, or you may not want to! All of that is just fine, if you're wanting to put something away to assist your kid with college, but have absolutely no idea where to start (like we were just a few months ago) then this post is for you!

We decided we would like to help our kids with college if they choose to do that. My main concerns:

-We are still so young, and plan to have a lot of living left to do. There are a lot of unknowns and I'm afraid to lock money away we may need in the future. For example, even though we have a great start to our retirement, what if something happens that inhibits us from putting more money away for the next 30 years (loss of a job, a disability etc.)

-What if they chooses not to go to college, or don’t need the money later for other reasons? For example receives a full ride to school or lots of scholarship. 

-We'd like to continue to save for another down payment on our next house.

-I want to have control over the account, because I'm a control freak.

We decided to do a combination of a couple of these routes, in order to best address my concerns. The primary ways I suggest considering to save for your child's college is one of these three ways:

1. Your own Roth IRA

2.  A State's 529 Plan

3.  Coverdell ESA (Education Savings Account)

Roth IRA

My personal favorite way to save for your child's college, is through your own Roth IRA. The biggest concern I have with people saving/paying for their child's college, is when the parents don't have their own financial future in order. By the time your child is in college, you need to feel pretty good about where you are in your current state, and retirement if you want to start paying for their education. That's why I love saving for college in a Roth IRA. Stocking up money in your own Roth IRA allows you to make sure you are not neglecting your future. As a reminder, a Roth IRA is money you're putting a side, after paying taxes on it. That means you can pull out the money tax-free later. The beauty of this is since you've already paid taxes on it, after 5 years you can pull out contributions (not earnings) tax-free, and when you are retirement age you can pull all of it out tax-free. I do not encourage ever touching your retirement account early, except in this circumstance if you are secure in what you have saved for your own retirement. If you don't have a Roth IRA, or don't know what that is, I've mentioned it before here. Even if you're not thinking about your child's college, I love Roth IRA accounts. 

Pros:

1. You're not neglecting your own retirement and financial future

2. Pull contributions out without a penalty as long as it has been 5 years or more since you put that money in. (also when you pull money out, you assume you're pulling out contributions first, which is good) This also applies for pulling money out for things like a down-payment or emergency

3. You always have control over the money, even when your child is in college

4. If your child doesn't go to college, you can still use the money for other things in retirement. You don't lose it or face a penalty to use it for something else

Cons:

1. Contribution limits are $5,500 per year. If you and your spouse both have Roth IRA's you can each contribute that much towards your own.

2.  No current tax breaks. You're paying taxes before you put the money in.

3. Can only pull out contributions without a penalty.  If you pull out investment income you will pay a penalty and tax.

529 Plans

These are my second favorite, and we opened one of these for our kids. Each state has a 529 plan, and you can set one up in whatever state, no matter what state you live in. This one is a bit trickier, because every state is different. We live in Virginia, and they have a great 529 plan in my opinion.

Pro:

1. Contribution Limits are practically non existent in my book. (you can only contribute until the balance for the beneficiary reaches $360,000...I can guarantee you we won't be saving that much for college)

2. Contributions may be deductible on your state income tax return. (This depends on your state. Virginia does, for example, which is great since we live/work here and I pay Virginia state tax. It wouldn't help someone in Oklahoma to do this, unless they were working in Virginia and paying state tax there.

3. Your child does not get ownership when they turn 18, you retain control

4. The gains are never taxed if used for qualified education expenses. 

5. If your child gets a scholarship, you can pull out the money equal to the scholarship amount without a penalty. The earnings will be subject to income tax at that point. That isn't so bad though. 

Con:

1.  You cannot pay for school expenses prior to college (example private school for high school)

2.  There is a penalty for spending the money on non-educational expenses.

3. Also if you pull money out, unlike a Roth IRA you are considered to be pulling out both contributions and earnings. So it cannot double as a retirement or emergency fund for you without being penalized for taking money out.

4. Pay attention to the fees and that there is stable management with whomever you decide to fund your 529 through. 

Coverdell Education Savings Account

Lastly, the ESA. There is nothing wrong with an ESA, there are some great things about them, but we primarily made the decision not to fund an ESA at this time because, I don't want our kids to have control over the account and I have no intention of ever paying for private school for them. These accounts are also fantastic ways to save, and if you're thinking of private school for K-12 I'd highly consider this. There is a big limitation based on income.

Pro:

1. You can use the money to pay for qualified K-12 education expenses

2.  Contributions are post-tax, and the investment income generated is never taxed if you pay for qualified expenses
3. Rumor has it you have more control over the investments in an ESA compared to a 529
4. If your child gets a scholarship, you can pull out the money equal to the scholarship amount without a penalty. The earnings will be subject to income tax at that point. That isn't so bad though. 

Con:

1. Each child can only receive $2,000 a year put into their ESA

2. Depending on the plan, your child owns the ESA when they reach 18 (so if your child decides to pull the money out to pay for whatever the cool gadget is in 2035, the child will pay a huge penalty and all you can do is smack them upside the head). I love our boys, and I'm sure they will grow up to be a great kids, but I know that my parents were smart not handing me a $60,000+ check when I turned 18 and saying "here, this is for college" because we all know where that would have gone (anything but college) 

3. Beneficiary must use the account before turning 30

DISCLAIMER: This is a quick once-over of the plans that I found to be most interesting. This does not detail every aspect of the plan, and I am not giving this as expert advice. My advice is to the average person looking to compare these 3 ways of saving for your child's college. Please see a financial adviser for more information.

UGMA- Uniform Gift to Minors Act, not necessarily focused on education. It is a trust account with a group of assets you are gifting to your child. A major drawback is that the child gets full control at 18 or 21. The parent is no longer in control and you cannot change the beneficiary to another child after they reach the age of majority.  Also, it will have negative financial aid impacts because it is considered income. Can be used on anything, not just education cost. 

Edited to add: Since this post was published the IRS has updated its rules surrounding 529 accounts. As of 2018: “You can use the money in a 529 account for K–12 private-school education” This is something you should be be aware of what the time frame is in which you’re investing money in the 529 plan.

Also the law change in 2019, has now made it possible to use your 529 to pay for your student loans: “ The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, a spending bill known as the SECURE Act, established a lifetime limit of $10,000 from a 529 plan that can be used without any penalties or tax consequences to repay the beneficiary's student loans, including federal and most private loans. An additional $10,000 can be used to repay student loans held by each of the beneficiary's siblings.”

If you still don’t know where to get started, check out COLLEGEBACKER.COM it is a great website to use to fund your 529 plan, and you can also have family members make contributions as gifts as well, a gift that can grow overtime, yes please!!! It makes it really easy to save for college. They provide recommendations on investment portfolios and manage the portfolio for you & I am not getting paid to refer you to their site :) 

Everyone likes to hype themselves up as a new year approaches and talk about all of their "New Year- New Me" Goals, but I'm not really a fan. I don't believe we have to wait until the start of a new year to reinvent ourselves, to make changes in our lives, or to work towards accomplishing something on our to-do list. Each day is an opportunity to start over and get things done.

With that being said, I do believe in setting goals and crushing them (read about that here) & I do believe in taking advantage of a clean slate, I just feel as though our motivation shouldn't come only at the start of a new year.

Here are a few easy ways to prepare for a bomb NEW YEAR. 

1. Set your intention for the year. "Most people don't plan to fail, they fail to plan" I am all about getting a new planner in the new year and mapping out your goals. The planner I am using this year is The Purposeful Planner by Corie Clark and it is the bomb.com. It has a section for everything you need. Seriously- From prayer to meal planning and budgeting. The Happy Planner is also a favorite of mine and the planner I used for a major part of 2017. You can also find really cute and inexpensive planners at Target, TJMaxx or Marshalls. (I will write a full post on the benefits of planners in 2018) but in the meantime buy one & START PLANNING! * EDITED TO ADD* My company Luxe Legal Papeterie will be releasing a FULL 3 Year Law School Planner in Spring 2021, subscribe to be the first to know.

2. Map out quarterly, monthly, and weekly goals. You can use your planner to do this, but also a journal works. Make sure you're writing the vision and working towards it daily. Seeing something on paper or written down makes it more real. One step closer to making an "idea or dream" a reality. Include the 4 main areas, that I discuss below and edit your goals as the year progresses. 

3. Assess your relationships. It may be tough but it is so beneficial to cut off dead relationships. It's not about them(well actually it is) but this is mainly about your personal growth and elevation. You can still love someone but you don't have to keep toxic people in your life just because of who they are and the title they carry. As you change and grow as a person so will your relationships with people, and that is ok. Don't let anyone make you feel like it is not. To grow & discover new things about yourself, or move on from old relationships. 

4. Establish Boundaries. PROTECT YOUR PEACE at ALL COST. You can do this by creating healthy boundaries in every relationship in your life. If you don't feel comfortable with how someone treats you, tell them. If you don't want to do something, DONT. If you are uncomfortable with talking about certain things with certain people, YOU DON'T HAVE TO.  NOT EVERYONE will understand your boundaries, sometimes they will push the boundaries you create, but stand firm & eventually they'll get the point - and if they don't - their problem, not yours. One of the greatest gifts I gave myself in 2017 was the ability to say NO & be done with something. NO is a complete sentence, you don't owe anyone an explanation for anything. DO YOU. 

5. Create a reading list. "Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light." —Vera Nazarian One of my short term goals before 2017 was over, was to catch up on leisure reading. Because let’s face it, in law school you don’t have time to read for fun! I really enjoy reading and could not wait to pick back up after walking across the stage in May. I started in the middle of the year & the goal was to read 1 book a month. I’m proud of myself for exceeding that GOAL.  

Here are the books I Completed: 

Each book truly enriched a different area of my life.  You should put some of these on your reading list in 2018. 

As I reflect on 2017, it has been a year full of abundance and blessings. Highlights being the birth of our Rainbow Baby Ian, Relaunching and Growing my Blog & of course graduating from Law School!! 

As I look forward to my 2018 Goals- the main thing I wish to accomplish; Passing the Bar Exam & personal GROWTH.

 4 Areas & Goals I'd like to slay

• Family- Spending more quality time together. Communicating better (we have a teenager, peeling back layer by layer to understand him is work) & also doing more of "experience" giving instead of acquiring more things in 2018.
  

• Faith- Being intentional about my relationship with God. Spending more intentional time with him. Starting each day with God & purposefully working on my weekly prayer project journal (You can purchase here) Continuing to attend church regularly and allow him to GUIDE EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE.
  

• Finances- We paid off over $22k in Debt this year. The goal in 2018 is to continue paying down our debt, (SAY NO TO Student Loans.) SAVING for our children's education{post about saving for education coming in 2018} & retirement (Maxing out retirement accounts is a huge tax benefit) Also, sticking to our BUDGET(If you don't already budget-- in 2018 you should CREATE ONE! This is the first step to truly mastering your finances and meeting your goals.) Lastly, lowering our expenses especially in the first half of the year, in order to save more. We have a huge move coming up in the summer and if the situation is right, we'd like to buy when we relocate.
  

• Fitness- Since trying to conceive my body has been on a roller coaster ride of hormones and as a result, weight gain. Ive talked about that in previous post, read here. I've already started working on this goal but in 2018, I plan to continue to get back in shape. I haven't set a number or goal weight because in my opinion the number isn't as important as how you look and feel.

Here's to slaying in 2018. 

I know this month a lot of my readers will begin or are returning to law school which can be an anxious and intimidating time. Therefore, since Noah did a post for new doctors, I thought it would be cool for me to do one for new law students & offer some advice :)

Here are just 10 tips that I think will help put you on the right path to being successful in law school.

1. PREPARE TO BE BEWILDERED: Seriously, the set of mental trials that you will undergo during law school will be completely different from college. You will be learning a completely different style of learning, briefing and "understanding" cases, is a totally new process that takes time to master. 

Don't panic. Practice makes perfect for law school, well at least when it comes to understanding the cases. I still remember my first assignment in my contracts class, I read a 5-page assignment for three hours, I felt completely prepared, and once class started I realized that I had not anticipated any of the professor’s questions or the approach to the case. However, by the end of 1L year I was a pro at briefing and issue spotting which is particularly important for final exams.

It takes time but you'll find your rhythm and approach for each class according to the professors teaching and your learning style. 

2. FOCUS ON THE PRESENT: Do not let yourself become overwhelmed and distracted by far-off deadlines. You'll get the syllabus in the beginning of the semester and while it is A OK to write down important deadline and assignments in your planner, do not waste too much time stressing over those things. This is the time to properly absorb and critically think about the cases. You need to remain motivated and concentrate your efforts on the readings for the first couple of weeks. 

Begin thinking about exams a little before halloween, after all, you're going to be taking notes, outlining, and preparing from day one.

3. DO NOT RUSH INTO A STUDY GROUP: Personally, I never had a study group! It really just wasn't my thing. I lived far away, and had to plan my time accordingly. Sometimes my schedule just didn't permit staying around to study with others & I did just fine. However, I did have a group of friends (they usually studied together) that I'd talk concepts and big picture with before exams and it was helpful.

While study groups can be useful, there is no need to immediately form one. This will happen in the weeks to come when you know your classmates better. Everyone, is usually trying to figure it out and are just as clueless as you anyway :)

In the beginning you should focus on your individual study process that you will use throughout the semester. Oh & be careful who you listen to. Don’t join the first study group you’re invited to join, don’t write down what other people say in class – only what the professor says like I said before, not everyone "knows" what they are talking about. There have been plenty of times I've overheard the wrong information being shared with classmates. STUDY & KNOW IT FOR YOURSELF because folks can have you looking crazy come exam time. 

4. MAKE FRIENDS: This is a new social situation, but do your best to extend yourself with your classmates. I had a family & I commuted but I think I had comfortable relationships with my classmates. Then of course I had my main joints (close friends) haha. Those that I clicked with, felt comfortable being around & talking to, but more importantly those who were of invaluable moral support while also being smart enough that I trusted their notes and advice.

Side note: I never thought going into law school I'd meet one of my best friends (the first day of orientation- being introduced by her mother) but I DID!! Heyyy Tiff :) 

5. MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR PROFESSORS: Law school instructors may seem intimidating at first glance, but you should use your first few weeks to dispel any irrational fear of your professors. While they wont be your "besties" (there is a line of professionalism that must be kept) do try to spend time getting to know them outside of the classroom. Go to their office. Talk to them after class. Socialize in the hallway if you both have the time. 

Getting to know your professors allows you the ability to glean the most valuable thing in law school: how a professor test- what they are looking for on a final exam, & what concepts are important to THEM. 

It varies by school, but in many law schools grades are anonymous - as in, professors will only see a number on your exam, rather than your name. So even if you're cool with a professor that will not help you get an A in the class, but talking to them about the law and how they test will increase your chances. 

6. TAKE NOTES: Intentionally. The better your notes are - the better your outlines will be - the better your outlines are -the better you understand the material, the better you understand the material- the better your final grade will be.

I was a had writer (I wrote all case- briefs and notes the traditional way, pen & paper) because I found it to be more advantageous for me, it really bolstered my ability to retain the information better. While hand writing is a personal choice for me, many people do use laptops (if your professor allows them in class-read the syllabus) to take notes.

The most important thing to do is to build the habit of note taking right away no matter the method you choose. 

7. STUDY AIDS ARE YOUR FRIEND. Case briefing and outlining the black letter law while extremely important for your success in law school; can also be very time consuming, confusing, and tedious. I don't recommend skipping it altogether because that is truly how you learn, but I will suggest that you do like most people and find great study aids. There are a variety of commercial aids available to help you master complex concepts and supplement class notes while preparing for exams.

Study aids are "discouraged" by some professors because they want you to "do it yourself" and I AGREE you should! However, study aids can be helpful if you use them appropriately. Just do not let them replace your own efforts in preparing for a course. 

A few of the most popular study aids & ones ACTUALLY USED are linked below: 

EXAMPLES & EXPLINATIONS

NUTSHELLS

EMANUEL LAW OUTLINES

LAW IN A FLASH FLASHCARDS

8. READ A BOOK OR TWO TO PREPARE. Everyone tends to read Getting to Maybe. I did & was stoked to see it on one of my professors desk in the first week of school, it indicated to me that **maybe** he followed some of those principals from the book, so I was winning for reading it. For a more practical resource, I recommend: Legal Writing in PLAIN ENGLISH. People get caught up in legalese and can quickly loose a person's attention. You should steer very clear of that on finals and the bar so learning legal writing in plain english is important.

9. DON'T LET LAW SCHOOL CONSUME YOU. It will be tiring, confusing, maybe boring, and you may get hopelessly lost at times, but don’t let it define your life. Because it’s easy to get lost when you get sucked into believing that your grades decide your worth in life. Truth is: your grades do not define you; your three years in law school do not define your entire life; and even if you don’t end up even practicing law, you still have a BOMB set of skills that will help you succeed and a degree that, all lawyer jokes aside, people respect. 

10. FINALLY-- BE EASY ON YOURSELF. As with any new experience, there is no way to completely prepare for law school until you are experiencing it yourself. Try to stay calm and approach with a widened perspective that this is merely the beginning of a longer process. After the first week try to nail down a study schedule (A MUST HAVE) that WORKS FOR YOU- you can adjust it as you go along.

You will not have it all figured out on the first day of class, the first week, and sometimes not the first month. It is a process, go at it slow and steady (not too slow to get behind though lol) and be easy on yourself. 

Don't forget to take time for YOURSELF. The law school experience can be very demanding, and stressful, people find themselves in various states of depression, and just unfit mentally and physically. Don't fall into that trap. Enjoy your journey, and don't forget this is just a SMALL 3 year chapter in your life :) 

Good luck, and (seriously), try to have fun and enjoy it.

It will truly be 1L of a Ride !!

** Disclaimer: This is not LEGAL ADVICE.**

I am a lawyer but not your lawyer, however, I want to share some tips to help you protect your children's future.

This is especially focused on new parents, but it applies whether you are new parents, old parents or not parents at all...here are a few things you should really consider with a big life event: 

• 1. Make a basic will. I'm not saying go out and get a lawyer (although it could make the process easier) but just make a basic will....I don't care if it's from WILLMAKER (I love Quicken products, and have heard great things about this one ) ---------------->

You may  have legal insurance you can sign up for through your employer that covers a free will every year so go to your Human Resource department and ask. You may be thinking "I have no assets...why?" Well before law school I thought that too. If your death is by a sudden accident that involves a lawsuit, your estate may receive hundreds of thousands of dollars. Depending on your state laws, your spouse may not receive all of that money. It may go in part to you children, which means it could be tied up until they reach the age of 18 or 19, and your spouse may need that money for the next few years in order to help support the family. If you don't  have children, the state laws could split that money between your spouse and your parents. A will also names guardians for your children(real God Parents), as well as someone to manage money for them if you and your spouse are both gone. Not having a will creates more problems and family disputes as your family may get into a heated court battle over all of these things.

• 2. Check your Beneficiary Designations. Anything you may have a beneficiary designation on, pull the documents out and check who the current person is. Whoever is named, gets the money. Things with beneficiary designations often are one of your biggest assets. (401K, Life Insurance, Bank Accounts) If you're like the average American, you'll likely put your spouse first, and as a contingent you can name your child or a trust.

• 3. Get a Durable and Health Care Power of Attorney. You may not know what these documents are, but its something I think everyone should have. A Durable Power of Attorney is a document that authorizes someone that you pick to make decisions about your property if you cannot act for yourself. The Health Care POA authorizes someone to make health care decisions for you if you cannot. It seems like a small thing, but it would be a huge hassle, extra money, and frustration if something happened to me and Noah couldn't get to all of our assets. If we were struggling financially due to a huge medical issue, the last thing he should be dealing with his not being able to liquidate assets if needed.

• 4. Get Life Insurance. Our first couple years of marriage, Noah and I decided there was no need to have life insurance. We had no mortgage, no real jobs, and both had personal savings. That meant if one of us died, the other would be just fine. There was no one relying on us financially. Boy have things changed! Honestly, I saw one too many GO FUND ME ACCOUNTS when someone our age died. It got me thinking, I don't want that to be the case with us, I want to secure our future and funeral expenses so our families don't have to worry. Now we have two children who are absolutely relying on us financially. That means we really needed life insurance because if something happened to one of us, the other would need financial assistance to care for our children. Here is how to know if you need life insurance on one or both spouses. Consider if the husband passed, how would the wife and child be financially? Could they get by or would they need help to continue the style of living you'd like them to have? How about if the wife passed? What if you both did? Even if you're not married, if you die will your children be financially cared for in your absence. Life insurance is a way to ensure future financial stability for your children in case of death. Although I don't work right now, we decided we needed life insurance on both of us because I will be working eventually. Also, life insurance premiums are lower while you're young and healthy - GET IT NOW.

• 5. Run credit reports. You should do this every year, but with a new child you'll want to continue getting your finances in order, so make sure to check your credit report for anything that shouldn't be on there. You can easily do this by using a free online resource like Credit Karma or Annual Credit Report. You're entitled to a free one every 12 months, per the FTC.

• BONUS-- Consider how you want to save for college, if at all. We've been doing a LOT of research on college savings. That being said, I firmly believe you should be saving for your own retirement first, and your child's college second. If you can afford to do both, do it. The earlier you start for both of these, the better. A few options for college savings are: Using your own Roth IRA account as a way to also save for college, a State 529 plan, or an Education Savings Account.

All of these differ, I will be writing a post on college saving plans in the future :) 

There is also a great book on Amazon, that covers a lot of aforementioned stuff ------------------------------------------------->

Having children is also a great time to look at your credit score and get a pulse on your credit health.

The process to choose a credit repair company may seem confusing and time-consuming. However, it’s important to make sure you get the correct services to fix and improve your credit situation. Compare several credit repair companies to see what can fit your needs and budget. This article on Money.com does a great job of helping you choose the right company for your situation. https://money.com/best-credit-repair-companies/

Everyone loves to say Noah & I are #RelationshipGoals & while it's cute, sometimes I cringe because I'm always thinking "you have no idea!!" People see the external success of a Doctor & Lawyer- to be- duo & they are mesmerized with the titles having no clue what it takes to make this unit function. 

So since our anniversary is tomorrow I thought it would be ideal to share some insight for those who have similar #RelationshipGoals as us.  

• SACRIFICE - You have to be willing to sacrifice! I put this one first because I can't stress it enough.

There is a lot of behind the scenes that comes along with the title of "Doctors Wife."  A bunch of people assume because your husbands a "Doctor" everything is perfect, you're rich, & you have no problems in the world- & if you do -money can fix it! Ummmm All of those things are FALSE. Don't get me wrong, I love our life and I am not complaining at all, but it is not liken to the image people have made up in their minds for it to be!

I've gotten comments before like "You're lucky your husbands a Dr. y'all are gonna be rich" or my favorite "Why are you even in Law School? You can just be a stay at home wife who shops all day". LOL I can't laugh at these misconceptions hard enough. Breaking News: Being a "Doctors Wife" is not that glamorous.

Granted there are a ton of Doctors in certain specialties that are what the world would consider rich because of the money they make, but that is not the case for most Physicians. It is true however that we personally are rich, but it is only because we have things money cannot buy- each other :)  

A lot of people want the "perks" without doing the work.

I am here to tell you, being a Doctors Wife usually means at times you come second. Ok, first after God but seriously, your husbands patients come first! So why yes I'm lucky I get to live a totally unpredictable life most of the time. It makes for some excitement occasionally but it can also be a total buzz kill.

That date you planned & got all dressed up for can easily be put on hold when he's on call. Those typical holidays or times that are spent "with family" can sometimes be spent ALONE, yup that includes your birthday, your kids "important" events & even anniversaries. Set your expectations low- actually you might be better off having none. lol 

I joke all the time about being a "single wife." I learned the game quickly and how to master getting things done without my husband being present. Now I will say we get a lot of family time compared to some, but that was because of his sacrifice: he intentionally chose a specialty that would allow him to have a balanced family life- which means more than the monetary gain of other high-income specialties. 

Also, being married to a  law student is rough. Most of their days and nights are spent studying.  ALL. THE. TIME! If you can't sacrifice your needs for the betterment of your partners academic obligations, sorry, but It ain't for you.

I was sooooooo fortunate that Noah had gone through 2 years of medical school before I decided to go to law school. He understood my life and struggles in a way a normal Spouse or just people in general might wrestle to comprehend.

My friends would call me all the time & here's how the conversation would go

Them: What are you doing?

Me: Studying.

It got to the point that they didn't even ask when they called because they always knew the response but it was 100% accurate. Whenever I was not in class, I was usually studying. I did give myself one day a week (typically Sunday) to do nothing related to law school, but aside from that even on my longgggg commute or in the gym I listened to my outlines that were pre-recorded on my phone. I was constantly learning.

The times where I was not studying were few and far between. It takes true sacrifice to know that there isn't much "free time" to spend with your partner- so just sitting in the same room with them while reading or making up raps to help prepare for final exams, can sometimes  be "date night." {This is a picture of Noah acting as though he was in a section popping bottles, while we rapped rule statements for me to remember for an exam 1L year} 

While I enjoyed those moments and wouldn't trade them for anything, if you're not willing to understand that you can't do/date/be on the scene like everyone else (the training years are straight up Grind Time) you'll have a hard time making it work with any person in a high demanding career.  

Oh & speaking of misconceptions & sacrifice, most physician spouses who are SAHMoms/Wives that you think are with their husband for his money and stay home because they got it like that! (where?) lol  - are usually well educated women who had to put their lives on hold for their spouse.

#BecauseMarriedToMedicine

I've come to learn that for many physician spouses the decision to stay at home was typically because their partners training made it difficult with so many moves.  Most couples move at least 3x on the medical journey, if they're together from the start. (Med School, Residency, Real Job.) Usually all are different places. It's HARD to just pick up and find a new job in your career field at a beneficial pay grade every time your spouse relocates {& this isn't even adding the extra layer of being a Military Physician} I am not saying this only because it is my current reality. IT IS 100 PERCENT TRUE.

I belong to a private group on Facebook comprised of ONLY Physician spouses, and many of them are not at home because they chose to be. Sometimes on this journey - medicine will make that decision for you. THAT IS A TRUE SACRIFICE. 

Putting your career and needs on hold to ensure that your spouse fulfills their dream isn't always the fairy tale that people think. 

You can't be #RelationshipGoals if you are not willing to sacrifice things for one another. Be it a job, being close to family, starting your own family, & even simple luxuries (like a cup of coffee from Starbucks) when you're on a tight student/residents budget! 

In relationships period you have to die to self daily, but in a Marriage - it's so much more pertinent. 

• SELFLESS- You have to be Selfless! I know it sounds cliche but for real, there is no I in Team!

Acts of sacrifice, sprinkled freely throughout a marriage, make love richer and deeper. We all know that, so what's the problem with doing it?! Self. Self always gets in the way. 

Self constantly asks for more: What about my needs? What about my hurts? What about my time? Sacrificial love challenges us to give to our partner in uncomfortable or unreasonable ways — ways that cost us emotion, time and pride. If you can't put SELF aside, your relationship will surely die. 

Selflessness is not a marriage strategy but a heart transformation in Christ. Jesus defines selflessness from the Incarnation to Calvary, so to be selfless is to identify with Him. You can't teach your spouse to be selfless, if they ain't got it- you can only pray & let God do the rest.

You should desire (it shouldn't be a burden- but rather intentional) to value your partner so much that their best really is your goal too! 

Which leads me to my next point: 

A power Couple is A PRAYING COUPLE. If not for our relationship with Christ- this marriage would not work. It is so easy to fall short in your relationship when God is not the center of it. There were times when I couldn't even pray for myself, but Noah would literally get on his knees and pray for me!

There were also times where I wanted to argue [I meannnn that is what lawyers do right? Lol -I like to call them healthy debates though] and the Lord would tell me not now...and then Noah would come home and talk about losing a patient that day.

In those moments my pettiness would go out the window because what I wanted to argue about wasn't even that important. (No joke it's usually things like- him stealing my hangers or leaving closet doors open lol-OCD just a tad) But if the Lord wasn't helping me to discern- instead of being teammates comforting one another when the world seems to be getting the best of us, we'd be the source of unnecessary stress.

Don't get it twisted, we're not perfect! We "debate" but it is never that deep. 5 minutes after we go right back to being best friends (another thing that's super important, you have to be FRIENDS) and playing on the same team. (Ok sometimes a grudge may be held for an additional 10-15 minutes lol). Nevertheless, that is how it is suppose to be. We took a vow in the sight of God, for better or for worst- so we fight TOGETHER never against each other. 

Our success and love for one another is heavily influenced by our love for God. If you don't have that, in my opinion you don't have anything. 

However, when you combine sacrifice, selflessness, & Christ you have a nice blueprint to success. 

• SUCCESS: that is so much better when you're Together - Team Work is what makes a family successful together.

Children included (of course not the babies - although their nap schedule is vital to getting things done- but the older children should contribute to the success of the family as well.)

I cannot stress enough how important Kubb's role was to my success. Whether it was the occasional mom I love you for motivation or helping around the house. But most importantly he did his job! SCHOOL. I tell him all the time how important it is for him to do well in school, to study without being told, & not to get in trouble. Mainly because I have very high expectations of him. I know he's beyond capable of doing all the things I ask of him, but also it is because I didn't have too much "free time" to be up at the school ironing things out for him. The fact that he's always stepped up is such a blessing! He's always gone above and beyond at his "job" and at home. I'm proud to be his momma! 

When you're playing for the same team you do your best to hold your team down! Usually that just means just doing your part.

Not worrying about 50/50 but stepping up & filling in the gap whenever & wherever it's needed. Marriage isn't 50/50 marriage is 100/100.  If you want to argue because it was his/her time to do something and they forgot or didn't because of a long day at work/school... again, it isn't going to work for you. You gotta be willing to roll up your sleeves do the job yourself, and NOT keep score. 

True love brings out the greatest version of you. It takes a real man/woman to help your partner achieve their goals, support each other when you have nothing, push each other when you feel like giving up, shower each other with positive energy, compliment each other on a regular basis, & never kick the other while they're down. Instead- rising together in LOVE because you're ALWAYS helping each other Up!! 

If you're not willing to Sacrifice & be Selfless, your #RelationshipGoals will forever remain just that. A goal that is never achieved.  

Next time you feel the urge to hashtag #RelationshipGoals  on someones picture, take a moment to ponder what may happen behind the scenes. The highlight reel isn't always as it seems. 

Faith.Love.Commitment.

Selfless.Sacrifice.Hard Work.

Grind &Shine,Together. 

I think it's partially true when they say : " 1L Year they scare you to death. 2L Year they work you to death. & 3L Year they bore you to death. "

Now to be fair, 2L Year is better than 1L Year because you finally know how to "study, make outlines, survive Finals Week, manage reading for your classes, & have a relatively small "social life" butttttt you also get involved into extra curricular activities. So in my opinion you're choosing to work yourself to death not necessarily the curriculum of law school...  So naturally by 3L year you're a pro st balancing all those things above, but you're also READY to get out of law school! 🤓

Most 3L's find themselves torn between enjoyment and anticipation of graduation.🎓

This can sometimes mean showing up for class, or not. Reading for class, or not. Outlining for finals, or not.  But one things for certain this means you're 5 steps closer to taking the Bar.

A great deal of your 3L year is spent preparing for it. From taking MPRE, (because contrary to popular belief-lawyers do have to be ethical, or at least learn to be) to getting a record of your ENTIRE life in order!!

Ok maybe not the entire thing but close, you know: the exact time you were born, your first grade teachers name, what you ate two years ago on January 3rd, & the fax number for that job you held 8 years ago. Yea. lol point is, it's a lot of detailed information you need for your bar application. 

While your laughing your way through 3L year, here are some things you don't want to forget: 

1.    Start gathering your documentation early. 

Do not wait until the last minute to get all of your documentation in order for your bar application. It's going to take time to have your credit report sent, your DMV transcript delivered, finger prints done, & so much more. Waiting until the last minute is a recipe to miss your application deadline.

Keep in mind however that you don't want to do this too early. Everything "official" that you must submit usually has to be within a 90 day window. So you do not want things to expire before you submit your application. Timing is key. & factor in time for delays, because some states are more difficult than others when it comes to sending people records. 

Oh yea, you also want to time when you take the MPRE perfectly in case you don't pass the bar on the first try (because let's face it- not everyone is One & Done) because that expires eventually too. {varies by state so be sure to Check your jurisdiction}  

2. Choose your Bar Prep Course.

After you decide what state you want to take the bar in, the next thing is to choose a bar prep company: Kaplan or BARBRI are the most popular but there are others.

A lot of companies offer incentives the earlier you sign on, so maybe you took advantage of this during your 1L or 2L year. If not you want to do this as soon as possible 3L year. Most places offer early access to bar prep material so you can get a head start which is great.

Oh & don't forget, you have to spend around $3k on a Bar Prep course, so research & choose wisely. This involves looking at the success rates of others in your particular state that used the same company, & their overall pass rates. & if you don't have the $ now is the time to start asking for money for Birthdays, Christmas, & early graduation gifts. Check you Bar Application expenses as well. Don't be blind sided with $5k in expenses your 3L year. Prepare early. 

3.  Continue to Network

That job you want is not going to just give itself to you. In your third year of law school you should be spending time networking. Don't forget those connections you made interning during your 1L & 2L summers. Hopefully you've kept in contact with job prospects but if not shoot some emails. Keep in contact!! Communication is key, sometimes you can get a job before it's even "posted" if you network properly. 

Do not forget that by 3L year you need to update your resume! Take off things that are no longer relevant that were place fillers during law school. Make sure all your legal clubs & jobs are listed. Lastly, be sure to add WHEN & WHAT State you're taking the Bar in so employers know.  

The time goes goes by fast.  Enjoy every moment. Yes - even with those classmates and professors you are not too fond of, because before you know it you will graduate and never see some of those people again! 

Be sure to enjoy the last days of formal education, for most. Celebrate with your family & friends! & be sure to treat yourself after you sit for the bar. You've worked hard for 3 years . You deserve it. 👏🏽⚖️

"The Roots of Education are bitter but the fruit is sweet." 

This still feels like a dream. I can't believe it was over 3 years ago I began this "Journey to JD" Blog & now I have finally obtained my degree.  

I will not say that the road was easy, but it was certainly worth it. I not only did this with a tweenager & a husband but I was also brave enough to have a baby along the way 😅 

I commuted over 1000 hours in 3 years to and from class. (1L Year we lived 45 mins each way from my law school) & 2&3L Year we lived an 1hour & 15mins each way, thanks to my husbands residency!) I sacrificed sleep, food, & fun because I was determined to make my dream a reality and here I AM. 

My car became my sanctuary. I spent many mornings praising God on my way to school, & a bunch of evenings crying & venting to him because I was just tired and overwhelmed (especially during finals) lol but I survived!  

He brought me through. He who began a good work in me, was faithful to complete it.

Most women complain about being a "residents wife" & the lack of help they get at home but I can honestly say, I would not have survived law school without my husbands help. 

From making the bed every morning because I never had time to, washing and folding the laundry on his 1 day off because my weekends were spent studying, taking my heavy books to the car for me so I didnt have to carry them, being my mock professor for presentations and papers, being my free99 editing pro with no complaints, but more importantly being my biggest critic when I was procrastinating and falling off.  I can not complain about not having help from my resident husband because I receive a ton. I'm grateful to have such a hands on spouse who's been through a rigorous graduate program so he GETS IT. I would not have been able to hold it all together without him. 

Many of my classmates marveled at my ability to "balance" it all. Family, commute, school, personal life.. & when they asked how I did it, my response was always because I had no choice. There were sooooo many moments where I felt like this was impossible, but I just kept going and before I knew it, I found myself doing the impossible!! 

From Teen Mom to JD -- God has been so good to me!  

Honorary Grad. He did one year 😂

The Family

CGS

I am writing this from a place of gratitude and admiration....  

I can honestly say: I AM PROUD OF MYSELF & so thankful that I did not give up! 

This weekend I will be graduating from Law School.. something I dreamt of since I was a little girl!

~Funny Story~

My mom use to watch America's Most Wanted ALL THEE TIME when I was growing up. Although I was scared to go into dark room by myself 😅😰 because I just knew the boogie man was in my house after every episode, I remember thinking: "when I grow up I'm going to be a lawyer who sends bad guys to jail!" That coupled with Law & Order, A Time to Kill & The Good Wife had me committed to this dream of one day becoming an attorney.

(Newsflash- It's not like it seems on TV.. but that's a different post haha) 

& well here I am today, one step closer to accomplishing that dream 😩😁🎉

I didn't really do anything that the next person couldn't do, you just have to Set Goals & Accomplish them! 

Here are 5 things to encourage you to  Just do it: 

• 1. Start by Starting - There's something about starting that seems shameful. We tend to look at other people who have been further on the journey we're headed towards and get discouraged. DONT. Be inspired by the people who have gone before you. Stop allowing comparison to hold you back. It really is the thief of Joy. Be proud of where you start & celebrate the small accomplishments along the way. It's going to make the success feel so much better in the end.

• 2. Write IT Down - I truly believe in Writing the Vision & Making it Plain. Confession: I am a planner. I love to plan things. I love cute stationary, & I have about 4 active "calendar/todo list" I reference a few times a day. It keeps me organized & on track but more importantly, it keeps me focused! There's something about SEEING it written down that makes it tangible. & checking things off your "list" makes you feel like you're getting things done- Making progress towards the finish line, & it helps to keep you going. If you don't already, I'd encourage you to write down what you see yourself accomplishing in the next year, & work every day, week and month - at fulfilling that goal. You'd be amazed at how much can change in a year ;)

• 3. You DO NOT NEED their approval - In this digital age where everyone seems to be looking for validation & approval through social media, remember that you weren't put on this earth to please people. You don't need any ones approval for what you feel led to do.... oh & guess what, you will never be successful trying to be a people pleaser- it's impossible!!

 Also, do not allow someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of yours. Not everyone will understand, not everyone will think you can do it. That is ok, God did not give them your vision for a reason, he gave it to YOU to see what you'd do with it despite the adversity & what "they" have to say. Once you realize that he has equipped you with all you need and that the approval of man will always amount to nothing, you'll begin to thrive. & do so abundantly! (In other words, ignore the haters lol)

• 4. Don't get in your OWN way - Confession: before committing to going to law school I was holding myself back. I made every excuse in the book during my senior year of college as to why I wasn't going right away....("I just wrote a thesis, my brain needs a break... I'm going to just work a year... I have a kid, I need a job... Law school will always be there.... I will go ..... eventually.") Eventually turned into three years and everything I "tried" doing during that 3 year period wasn't really fulfilling, and it never seemed to "work out." As soon as I stepped out on Faith and decided to take the LSAT to jumpstart the process of me going to law school, EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE! *If you've been a reader of my blog since the beginning, you know what I mean :)

If you continue to talk YOURSELF out of it, IT will never get done. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Once you start believing you can do something, you realize that you actually CAN. Don't waste time holding yourself back making excuses or thinking that you can't. Even if no one else believes in You, YOU have to believe in YOURSELF! 

• 5.  FAITH it until you make it- even in the stages where you don't see your thing working out, and you hit road blocks and hardships.....you HAVE to keep going. When you are called to do something IT will not be easy! No really. It will not be easy! You have to trust YOUR process & wait on God by Faith, what he began in you he will be faithful to complete. The race is not to the swift and fast, but to those who continue to endure. Finish the RACE & you will reap the REWARD.

You are Powerful, Brilliant, Beautiful & Brave.

Go Make {IT} Happen

So I know I said I'm going to post once a week.. YEA YEA YEA... I've come to realize that right now that may be unrealistic given my obligations to being a full-time Wife, Mother, AND Law Student. Bear with me.

With that being said, I honestly have 2 assignments I should be working on right now instead of blogging, but I'm attempting to some what stay true and committed. So here's to talking about moot court.

Some of you may or may not know what Moot Court is.. I really didn't until law school. But its basically a group of individuals from law schools who enjoy appellate advocacy learning how to properly present cases to a bench of court of appeals judge based on any given issue. This is the fun part to me, considering that before moot court you have to write a "Brief" which is not so brief because its comprised of over 15-25 pages (sometimes longer) of case precedent trying to persuade the judge, why they should rule in your favor before they even see you in court.

We are a small school, my class is comprised of 82 students, and we all knew only 32 would advance to the next round, and then 16 would advance to the semi-final and only 4 would go to finals. I HAD NOOOO PLANS ON ADVANCING, but I was told the further along you go the higher your oral argument grade is for the class. So I joked with my friends that I was "Finna Murder Moot Court" because I wanted all the points lol.

Ok so basically some people have a terrifying fear of public speaking, me not so much. However, when I first heard of this assignment, although I was not nervous, I was annoyed that the judges were going to cut me off before I finished my "points" with thousands of questions... and I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON LOL. 

I practiced a lot with my mentor and a few people who actually compete on the moot court team (These are the cream of the crop.. NATIONALLY they win or place in every competition they compete in) so that I could get some practice with handling those questions, and they all laughed to see me go from cutting them off the first time I practiced, telling them (who were acting as my judges) "as I said before" hahahah they were like noooo Judge will be soooo upset if you say that to them! Oops. To where I was that following week when competition rolled around. 

Ps. Remember I said there are no breaks in Law School, Spring "Break" WAS spent practicing for moot court which began that Monday we got back.  

Any-who the first round, went ok, I had three judges who hammered me out the gate, they didn't even let me finish my intro before they began to throw questions at me, BUT I LOVED IT. hahah It kept me thinking on my feet and as my family always says "I have an answer for everything" I was truly in my element, One of the judges later told me they did that because they saw that I COULD handle it, Go Figure! 

On my way home I just began to praise God, although I had no Idea where I matched up number wise after just the first round, I had confirmation from God that this was my calling, moot court just felt so right, talking to the judges, and advocating for my client was what God created me to do. So I was happy. 

I spent the next day preparing for round two.. Shortly before N and I had lunch together and he let me practice with him being my judge.. (Hilarious to get a Doctor to try and ask legal questions) bahahaha 

 Second Round.. Went the same as the first! The judges HAMMERED ME! But I felt good about it. I had noooooo real plans to advance I just joked around with my friends. Low and behold, we all met in the supreme court room later Thursday night when everyone was done with their second round, to hear the names of the 32 who would advance, because this meant you had to argue again on Friday in front of 3-5 judges. So me and my crew were sitting there, and Prof T says I'm going to call the names in order based on where you rank... 1. Whit R. 2. T. Wallace..... I was so shocked that my name was called so soon it was almost like i didn't hear it, He said ummmm are you present. I was sitting right in his face lol I said ohhhhh yea! He said well what argument do you want to chose, I WENT WITH WHAT WS ON BRIEF" Defendant actual knowledge" this was THE HARDEST argument to make in the competition, but I wanted to challenge myself!

 SHOCKED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT REALLY. I wanted to advance but I had no Idea I'd come in second place out of the top 32, that just felt awesome!

The next day was the same thing, I argued in from of three judges in the quarter final round and came out as one of the top two amount the four in my room.. which meant morrreeee arguing, AT THIS POINT I was sooo Tired and ready for it to be over.

Now we get to the semi final round and only 1 person from each room would advance, and there was a panel of 5 judges, I emphasize the amount of judges because this means more questions from more people, that you have to keep up with, answer, and attempt to get back to the point you were trying to make. This time I was a little nervous, thankfully my husband was there to cheer me on. Letting me know that I'm better under pressure, and I've been here before (One of my favorite sermons from Pastor F)

Just like the other rounds, I handled it well. Did not advance ;( but I felt great knowing I fell short by one two points, both the guy who advanced and I won two judges and then the tie breaker judge chose him by two points! That was great. Not only did I not plan to advance, I certainly didn't think I would be in the top 4. So to come in 2 and lose in the semifinal round, made me happy! AND I GOT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF POINTS FOR THE GRADE EITHER WAY so hey whats there to complain about.

It was sooo much fun, and the Professor who runs moot court said one of the judges was shocked I didn't make the final 4 :)

Everyone keeps asking if I PLAN TO JOIN THE MOOT COURT TEAM, and as of now I say IDK but I do no, no I don't plan to join. However they are having a meeting and serving chipotle Monday so I will be there for the free grub. lol

I'd rather join trial team and given my family life--- with all the traveling I cant do both, but I MURDERED MOOT COURT! :)

Ok so seeing as though I started this blog to document my journey in law school, its only right that I give a review as I'm nearing the finish line of my first year!

I have been gone wayyyyyy to long. Sorry. Law School will do that to you, but I will try my best to keep updates going. Weekly :)

I'm currently writing this post in what is suppose to be an "Assessment DAY" from what I know its an hour long survey so the law school can "see how its doing". Well as you see I'm not participating. "Im only here" for the free lunch ticket they will provide when its over.. Which brings me to my first point!

• Meetings are your friend! - OK SO no one really enjoys sitting in long seminars or boring meetings listening to speakers, but what you will learn is that almost all law schools cater to their guest, in a literal sense, so as a reward for attending you get free food at most of these events which is a winnnnn! This may not seem like "much" but as a law student trust me its a gift from God! & You also do sometimes get to network and meet great people who can help you along the way!

• CONSIDERATION... before law school if someone where to ask me what that meant I'd have a totally different meaning.{If you decide or have attended law school you know what I mean or you will learn} Upon completing Contracts I (MY FAVORITE CLASS- or maybe its just my professor and I'm bias. Whatever. Rice Rocks!)... my appreciation for consideration has changed, and I'm looking for it in every promise or statement given by someone! hahah Which leads me to my last point for now....

• Torts is tortious! As a 1L you learn what a "Tort" is and then you begin to see them everywhere. It literally changes the way you maneuver through life. I know for me it has, as well as some of my classmates. You view life through a different lens, causing you to be wayyy more careful, which I guess can be a good thing.

But whats not a "Good Thing" .. is that fact that in law school there is no such thing as a

BREAK

.. No really they are all "

Illusory

" They gave us a "fall break" so I thought, ----- that was a time to prepare for midterms 1st semester... THEN-  I kept hearing everyone say "On Thanksgiving break" you want to shorten your outlines... I didn't realize this meant that on Thanksgiving Break, you could only afford to take a "Break" for about two days to enjoy all the food and family, because upon returning ughhhhh your hit with 1st semester finals! BRUTAL.... THATS ALL I WILL SAY FOR NOW ABOUT FIANLS.. BRUTAL. 3 HOURS OF Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress. {For Each Test}

And not to mention spring break... If you're anything like me when you think "Spring Break" you remember undergrad and taking trips to the beach and having fun.... well Um yea.. In law school, you can do that but you probably will carry along with you 60lbs of books instead of a bikini. 

Spring Break while relaxing because we didn't have class every day was really an opportunity for us to get to work on our outlines.. {Outlines... are your lifeline in law school- you learn to love them} & preparing for moot court! ... I will talk more about that in my next post! 

Theres so much I have to say but I need to cut it short.. Its almost time to pretend to do the survey so i CAN GET FREE FOOD! 

I feel so relieved with this update. I've been gone way too long. So much has changed! God has been blessing my family and although law school is hard and every other day I want to quit, I'm so happy to be living out my dream!

It's been a long while since I've posted. Sorry to myself.. But I've been super busy with preparing for this next chapter in my life.

Doc W & I officially tied the knot on May 30, 2014, ( post & pics coming soon) hence my absence with wedding planning 

& as of today we moved in together!! 

As I drove away from my family & friends yesterday I couldn't help but shed tears thinking about this huge step I am taking (moving 4 hours from family) & being a wife. -- The memories were flooding my thoughts on the way to our new "home" and I was over come with a ballet of emotions. 

Although I didn't move to another state lol this is still a huge step. Having not only the responsibility of being a mom with no support system, but also being a wife. It's technically just us and we are all we have out here in this new place.. It's scary but exciting! 

I have a lot of "Important" stuff to handle for the next couple of weeks & then once we settle in I think it will actually hit me that I'm here to stay because as of now I just feel like I'm visiting! Lol 

My goal is to post more, share my blog with friends & family so they can remain up to date, & continue using it as my outlet ... 

I know I haven't posted in a while .. It's been a busy beginning of the year for me.  

Been so excited planning our "Wedding" & enjoying being engaged to my best friend. This weekend we had our engagement pictures taken at our Alma Mater (HU) & I couldn't have been happier when the photographer sent a sneak peek to Facebook this AM. 

Here they are!  Dying to see the rest :) 

--- Love. Love. Love. 

Just when I thought God had already done enough.... 

Ha! On wednesday I received my Official Scholarship information and Im so happy to say that God has blessed me with a Dean's Scholarship!!!!! Many of you who have traveled down the road to graduate school be it law, masters, or medical, know exactly what I mean when I say this is nothing short of a miracle that I will not go into deeper debt (under grad loans) for law school.... and for all the fellow medical spouses you understand that those med school loans are enough for 3 people so we didn't really want to accumulate much more debt and God made that happen for us! 

I truly know that this is all in his divine will and purpose for my life because everything is just falling into place.. I have learned that he will never bring you to a situation without the means to bring you through it, and when you do things his way, on his time table they will be blessed..While I may not have graduated the top of my undergraduate class, or scored over a 170 on my LSAT, he has continued to show me favor throughout this process!....I'm just a normal girl from a big city (NY) with a Big Heart, Big Dreams & an even BIGGER GOD! 

I can't wait to send my recommenders thank you cards and share the great news! 

Im much more excited with the financial burden being lifted and ready to begin the countdown to entering law school in August of 2014.

T MINUS 8 MONTHS!

Soooo I have some great news... Although I'm sure you probably already know what this is "I GOT ACCEPTED INTO LAW SCHOOL" To God be the Glory! 

Although I've worked so hard over the past 6 months of my life to get to this point I still can't believe this is now a reality. (&& that I can put the LSAT behind me for the rest of my life) !!!!!!!! 

On Monday as a Family we "Touched & Agreed" as the bible instructs us to do... & great things started to happen the next day for my family.. My confirmation came two days later while I sat at my desk at work and recived an email, as I thought with the LSAT, I heard it go off and something in me knew what it was. 

I opened it about 10 minutes later and I saw a message from one of my Two First Choices.

It had only been about a week and a half since I submitted my application to them so I was completely shocked to hear from them this soon. I had to get up and text Doc W "answer your phone, it's an emergency" because I needed to share my great news with him first! ( I contemplated on using the word emergency .. But I figured hey if the hospital can make you run when you hear that word... I should be able to too.. I know Evil, hahahah judge me later). 

I ran from my desk to call him...&& we screamed and praised God together. 

I later shared with my family the news and everyone offered sincere congrats. 

I'm so excited to actually be able to say I am going to Law School in 2014! This will be the greatest 25th Birthday Gift everrrr! This journey is going to be challenging and I'm ready to embrace that. I look forward to all that God has in store for me and this next chapter in life :-) 

I will continue to keep my readers posted and I look forward to sharing the journey with you all! 

So as I mentioned before, instead of refreshing my email every 5 seconds after taking the #LSAT, I was actually productive while playing the waiting game.

I used the time waiting on my scores to ensure my letters of recommendations were received and processed by LSAC, I began filling out my applications with all the information that I could, and I worked on the final edits of my personal statement.

I would encourage you to do some of these same things during your waiting game. It not only alleviates stress, but depending on the time you apply, it positions you for early admissions to your top choices. (Grant/Scholarship opportunities, and it allows you to gain entrance before the slots are tight).

(Writing your personal statement while your studying for the LSAT is helpful also, it takes your mind off of the daugnting test for a second, and reminds you of how awesome you are and why again your actually "studying" to get a good score to gain entrance into law school)

** Make sure you get your statement proofed by everyone you know! (ok not everyone) I started with an unbiased friend who has written several book over the past few years. Then I passed it along to my boyfriend who allowed one of his fraternity brothers who is currently a practicing attorney, to proof it. I made revisions and edits where necessary and recommended, and then solicited my sisters best friend who is an esteemed publicist for one of the local school districts to make the final edits, to ensure everything came together, that it made sense, and that there were no grammatical errors, the previous editors missed **

Once she gave this to me, I was ready to go! My applications had already been completed many in which the personal statement was the only thing missing. I am currently going through the

Process,

 I submitted applications today to my top choices, and I look forward to hearing from them in the coming weeks!!!

So just 4 days ago I received my long awaited {ok not really it came 2 days early} LSAT score. I had already planned to attended an "Expierence Law Weekend" at Liberty University law school in Lynchburg Va prior to receiving my score, but attending with score in tow made it even more fulfilling! 

Something that is top priority to me is my faith as a Christian and most people believe lawyers to be very deceitful people. For that reason and a few others I am very interested in the two law schools in the Nation based on Christian Values and Principals. Both ironically in VA, one being Liberty and the other Regent (Close to home-- 40 mins in fact)! 

I arrived on Thursday night for an early morning beginning Friday at 8:30 am. 

Driving up to the campus was a sight in itself, Liberty is located in the mountainous region of Virginia, so in the middle of the fall you can just imagine the beauty of the mountains and trees. 

Upon arrival we were greeted by some faculty and staff members in the mountain view room. [The name of course gives away that one wall is all glass and you can look out into the beautiful mountains, they seem endless.] We signed in and recived a couple of cool trinkets {Liberty Lip balm, a coffee mug of course a pin and notepad, as well as a book bag} to carry along with us when we depart. They provided breakfast, lunch, and a snack (Chic Fil A) throughout the duration of the day! I will never forget that harvest peach salad! It was amazing!!! 

We had several events planned which included us sitting in on an actual law class ( I chose Civil Procedure) & learned a lot from a skit of the Famous Mattel case, we reviewed Rule 11, 26, & 37 sanctions. Very insightful lecture & interesting lecture. 

We had a couple of panel discussions with the faculty and current students, of course they answered the million and one questions us prospective students had. They were very helpful and welcoming! Everyone was.. 

I've heard some positive and negative things about Liberty and it's culture pre visit, I didn't let those negative connotations alter my view or my opinion. Honestly after visiting this weekend they have jumped to the too of my list regarding my school choices. Their loving and close nit "family" is something I felt myself being apart of and the love of God and Jesus resognates heavily in that place and I LOVE IT. 

Not to mention I spoke with the Admissions Commitee told them my scores and just had genuine conversations with some faculty who asked what I was waiting for to apply, they would love to have a student like me at their School :-) 

I am looking forward the application process, and certainly open to all the Liberty has to offer. (They have a replica Supreme Court room, two court room/classrooms, and the number one Lawyering Skills program in the nation... They are also one of 12 out of all ABA approved schools to have 100% merit based scholarship retention!!! I'd love to join their student body .. Oh and did I mention it's only 45 mins of Doc W's school!! He's hoping to complete his residency in this area as we'll so it would just be perfect, and if it's in Gods will it will all fall into place.  

Stay Tuned. 

Well the numbers are in! Like so many of you [those who've taken the LSAT & those who plan to take it one day] I waited in anticipation for the past 23 days for my LSAT Score to come in ... & today was that day of Truth! 

As I sat at my desk at work... I heard the email sound go off on my phone... & for some reason I just "knew" what it was! 

I actually opened it by accident. (I wasn't ready) lol .. Once it was open there was no looking back... So I peeked at the score, yes peeked one eye open as I scrolled down to where it said "Your October 2013 LSAT score is" & I couldn't contain myself! 

The exact score I wrote down at the beginning of my study process is what what I received!!!! 'Write the vision & make it plain' Habakuk 2:2

Just like I thought. Section 2 was a wammy... By far the weirdest of questions & structure! I felt so uncertain about that section and as I guessed, it was the practice section! :) 

To my suprise I actually scored the most points in my challenge area [Logic Games]! Whooo hooooo! That was the first section and I thought at the time man these games can't be this easy but I Guess that Logic Games Bible (book) came in Handy! 

The weight has been lifted and now I can move forward with the application process! I'm so excited... The journey has really just begun! 

Well well well. October 5th has come & gone. I'm still in shock. Sometimes I look over at my books like I'm suppose to be reading them.... But prayerfully I never have to open them again...! 

The night before my test my routine was pretty exciting. I guess lol. 

I grabbed some Blue Bell Ice Cream (Krazy Kookie Dough--cake batter ice cream with sugar cookie pieces) amazing! Then watched Legally Blonde for a little motivation. Let's face it, watching Elle Woods get a 179 & get into Harvard  Law gives us normal people hope :-) 

I attempted to go to sleep around 10pm but failed. Miserably. I simply couldn't sleep. So I convinced Doc W to stay on the phone with me. He laughed at how anxious I was. My mind was racing, although I packed everything (or so I thought). I was like what should I wear, should I bring a jacket although the weather was saying it would be 80 degrees, what snack should I bring. What if I over slept or my alarm didn't sound. I had a million what if questions that he brushed off by encouraging me to calm down & go to sleep. 

Eventually I did but it was a light sleep... I heard every creek in the walls that night... I woke up around 6:30 after Doc W called as a just in case my alarm didn't go off. Oh yea I forgot to mention he came down this weekend to surprise me so Saturday morning I got a text and met him after getting dressed. He followed me to the testing center. That I def scoped out the day before. Don't forget to Do THIS if you can! 

To my surprise it was the schools homecoming so the parking lots and entrances were blocked off.. So I illegally got on campus and parked right in front of the building. We said a prayer for my success on the test, & not to get towed and then I headed in. 

My Mug Shot: 

I had coffee that morning so I had to use the bathroom upon entering the building. I found the class I was suppose to be in that wa listed by last name. I was the first to arrive to my room so the test instructor advised me to wait. I sat & waited, & waited, more people showed up.. I waited some more... Then she finally says get your ID & test ticket out. Oh shoot. I realize at this time my ID was the one thing I forgot to put in my ziplock so I raced down to my car, thankfully I illegally parked in front of the building or I would have been in trouble... Then I rushed back up, got checked in and was ready to roll. 

The test was a challenge but I feel good about it. We were done by 1:15 so I spent the rest of the weekend celebrating with Doc W. 

Today I also went back to work & that was amazing. Helped me to not refresh my email every 5mins looking for my score :( lol. The struggle. 

Still learning the ropes in training but it seems pretty exciting. 

I will update more hopefully since the test is over, now I'm anticipating October 30th. Test Score Release Date by email 😲😬 

Its October 1st! YAY... Soooo the countdown is so real, I have officially 3 more days until  the LSAT.

While I'm still nervous and feeling unprepared... I'm ready for this phase to be over so I can focus on my applications, recommendation letters, and officially getting my life back!

Tomorrow I am going to take my final (Prep- Test) ... and then rest my mind until saturday. My brain has gone on complete overload. Its funny how the roles have reversed, just a few months ago my boyfriend was preparing for Step 1 board exams and I was there to encourage him when he felt defeated and now its my turn, he's certainly the voice of reason. Im having as he would call them "Knowledge Nightmares" ... I just can't escape the LSAT. Oddly enough I feel like once its over I will miss it, bittersweet.

Hopefully Doc W, comes into town this weekend to celebrate with me POST TEST, (I wont get my hopes up, I completely understand the demands of his Peds rotation that is 7 hours away) I will certainly need a massage and a glass of wine before the weekend is over.

Fortunately, I will start back working on Monday so that will keep me occupied instead of refreshing my email every 5 seconds looking for my lsat results.