Survival Guide for the Law School Wife

Trevor's Law School Graduation & Being Sworn in as an Attorney

The week before law school started the school had a big orientation just for the family members of the students. I attended eager to learn more about what was ahead for us, "Law school, I thought to myself, what an exciting new adventure!" They had provided us with lunches and I shortly found myself chatting away with another young woman whose husband would be in Trevor's class. Throughout that meeting, between bites of my delicious Apple Spice Junction turkey sandwich, my eagerness slowly turned into worry. They had counselors and spouses talking us through the law school experience and what to expect. Woman shared their personal struggles, and things they had learned along the way. By the time the orientation was complete, the smile I had walked in with had been wiped right off my face. I was scared. They made law school sound horrible. (The cool thing about blogging, is that I have those thoughts documented!) They didn't sugar coat anything, and I left with the impression that this whole law school experience was going to be a lot more challenging than I had originally anticipated.

In retrospect, I appreciate the honesty. I felt like I was better equipped for the changes that were going to happen after that meeting. Throughout the last few years I have had several e-mails and comments from other women entering the world of Law School with their husbands or boyfriends. They wanted advice, tips, anything to prepare them. I thought since now that we have officially been through it all, the LSAT, law school, the Bar, and officially becoming an attorney, that I would put together a post about our experience and the advice that I would give. I don't want to scare you, but I will be totally honest. With that said, this advice is based of what I have learned from others and our own personal experience. And just like anything, no two situations are exactly alike. Hopefully those who are going through this experience can take something from this! If I can help one law school widow out there then I have done some good in the world today, haha.

So let's get stated shall we...

YOUR HUSBAND IS GOING TO FEEL STUPID.

One thing I have learned is that anyone who goes to Law School is smart. Not that making the decision to go is smart, I mean that the caliber of people who attend are smart individuals. They are used to doing well in school. They typically have always got good grades, and for the most part excelled over their other peers in this way. Then they go to Law School with a bunch of other people who are just as smart, or smarter than them. It is a whole new ball game for them. They are not used to this kind of competition academically, and when you add the pressure to rank the best, it can truly break down their spirits. Because you don't have traditional homework in law school, there is no way for them to judge how well they are doing until after they already get their final grade for the class. This causes some major stress and anxiety. They start to question their abilities, and how smart they are, and that is incredibly hard to watch as a spouse. This is where your most important role starts and will need to continue throughout the next few years.

Your job is simply to...

UTAH STATE BAR AND SWORN IN

For those who asked about my shoes, they are on major sale right now!

Last Thursday Trevor was sworn in and officially became an attorney! This day was better than his graduation for me! Graduating from law school is more like a tease because you aren't actually done. You now have an entire summer of grueling studying to do for the Bar. And Trevor had to do that while working, making his summer extra stressful. But now we are now officially FINISHED with the entire process of becoming an attorney, and it feels amazing!

THE BAR

A grainy shot from my phone, but I like it none the less. This is us at a wedding, one of the few times we got out together in the last few months!

Trevor graduated from BYU Law School back in April, which honestly, in retrospect seems like some sick joke. I mean, why do they celebrate something that isn't really "done" yet? If you are wondering where my bitter attitude is from, it would be that this whole summer Trevor has been overwhelmed with studying for the bar. Trevor, unfortunately and fortunately, has been working for a firm since before he graduated. He loves his job, but working full time while trying to study for the bar is no walk in the park.

I have watched him go to work all day, come home, and pour what little energy he has left into studying until we go to bed. It was disheartening to watch. I wished there was a way I could do some of it for him! But all of this was on him. He decided to take the month of July off to just study. Since he was behind from working full time he would wake up and spend the whole day in the office studying until dinner. Then after dinner go right back to studying before bed. I can't tell you how much it means for me to see him work so hard. He isn't just doing this for himself, and that is never lost on me.
 

Last week Trevor took the bar, a two day grueling test. And I feel like, now, yes NOW we can actually celebrate something! Our law school experience is complete from start to finish. What an incredible, and difficult journey it was. It feels like yesterday I was rushing to finish a surprise cake for him to come home to after taking the LSAT. Oh man, I remember when I thought the LSAT was an ordeal, what I didn't know!

The last three years have been miserable at times, and amazing at others. The law school experience married comes with it's challenges, but I am grateful for them. They created a deeper bond between us and solidified the fact that we are in this together, a team. There isn't much more comforting in this world then knowing you love someone, they love you, and you are together no matter what. Feeling really grateful for such a strong companion in my life!

Life this past week has already been drastically different! I am so happy to have more time with my husband again. Since the LSAT studying started Trevor's spare time has been full of studying, internships, etc. Life lately has been AWESOME! I forgot what it was like to have him available so much. We are both pretty excited about it :) CHEERS!

BYU Law School Graduation

*dress details here 

Even when Trevor and I were dating he talked about his plans to go to Law School. It is something I have always known was in his future. Six years later watching him receive his Juris Doctorate was a pretty surreal experience. Law School has been an a ride. We have grown in so many ways going through this together, it is hard to explain to anyone who hasn't been through it. I honestly have to give Law School credit for making our marriage so much more solid and strong.

I am going to take a minute to brag about my husband, because he deserves it. He hates this kind of attention but I don't care. Trevor's work ethic and dedication is something I more then admire, it literally leaves me dumbfounded at times. I have never seen someone work so diligently in my life. He is constantly an example to me of what could be if I really wanted it. He has shown me I can achieve anything if I am willing to work for it.

Because of his hard work and dedication throughout Law School he has had great internships and opportunities. He was on Law Review, and some of his published work even received awards. He achieved the outstanding goal of graduating with Honors, earning one of the top placements in the class. And now he has a job that he is very excited about. This of course makes me so incredibly happy, because we all want our loved ones to love what they do.

I am so proud of Trevor and all his hard work. With Law School done it has been crazy to think about the next chapter in our lives. We can't wait to see what the future has in store for us, because so far, life together has been pretty amazing!

SHARING STYLE : GRADUATION DRESS

BAG: KATE SPADE

DRESS: DOROTHY PERKINS - SIMILAR BELOW 

Dorothy Perkins is doing 30% OFF right now!

I got several comments about the dress I wore to Trevor's Graduation this Friday. Unfortunately I didn't get a great shot in it, but thought I would share the details anyway.

This dress has actually been sitting in my closet for over two years. I had bought it specifically for an event, but didn't realize that I had put on quite a bit of weight when I ordered it. When it arrived and I tried it on, and it didn't fit. I couldn't even zip it up all the way! I had never experienced something like that, so I was very disheartened. But I loved the dress and knew I would be able to wear it someday again. I am so thrilled to say that since then I have gotten my life back on track in regards to my health, and this little number slipped right on!

I know that this wasn't MY graduation, but anyone who has gone through Law School married, or even dating for that matter, knows what I mean when I say we deserve some kind of certification after that! HA! For Trevor's graduation I wanted to wear something classic and simple. While going through my closet I saw this dress again, and I knew it was meant to be. I hadn't worn it since I got it. I love the black and white color blocking, which creates a great effect with the body con shape. Whenever I wear all black or white I love to play up the color in my accessories. I love how this bright yellow Kate Spade purse adds a punch of color to the overall look.

The exact dress I have isn't available anymore, but they had SO many similar ones I thought I would put them all together for you to look through! :) Dorothy Perkins is doing 30% OFF right now!

  
A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. O.

FALL IN UTAH

Fall in Utah rivals my love for the sea. Really, there is nothing like seeing the colors in the mountains. So beautiful. It is what I will miss most about Utah, besides all my friends of course ;) Last Friday Trevor and I took a drive and walked through some of the beautiful trees and forest. Winter is sneaking up on us fast and I wanted to soak it all up.

It was nice to spend an afternoon with him since we are normally so busy these days and on opposite schedules. While out I surprised Trevor with a little congratulatory gift and letter. I think he was surprised seeing he accepted his offer weeks ago. I just wanted him to know how proud I am for how hard he works, and how much I appreciate all he does. Trevor doesn't like to make a fuss or a big deal out of anything, but he married me, so he has to deal with that sometimes :)

Pants, Top (On SALE), Scarf, Boots.

moving the party

via 

Well, it is official folks. Trevor has accepted a job offer and we will be moving to Las Vegas next year! Moving from Provo to Sin City will sure be an interesting change, talk about polar opposites! This move won't be happening for a solid year, however the wheels are already in motion.

We are very excited and feel very blessed that Trevor has this opportunity. I am happy that he will be able to relax his last year of law school without having to worry about employment, such a blessing. 

Ever since I came to Utah I had this nagging feeling that I couldn't wait to "leave." Don't get me wrong, I loved attending the University of Utah, but I was always comparing Utah to San Diego. It was too cold, and I didn't know anyone, yadda, yadda, yadda. Oh what missed opportunities. Over the last six years here Utah stole my heart. If only I had realized sooner what an amazing place it was here! If only I had been more open from the start.

Honestly, it has only been the past year that I have really grown to appreciate everything Utah has to offer. Such beauty, such great people! While I am excited for what is next, my heart aches to leave what we have built here. Somewhere along the way, with my bad attitude and everything, Utah became home. I will miss everything about it. Well... maybe not the part where I have to scrape snow off my car for most of the year... HA. But really, I don't want to make the same mistake twice. I could look at Vegas and not see its potential until we have to leave again. I want to soak up everything it has to offer. And Vegas has a lot to offer us. 

We will both be so much closer to family!  No more twelve hour drives to see my family and friends in San Diego! And only an hour away from Trevor's family. While there are three hot almost unbearable months in the summer, the rest of the year is pretty dang great weather. I am so ready for a 58 degree winter! And let's not forget the shopping... oh the outlet shopping. And something we both couldn't be more excited about, THE FOOD. Trevor and I are foodies. When he was living there this summer he kept going on and on about all the amazing cuisine and different restaurants. I can't wait to take advantage of all of that.

I guess the hardest part will be having to make new friends! We don't know anyone in Vegas! But that is the one really cool thing about moving in my opinion. When I came to Utah, I knew no one. But now I am leaving so many wonderful friends that I know will be in my life forever. The same can happen in Vegas. It is time to keep on moving forward, expand and grow. Who knows where we will end up living "forever," it doesn't matter, I will always try to make friends where ever I go. And I can't wait to see what special people are waiting for us in Vegas :) Here we come!

Changes

Oh change. I love a good change, especially when it comes at the right time in your life. Which is usually the case, even if you don't think it is at the time. Change is in the air all over the place in my life right now. The weather here in Utah is fading from hot summer nights, to those perfect fall days everyone craves and wishes lasted longer. Utah in the fall is pretty perfect.

Trevor has entered his last year of Law School which is exciting enough news to stop the list right there. We are currently in the middle of figuring out where we will be ending up next year and the whole thing is really just exhilarating. It is dominating all of our conversation these days.

I feel like I am in front of a real life "choose your own adventure" book right now, and Trevor and I are just sitting and staring at each one and trying to figure out which one ours will be. Where will we be moving? Having babies? Starting life after grad school?

These are the moments that make life so exciting. All those choices you make that end up creating what is YOUR life. They can all add up to something pretty special. I guess I am getting a little emotional this Fall, knowing it will probably be my last here in Utah for who knows how long. Emotional at the idea of another chapter of our lives reaching the end.

Today I am so grateful for change. The change that makes us better people as we grow and learn. The changes that make a marriage stronger year after year. The changes that bring us to all the new seasons in our lives. And what a beautiful season this has turned out to be.

meeting my love in the red rocks...

Over the weekend I drove down to meet Trevor in St. George. I can't believe this is only the second time I have seen him in two months. Saying good bye to him is like slowly ripping a band aid off. When I am home I can distract myself with work and friends and then when we see each other I am reminded of just how much I miss him and it sucks. I am happy that this is the last summer we will have to be apart like this. 

Summer internships and associate positions are just apart of Law School life, so knowing we have one more year left and then we don't have to be apart of our summers ever again is really exciting! I feel guilty even complaining because I know there are so many families that have husbands and wives deployed for years at a time and I just can't imagine that. You guys are amazing!

We made the best of our short weekend and went out with his family on their boat. The weather was perfect! Not too hot, but just hot enough to make getting in the water the most refreshing thing ever. I love boating, but was reminded just how much I need to work out my arms and legs because I am so sore even today two days after!

Trevor playing with his niece :)

 

After the morning and afternoon on the lake we decided to walk around the red rock cliffs. We hadn't been there since the summer we were engaged, and it was fun to just walk around and talk. We were pretty hot after our hot and windy stroll through the red rocks so we decided to grab a drink at the ever so popular "Swig" here in St. George. How a place that pretty much just sells soda can be so popular is beyond me, got to love Utah, haha. I got myself a "dirty" Root Beer which is Root Beer with a shot of coconut syrup in it. It was scrumptious. Trevor got their popular Mountain Dew and Mango combination. After we refreshed ourselves we hit up a movie and had dinner in this adorable diner. It was nice to actually have dinner with my husband! I miss just talking to him in person, so it was nice.

Sunday came too quickly. After breakfast and Father's Day gift giving and a great lunch we were packed up and heading our separate ways. Thankfully I have a lot going on the next few weeks to keep me preoccupied, but I feel bad for Trevor who has to be alone in Vegas with no friends or family. I think it is harder for him then me for us to be apart :( I love the summer time, but this is one summer I want to go by quickly, I want my husband back!

Check out Natalie and her adorable blog...

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a law school graduation present, a year early...

Trevor has needed a new electric guitar for a long time now. Back when he was doing Jazz Guitar Performance at the University of Utah his professors would practically beg him to get a new guitar. They kept on telling him that he was too good for the guitar he had, and he owed it to himself to get a better one. Trevor has had his reliable electric guitar since he was little, so to say he needed a new one was an understatement.

We decided that a new electric guitar was worthy of a Law School Graduation present, so we held off on getting him a new one. Well I don't know if senioritis kicked in, or what exactly, but over the last several months Trevor has been searching and shopping around for a new guitar. Then he found one online for a steal of a deal and he was in love. So we talked about it and thought that now was probably a better time to get it anyways. The third year is notoriously the easiest in Law School, and if we waited until he was graduating to get him the guitar he would be right in the thick of studying for the Bar. He also would most likely be starting a new job, and he would have a lot less time then he will over this next year to play around on his new toy.

 

So we got it. I have always wanted to surprise him with a gift I knew would mean a lot to him, but that is hard to do with how much money a guitar costs, that and the fact that I would have no clue what he would want in a guitar! haha So on the day it was supposed to arrive Trevor thought he would have to pick it up the next day from the post office because no one would be home to sign for it. So I thought this could be my chance to have a little surprise. I went into work a little late so I could stay and sign for it. Then I opened it up and left it sitting there with a card for him. You should have seen his face when he got home not expecting it to be there!

Trevor has been playing it non stop. I love coming home to him playing. I am sad he will be gone most of the summer and I won't get to hear it as often. This guy totally deserves this guitar. Such a hard worker, and talented to boot. Before he left I filmed one of his solos he has been practicing, just thought I would share it :) Here is a post with one of my favorites he plays!

 

half way party...

Technically Trevor was half way done with law school back in December. But his class didn't have their "half way party" until March, and of course I am blogging about it now that he is done his second year and very much over half way done! 

Trevor is more of a wall flower and he did not want to go to the half way party. Thankfully I caught wind of it because I am friends with some of his classmates :) I love me a good party, so like a good wife I decided to make him go. I promised him we would only stay half an hour. 

The party was held at the Underground in Provo. An amazing space that has a vintage, jazzy vibe. I totally want to throw a Great Gatsby Party down there! They had it catered by Station 22, which if you haven't tried that place yet you are crazy. Their chicken, waffles, and bacon dish is to die for, and if that wasn't good enough they had mini version of it at the party! LOVE.

And what is a party if they don't have a photo booth? They had one there and us girl's totally hammed it up. All these girls in these pictures with me are actually law students, not law school wives, well actually Amanda is a law student and a law school wife (don't get me started on all the amazingly ambitious women in Trevor's class!) The guy who did the photo booth cropped the pictures way weird and zoomed really close up and I don't know what kind of editing he did but my hair looked yellow, literally, yellow. I tried to edit over them a bit, so don't judge me on the quality of these photos, haha.

can you tell trevor was so excited to take a picture in the photo booth? :) that is trevor's classic "lazy smile face" oh and love the crop job? haha

It was nice to meet some of Trevor's classmates that he spends all day with in classes and the library. People were playing pool, darts, there was a DJ and people were dancing. One thing I love about Trevor is that even though he is shy, he isn't afraid to dance with me. We danced, ate great food, had root beer from the tap, and before Trevor knew it he had been at that party for an hour and a half. He didn't realize he was having so much fun ;)

I am so proud of that man. Not because he stayed at the party for an hour and a half, ha, but because he works so dang hard and it pays off. I look up to him in so many ways, and I think one of his strongest attributes is always pushing himself to do his best. That isn't something I have always tried to do, and because of him he has changed that. So thank you Trevor, thank you :)

distance & time...

some pretty flowers from one of our impromptu lunch dates this week that brightened my day.

I don't know about you, but things have been going turbo speed in the Crowley household these days. Trevor is studying all day everyday until next Wednesday, and I have been super busy with work lately because it is Earth Month. Since Aveda is all about the environment, Earth Month is the busiest time of year for us. We have a ton of different events going on all month at the Institute to try and raise $14,000. We have already raised over $11,000, so we are doing pretty great, but to say I have a lot going on is an understatement!

What makes it even worse is that Trevor and I are both so busy right now, and this is our last time living in the same city for awhile. You may remember last year Trevor got an internship in Arizona and was gone for an entire month. Well a month looks like nothing now compared to Trevor's Summer Associate Position this summer.

Last fall Trevor was offered a Summer Associate Position at a firm in Vegas. We are very excited, it is a great opportunity, but it means he will be living in Vegas for the majority of the summer, and I will be here. So we have known for awhile now that we will be apart for the summer, and it is funny when I tell people this because they instantly ask why I am not moving to Vegas with him. Well you see when Trevor comes back someone still has to have a job and pay the bills! haha

It will suck, but we are looking at the positives. I am going to try and visit every other weekend. We are going to plan lots of fun dates for each time I am down and really take advantage of the fact that we will be in Vegas!

In a way I think we will probably go on way more intentional and fun planned dates then normal because of the absence and the fact we will be in a new city :) But even looking on the bright side it doesn't make me feel better that our last few weeks together will be spent studying for finals and working. I guess I can find comfort in the fact that after this we will never have to be apart again because of schooling! We have one more year of Law School to get through! Can you believe that? One more year?!

We have been trying to squeeze in lunch dates between all the chaos lately, so it has been nice to randomly see my husband in the daylight as opposed to just before we go to bed :) In some weird way, all of this has seemed to make us closer then ever. I don't want to say goodbye when May rolls around... :(

disguised blessings...

 

 Sami Jo Photography

Sometimes I just have to sit back in awe of how life unfolds before me. I have always been a planner, and I like to have control when it comes to what will happen next in my life. Over the past several years I have had so many experiences where I realize I need to let things happen the way God wants them to happen for me.

While I believe God lets us make our own decisions, I also believe there are moments in our life where he is strongly guiding us, and if we have the right attitude and are open to the spirit, we will receive amazing blessings. Lately I can't help but think about the past year and the amazing blessings that have come to me, even though I didn't see them at the time.

I went to the University of Utah and got a BS in Social Science Teaching and a minor in History Teaching. I have always had a passion for history, and cultures, and have always wanted to share that with others, especially youth. I want to help young people think about their futures and the world around them, and help them decide what they love and believe in, what they care about. Teaching has always been something I want to do, and it still is.

Trevor applied to many different places for Law School, and we thought for a good period of time he would be attending school out of state. Because of this I graduated with my degree but did not finish my student teaching certification so I wouldn't loose any credits when starting at another school and I would just have my degree. There really was no point of starting a student teaching program in one state, just to have to pretty much start over in another in a year or so. But as life usually goes, the plan changed, and BYU Law School was where we were headed.

I looked into all the different ways I could do the program here in Utah and at the end of the day, the best plan was to still do it at the University of Utah. But we now lived in Provo, no big deal, an hour commute isn't so bad. Yet once we realized I wouldn't be able to work much while doing student teaching (if at all), and Trevor couldn't work while attending law school, that would mean no income, and continued student debt. Then my student loans from my Bachelor's degree got called in and I had a better idea of where we stood, and the whole idea of it financially didn't make a lot of sense.

I feel like deep down I had known for awhile it wasn't a good time to do it, but I stubbornly didn't want to believe that. I had my plan, and my plan was to be teaching and then to be working on my Masters. I remember perfectly one day while trying to figure out what to do I was driving in the car and I just started sobbing. My heart and brain and finally matched up and I just knew that it was not the right time. I didn't expect it to be such an emotional decision for me, but I just knew the right thing to do was to hold off on the Student Teaching and Masters Program and pursue some type of job.

At first I was a little bitter, giving up what I wanted to do so Trevor could pursue his Law degree. But deep down I knew it was the smartest decision at the time for me and our future family. Trevor was so loving and supportive of how I was feeling, and I really appreciated him just letting me figure it all out on my own. He didn't try telling me what to do, but let me come to the decision on my own, and in this situation that is exactly what I needed. He gave me the time I needed.

So after that emotional break down and then coming to a sense of peace about the decision, I started to apply my heart away for a ton of different jobs, and like most job hunting goes, it felt like I was getting nothing back.

To make a long story short, I landed an amazing job doing Paralegal work for an Attorney here in Provo. Over the past two years I have worked for him and he has been the most amazing boss, I look to him as a family member and he treats me the same as well. I have also learned so much about the legal world I would have never been able to learn without experiencing a job like this. I feel like I have gained a connection to Trevor's experience in Law School that we would have never had without this job. We can talk about what he is doing in school and I can understand and even contribute to the conversation! The experience, knowledge and friendships I have made through this job have been a true blessing.

The Paralegal work was part time, so I had to get something else to do so I could be working full time. I ended up getting a job as a part time Financial Aid Advisor. I almost couldn't believe that two schedules would match up so perfectly. I have been learning a whole new profession, I get to work with students which is something I love, and I have the best co-workers I could ask for! I am surrounded with a bunch of smart, powerful and driven people at my Financial Aid job, and I absolutely love the work environment and friendships I have made.

I just look back to that time in the car where I had my break down and realize now what God had in store for me. I have been able to experience totally different avenues in work experience that I would have never thought of doing that I love! I feel like it has made me more well rounded and it has definitely been a resume builder. I am able to support Trevor and me while he is in school, and I know that down the road I will be able teach, but until then, these two jobs have been our biggest blessing while he has been in school.

These experiences have opened up my idea of what my future could look like in regards to a career, and has sparked different interests and passions of mine. Growing up I always wanted to be a teacher thinking that I would be a mother and a teacher and that was it. Now I realize I can do that, and so much more as well. The sky is the limit!

I could write a gazillion posts about all the many blessings that God has blessed Trevor and I with this past year and half, or even throughout our lives, but I think some of the most meaningful ones come from our willingness to let go of "our plans" and let God help guide us.

Sometimes it can be hard to remember that God has a better plan for us then our own, but if we listen, we can have a life even we didn't know was possible for us.

mourning of the beard...

When I first met Trevor he had hair almost as long as mine and a full beard, a beautiful full beard :) I was smitten, obviously. Don't ask my why but I have always loved long haired and bearded men, the hairier the better! So you can understand my complaints I have with BYU. For those of you who aren't aware, students attending BYU are not allowed to have any facial hair and have to have shorter hair cuts. 

Apparently the Law School is a little more lax on this requirement, but Trevor still can't go certain places and take tests or use the gym facilities at the school etc. with a beard. Why is a clean face considered better when it comes to professionalism? I would personally go back to the old days where most men had beards! *le sigh*  

To make it worse Trevor's facial hair grows back so fast, that he can shave in the morning and by the end of the day have a 5 o'clock shadow again! So the poor guy is having to constantly shave and irritate his skin.

Anyways, just wanted to get my complaints out there and say that I am mourning the loss of the "the beard" today. Trevor had to go back to school and he shaved it all off this week :( I LOVED having the beard back over Christmas break, and I already miss him.

I just want my beard back.



cliché new year's resolution...

♥ ♥ ♥

I don't normally make official new year's resolutions, I like to make goals throughout the year whenever I feel I need to make a change. However this year Trevor and I are embarking on the most cliché new year's resolution there is. Losing weight and eating better. 

When I first met Trevor he was a mean, lean, fighting machine! Sorry I have just always wanted to use that phrase in a sentence haha :) Anywho, as I was saying, Trevor was in shape, like in shape shape. He was the most disciplined eater I had ever seen. Through dating him and being married, he has taught me so much about nutrition, fitness and the body in general.

Then law school happened. HA!

Trevor hasn't had the same time he always did, and his life become much more stressful. I shifted to working full time and feeling so tired by the end of the day that the last thing I wanted to do is go to the gym. It has taken us awhile to figure out our new routines and I for one have been yo-yoing for the past year. I will lose the weight, and then put it right back on. I have never had to deal with that before and I can feel that my body isn't what it used to be, I am not seventeen anymore and I can't just eat whatever I want!

On top of that when Trevor is stressed out, he likes his comfort food. So the last couple months have been really hard for me to eat right with Trevor bringing home all the favorites, pizza, burgers, you get the idea? Then with Christmas approaching why on earth would I start eating healthy then? Biggest temptation month of the year! So then we figured we may as well as enjoy it and start with a clean slate after the new year. Pathetic? Maybe. Realistic? Yes.

So this is where we have found ourselves. We have not been taking care of our bodies, and we can feel it, and we are running out of excuses. Being honest, is there ever a good excuse to not be eating healthy? No. No there isn't. That unfortunately is a hard truth we ALL need to learn more about.

So I am about to have a rude awakening these next couple weeks. Thankfully, and not so thankfully when Trevor wants to eat right, he does, and he does it in full force. He likes to have us on a low carb diet, and for me, that is rough, because carbs are my dear, dear friend, so I will have to figure out something that really works for me personally.

Obviously this doesn't mean we will be perfect, but moderation, balance, and health is the key! If our diet is 80-90% healthy, I will be ecstatic with that! I mean 100%? Well I don't know about you, but I need my bowl of Macaroni and Cheese every now and then, or yes, I just might die.

I know I hold my weight well, but I am about 12 pounds over my normal healthy/working out/eating right weight and I feel like crap. I can see it affect not just my pants by my energy level. It is honestly the most weight I have ever had to lose, so if it seems small to you, it is still pretty daunting to me. The smaller amount of weight you have to lose, the harder it is to lose it. I hate those last 5 pounds, they are a killer and feel like they take forever. With my body making changes I know that this is something that will have to become a lifestyle if I plan on staying in shape. So here is to more balance in our life and figuring out a schedule that will serve our bodies better!

Anyone else trying to lose some weight or eat healthier in the new year? 

What New Year's Resolutions are you guys working on?

half way there...

this is when I make trevor leave the law library and have lunch with me :)

Trevor is officially half way done with Law School. I can't even believe it. Time is a funny thing, somehow it can go by slowly and quickly simultaneously. That is how I would describe our Law School experience.

There have been moments where it felt like this was going to last for forever, and now I sit here amazed that we are already half way there. Yes, I say we. Indeed Trevor is the one studying and doing all the hard work, but as his spouse I have to deal with never seeing him, doing extra around the apartment, and lifting his spirits when things become too much for him. I have truly been his partner through this, and while it has come with its challenges, I think it is one of the best things that has happened to our marriage. We are much more patient and understanding with each other, and appreciative.

The other night Trevor and I were talking about life after law school and it gave me butterflies. I guess I just envisioned us in school for such a long time when we got married that I can't believe we are already needing to have conversations like this!

I tell Trevor I am proud of him every single day, but for some reason those words just don't do it enough justice, and when we were about to go to sleep and Trevor thanked me for all that I do for him to make his life easier, my heart melted. I am so thankful for a hard working husband and best friend in my life :)