first things first

As with any true and grand celebration, the first thing we did when Dustin finished the bar exam on Wednesday was say, "LET'S GO EAT!"

I love food. Everyone does, because basically, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it (mmmm, but sugarcoating...), you'd die without it. Sometimes I think it's only natural that obesity takes over so many people's lives, because you can't actually give up food. An addict has no escape. 

Your life will not be better without food. It's not like you can go to a rehab dedicated to removing you from situations where food may come near you. Training you to be a better person without food. Food WILL come near you. Food will always get you in the end. 

All that being said, the true story behind these photos is that we were mega sucking-it-in because we were halfway through a stuff-your-face marathon of Italian foodery. 

Maggiano's (if you've heard of it, you know) is the perfect celebration spot, because they have something called Family Style which is an all-you-can-eat option made of a handful of appetizers and pastas and lemon cookies from the goddess of baking. 

You get to try a little bit everything, and then try it all again and again and again.

I've been wearing some fabulous hand-me-downs every day this week. My best friend, God bless her, is a shopaholic of the most charming kind.
Charming because I get all of her clothes when she cleans out her closet, which is often, because who could ever fit all of that fabric in one closet? Nobody. Which is why she also has clothes at her parent's house, but still, exploding with clothing. It's an arrangement that I'm more than happy to keep, and she feels great knowing that her clothes live on in another completely unique and special life (which also gives her the gumption to keep shopping, because charity and giving are good qualities).

It has been a wonderful week, and we are spending this well-earned weekend in California with Dusty's brother and sister-in-law! We get to see family and friends and maybe even our alma mater, CBU.
We will eat and beach and be merry.

Cheers to a fabulous August!

why moving is the worst (but has made me a better human)

Dress: Ruche, Bangles: Kate Spade, Nails: Jamberry

I was born and raised in a small desert town in Arizona.
The kind of town with occasional tumbleweeds and excessive winter visitors. A big sky and a small population. Bright stars and dull shopping.

Despite of or maybe because of its flaws, I loved growing up there. I was a desert girl through and through. I had seen snakes and been stung by a scorpion, the desert was in my blood.
I lived in the same house for 18 years with my parents and my 3 brothers. I had my own room. I was a packrat, and I was proud. Sentimental to a fault, as they say.

After I graduated high school I broke the mold and went all the way to California for college.
Obviously you geography lovers (I do not count myself among that breed) will know that California is right next door to Arizona, but for me it was a lifetime away from home. I still considered Arizona my true home, of course, and returned there every summer, every holiday, and every 3-day weekend. I felt like I "moved" often, dorm to home to apartment to home.

But it wasn't until I turned 22, got married, and moved across the country to Virginia that I truly understood the concept of moving. It was awful. Absolutely terrible! I won't lie to you. Moving is the worst. It also can be the best thing in the world, but I didn't realize that until maybe yesterday.

When people say "nobody likes change" they're not lying. And there's a really good reason for that. People don't like change because they're terrible at it. It literally hurts sometimes. I think we were created to find comfort in things, whether it be people or places or things. We were created to love and have fellowship and be. Big changes throw us for a loop because we're really good at being invested in our lives. It's a flaw of being a selfish being, probably, this inability to easily accept the big shake-ups of life.
I'm probably speaking only to myself right now, but bear with me because I think I just need to talk this out.

I hate moving because it's hard. I hate it because it's exhausting, it's sad, it's frustrating. It costs money and time. It's lonely and overwhelming. It rips you away from things you love and leaves you vulnerable to disappointment and regret.

I love moving because it's hard. I love it because it demands hard work, loyalty, and togetherness. It opens new possibilities and inspires innovation. It rids you of clutter and excess (it lightens a packratty heart) and rouses reflection. It brings you closer to a future unknown, opening up your world to new ideas, new people, and new loves. It shakes you up and makes you look again, look closer, remember better, try harder.

Here is what I learned from that one time we lived in Virginia for 3 years.

I learned that there are kindred spirits everywhere. There are probably millions of people that I could and would be best friends with if I ever had the blessed opportunity to meet them. It makes me want to revive the age of pen pals. It's an absolute thrill to think about all of the strange destinies that led us to Lynchburg, to some of the best friends we will ever have in our lives.

I learned that you get what you give. Do you know how many unhappy couples and families we met while we were in law school? Far too many. It was our choice to love our city, and commit even further to each other by investing time and energy into our home, our marriage, and our friends (and our cats). We made so many incredible memories. Ignore the tears falling down my cheeks right now that you can't even see - I miss law school, that's how much fun it was. I wish it could have been longer. 

I learned that I actually could live somewhere else. My bubble is a little bit bigger now. I thought I would die being away from Arizona, but shockingly enough, I lived. We made a home somewhere new. One that will live in my heart forever. 

I learned how to be a better friend, daughter, wife. I was allowed to experience true love and loyalty from our long-distance loved ones. 

I learned that Fall is breathtaking, snow days are exhilarating, learning is never-ending, good friends are edifying, and first homes are lasting. 

And moving is the worst. 

the law wife

I remember when we first moved to Virginia two years ago for my husband to begin law school, and I was introduced to the concept of "The Law Wives". 

I was contacted shortly after we were settled into the little fort we called home by a woman identifying herself as my "mentor". She was an older law student who wanted to meet up with me and encourage me in this new experience.

I was overjoyed. 

I had my first friend!

Granted, it was a friendly assignment which isn't quite the same, but going downtown to that quirky coffee shop was exciting and nerve-wracking and she gave me some of the greatest advice:

God doesn't call one spouse without calling the other. 

Dress: Anthropologie, Belt: LOFT, Necklace: Francesca's

This statement struck me as very profound, and I instantaneously felt the shift in my heart and mind.
We're a team. I was committed, I was in it to win it, I was ready.
I am a law wife. 

Over the next few weeks and months, I fell in love with the ministry that was The Law Wives.
I mean, how often do you get the opportunity to be a part of a community that strengthens, nourishes, and encourages you while you all travel the same rocky roads of change and transition together?
How often do you walk into a room of strangers and hear, We've been waiting for you! and We're so glad you're here! and Here, have some baked goods!
Strangers that are so happy to have you there, and are so supportive of you and your marriage and this journey, that they are active and intentional, and plan monthly events. Like going apple picking in the Fall. Like marriage retreats. And oh, my favorite, having a fancy Christmas Tea each December.

I remember my friends making fun of me at first, because I always sounded so snooty.
"Oh, I'm going out with the Law Wives tonight."
It sounds strange, like some bizarre club, but it has been one of the biggest blessings (if not the biggest, for me) of being here for law school.

I realized after a while that the reason it sounded so strange was because it was special.

This was my outfit for Monday night's law school event, the first of the year!
The Dean's Reception is day 1 of orientation for all of the new 1L students, so we got to go as mentors and mingle and enjoy dressing up and preparing ourselves for our very last year.

So cheers to the Law Wives, past, present, and future.
And cheers to being stronger now than we ever were before, and to being on this adventure together. 

the barristers ball

This past weekend we attended the Barristers' Banquet for my husband's law school.
It's a formal annual event for the entire law school, and serves as a sort of end-of-year celebration for the graduating third year students.

Rather than buying a new outfit, I opted to pull out my Valentine's Day dress for another night out!
It's one of the prettiest dresses I've ever owned, and it deserved a little more time in the spotlight.

These shoes are one of my favorite pairs.
While I could wear them casually on an almost daily basis, I chose to test them out on a much fancier outfit.
I didn't feel like wearing heels, but wanted to play off of the beautiful shimmers in the dress's fabric, so the gold pointed toe did the trick.
Plus the ankle straps and their little gold notches just add to the unique twist of these shoes! I love them.

Dress: Modcloth, Shoes: Ruche (shop!), or Urbanog
Bangle: Kate Spade, Pinky Ring: Vintage (from Etsy)

I absolutely love getting dressed up.

Now that we're out of the high school/college days, the excuses to go all out in formal wear seem to be few and far between. But being in law school has prolonged our school-life departure for a few more years, so I suppose we'll have to make our own fancy occasions when we enter fully into adult life.

 It was a great night!