New Stuff

New Goal:

If/When I submit a motion to a judge, may he never respond with, “Are you kidding? Please advise.” Nor may my notice of appeal include the phrase, "Munchkins attacked me on the yellow brick road."

New Favorite Song:



New reality:

I've been out of high school for 10 years.

New Life:

In the past year, I have lived in 4 different cities, taken the hardest test of my life, traveled to Thailand by myself, been unemployed, and started over yet again. I gained a sister-in-law, a couple more initials after my name, precious time with my family, and new experiences that I will take with me forever.

New weekend:

I'm so cool I'm pretty sure the highlight of my weekend is going to be the fact that I get to sleep in. That's right. I'm that cool.

New sadness:

Jon and Kate Plus 8. I don't care whether you love or hate them or what your opinion of them is. The whole situation makes me so sad. It also makes me determined to never swear that my marriage is infallible. Marriages are extremely fragile, they're work, and you never get to stop investing in, working on, and praying for them.

Renew your Mind. . . Or Maybe Don't

So the following video was posted by a member of the Chicago contingent of Anonymous Law Bloggers. I love reading their posts - they're witty, and I kind of have a crush on one of the guys just because he's so hilarious and clever. But don't tell him I said that.

Anyway. . . a different guy reposted this video from another member of the contingent. He posted it because it provided a good laugh on a Friday. The first 20 seconds is hilarious, but at least make it to the 2:15 mark. You won't be disappointed.



I think this video is hilarious, and every bit as awful as the Chicago Law Mafia thinks it is. They're not Christians posting it as kindly amusing. They're posting it to show what fools Christians are. It's hard to rebut that kind of crap. As much as I love a good synchronized dance to an out-of-date song (see Glee!), I was at first amused and then really concerned. This "performance" (spectacle, atrocity, ridiculous display of bad taste) does nothing to perpetuate, spread, or properly explain God or Who He is. In what appears to be an attempt to be "relevant," they have failed. Much like the failure of my Christian school's rules about cheerleading. They couldn't shake their butts (excuse me, derriere's), but if they moved their legs just right, it pretty much had the same effect, but they could say they weren't shaking their butts. Tell me where God says we can't shake it!!!

Okay, I'm going to stop. Enjoy the video, because it's hilarious. Also, don't let that video be you. I'm begging you.

Just Like That

And just like that, another child inherits a legacy of violence.

A little girl lost her daddy yesterday. He was working - proud of the new job he’d found after being laid off. Standing outside, doing his job. Someone drove by and shot him. Not for his money, not for a personal grudge against him. He was shot because he was a water inspector.

A wife was made single yesterday. Parents lost a son. Siblings lost an older brother. And it makes no sense.

Searches have been done and an arrest has taken place. But the grief is still palpable. This violence, this horrible tragedy will become a marker for them. There was before, and now there is after.

I only met him a couple of times, and my rage and grief are overwhelming. How does a child cope? Her future has forever been altered. Violence has undoubtedly destroyed her innocence.

I know the possible legal landscape awaiting this family if there is a drawn-out trial and sentencing phase. I know how long the appeals can take, that they may be faced with that for years. Aside from the grief of today, I think that’s what I hate the most for them.

I pray for them today. I pray that they make it through today. I pray that God gives them strength to walk through each of the next days. I pray for healing. I pray with tears that don't have words.

I pray for this family and ask you to do the same thing.

Perfection

What a Day

This day holds a lot of meaning for me this year. A year ago, today was all about me. It was a Saturday. It was the end of my ridiculously long journey to finishing school. And I loved that day. I loved it for what it meant, but mostly I loved it for who I got to spend it with. I was surrounded by my family and many of my closest friends. I even got to sit with my closest law school friend at our graduation. This is us right before the big event:

What a cool day.

I got to spend the next day with my family, too. And that was Mom's Day. This is us.


Since that time, so much has happened that I cannot even begin to put into words. My entire world has shifted, changed, and perhaps righted itself. But today was sort of like coming full circle, but with more fun. I got to go to Six Flags with the same friend who talked, laughed, cried, prayed, and lived law school with me. We got to celebrate her birthday with her husband and just hang out and have so much fun. It was a beautiful day. And it reminded me of a lot of things, but here's one of those things. Things change, and people change. And we may not get to spend Mother's Day with our mothers, or our birthday with all of our family and friends, but we can find God's mercies in these situations nonetheless. I'm not sure how my day would have been if I hadn't had a friend in town. I'm thankful I didn't have to find out - that I got to see her and walk through life just a little bit further with her. Today I am thankful. I am thankful for the things in my past that got me here. I am thankful for my amazing family, and especially my mother, who is a phone call away and always willing to listen to my funny stories and my neuroses. I am thankful for the friends I have collected along the path of my life and how we get to keep crossing paths. I have so much. May I give just as much as I have been blessed.