June is My Month

I told myself I wasn't going to do it again.  I promised myself I wasn't going to waste away my first month back in Utah like I did last year.  We got home last summer, and I crashed out for a month. A day or two, definitely understandable, maybe even a week -- surviving a year of law school and another round of finals, packing, moving, it's tiring stuff, after all.  But a month?! C'mon Monica, get it in gear!  

May wasn't a total wash.  I started up running and ran six days a week most weeks.  So that I'm proud of.  But sleeping in until Eliot gets up every single morning, not showering until mid-day, totally blowing off Eliot's nap time to just goof off on Facebook or whatever -- I've got to take more advantage of my relaxed summer schedule!  I've got too much I want to get done!

So, because accountability works well with me (I get embarrassed if I don't do what I say I'm going to do), I'm accounting to you, you poor readers who stumbled upon this post.  Not expecting you to follow up with me (though that might help!), but just humor me and "read" me out so I can account to you and change something in me psychologically so I will start dragging myself out of bed to get to the gym in the morning, so I'll finally organize my photos and get scrapbooking, so I'll finally have my mother-in-law help me through my crochet phobias and learn how to make burp cloths and receiving blankets ... just a few of the many goals I want to get cracking on starting this month!

June is my month (originally it was January, then February ... you get the point).  But I'm serious this time (I'm telling you, aren't I?!).  Here's some of what I want to make happen in June(and don't mind me writing to myself for a minute):

• Do more than roll over and turn off the alarm when it sounds at o'dark-thirty and get to the gym.  Spinning is calling.  The gym is a one-minute drive away.  It is not cold outside. You do not have to scrape off your windshield or shiver.  Grant will go if you do, and if he gets up and goes, you owe it to him to go, too.  You paid for the gym pass.  Your arms and tummy (and a couple other places, for that matter) are a little more jiggly than you'd like.   It's swimsuit season -- 'nuff said.
• Get those photos ordered, labeled, and organized, and get scrapbooking, girl!  You'll forget dates, details, etc. if you don't get crackin'.   You have access to your mother-in-law's amazing craft room and all of the punches, stamps, and ink pads you could ever hope to use.  You no longer have a huge house to scrub during Eliot's nap, so carpe diem!  Schedule a couple of "midnight madness" scrapping nights with the girls and get scrappin!  (P.S. Random sidenote, I saw a bumper sticker for a scrapbooking company here in Orem/Provo, and it's literally called "Holy Scrap!"  I died laughing but shook my head at the same time when I saw it.  There are some things you'd find only in Utah ... and that's one of them for sure!).
• Pull out the hooks, thread, and material, and get crocheting.  Forget that it was a little frustrating last summer.  Have some bonding time with Grant's mom and learn from the expert.  You'll be so glad you took advantage of the time you lived with her and learned how to make her gorgeous baby burp cloths and receiving blankets.  You will love being able to make them for your own children and having a really special gift you can give to loved ones.
• How 'bout chipping away at your to-read list?  Your stack is not getting any smaller; in fact, it's growing!  Start by finishing last summer's read, Count of Monte Cristo; yes, it's a beast, but you love it.  Buy the Cliff's notes if you need a refresher on who's who, and set aside some of that precious nap time or when Grant plays late-night basketball at the old ward in Provo, and lose yourself in a good book.  Then finish Elder Wirthlin's book once and for all ... and move on!  What will it be next?  The Goose Girl?  Ten Thousand Splendid Suns?  Poisonwood Bible?  
• Meaningful FHEs with my boys.  Grant doesn't have a night class on Mondays anymore. You can go up the canyon for a walk, write letters and put together a care package for Elder Brock, go swimming at the Rec Center, have a special lesson with either set of Eliot's grandparents ... something is better than nothing (which is what we've been doing!).

Okay, I think that's plenty.  Like I said, no need to follow up.  I feel better just getting that off my chest.  That way, when my alarm goes off tomorrow morning, I'll think to myself, "Oh, but I posted about this ... I promised I'd get up!"

Park City Getaway

Grant and I were brave parents this past weekend and left Eliot overnight for the first time since he was born ... almost two years ago! We were long overdue for a getaway with just the two of us, and it was relaxing and fun and romantic ... just what we needed!  We stayed in an awesome condo at the base of one of the ski resorts.  We ate out and had some amazing barbecue at a place on Main Street, we shopped the incredible Memorial Day Weekend deals at the outlets (My most amazing find?  A fantastic pair of black dress pants from Gap for $2.12!!!  Yes -- $2.12!!  They were marked down to $6.99, and I had a $5.00 coupon.  I was and am so proud of myself for that one!), we also saw the new Night at the Museum, which was very fun, especially since the theater was filled with families, and it was really fun to hear the kids' reactions.  We went for walks and cooked up yummy breakfasts in the condo, celebrated Grant's birthday by indulging in way too much macadamia-nut toffee from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (is it embarrassing that the same guy rang us up both times we went in and ordered the same thing?!) ... which all added up to a perfect weekend!  We did miss our Moose and were happy to hear that he had a wonderful weekend himself, getting to stay up late and eat pizza and ice cream, he got to visit his cousin Cole and ride in Grandpa's truck while watching "Eddie" on the fancy DVD player (now he thinks he needs to ride in the "tuck" and watch Eddie wherever he goes!), he got out of naps, and even to take his Aunt Gaylyn's dog on a walk ... we're pretty sure he hardly missed us at all!   Here are some of the highlights of our weekend:

Grant says this picture was just awkward to take, so sorry if we look a little goofy and are laughing in this picture, but it's a good representation of our time spent together.  So many times throughout the weekend Grant would say random little things, not trying to be funny, that would just crack me up.

Cozy!  So nice to get to have one-on-one time with Grant!  I just love being with him.  

The condo we stayed in, which was newly renovated and pretty plush ...and cost less than the chain hotel we stayed in in Boise on our trip back from Oregon!  Thank you, Craig's List!

Because you needed to see what our bathroom looked like.  Sorry, it's a habit of mine to document the places we stay ... to give me ideas for our house someday, maybe? I'm not really sure, but I just like to remember ...

I dream of owning a king-sized bed like this someday!

Grant on the condo balcony, which overlooked the base of one of the ski resorts.

And here's me, feeling fabulous in my new purple top, one of my great finds at the outlets.

I love this picture even though it's blurry and I look kind of crusty since my watery allergy eyes had cried off most of my makeup by this point.

This is us indulging in the amazing, awful-for-us macadamia toffee.  Worth every penny of its $19.95/lb. pricetag!  (No, we did not buy a whole pound, or even close ...)

And why not?  You definitely see things in Park City that you just don't see every day.  Like this "blinged-up" pug statue outside of a pet pampering store.  Grant insisted on puckering up for this photo op ... or I might have made him.

Getting to Know the Birthday Boy: 29 Things You May or May not Know about Grant

It's Grant's birthday on Saturday.  He'll be 29 this year.  That's one year away from a pretty big one -- turning 30 and graduating law school all in the same month!  That will be one big party that we are very much looking forward to. This year we're celebrating by taking a weekend trip to Park City, just the two of us.  It will be the first time we've left Eliot overnight; I'll let you know how that goes.  I'm sure Eliot will be in Grandma heaven, and we'll be paranoid parents.

In celebration of Grant turning 29, here are 29 tidbits of information you might or might not know about him:

1.  His favorite color is gray.

2.  His favorite band is Counting Crows.  

3.  His favorite TV shows are Boston Legal, Lost, The Office, and Jeopardy.

4.  Grant could live on ice cream.  One of the major adjustments Grant had to make when we were first married was that there was not always ice cream (at least three flavors) in the freezer, and we did not have a mounded bowl every night like he was used to at home (sorry, hon, not everyone was blessed with your metabolism).

5.  Grant runs circles around me in Spanish.  Not only does he talk super fast, but he's got a pretty thick accent (Guatemalan turned Mexican, thanks to his mission and then friends he's met since), and, unlike me, mastered it so well he can tell jokes and do plays on words.

6.  Grant and I met in high school working at a local grocery store.  I thought he was cute but a smart-alec right off the bat.  He liked another girl and supposedly thought I was out of his league.  Long story short, we "dated" a bit in high school, I went away to college (I'm a year older than him), we both dated other people, both served missions, but in the long run ended up together.  If you didn't see them already on my Valentine's post, you should check out our Sadie Hawkins and Prom pictures.  Priceless.  We both had some pretty killer hair.

7.  Grant holds his own in the kitchen.  When he was little, he wanted to be a professional chef until his grandma told him it was a "girl's job" and squelched his dreams.  Some of his specialties: marinated chicken quesadillas, sheet cake cream puffs, chicken parmesan, and roasted lemon-rosemary chicken.

8.  He's quite the handy man when it comes to electronics, computers, and sprinkler systems.  Oh, and he can fix a toilet with a paper clip like a pro.

9.  Though he loves to play basketball and actively supports "ward ball," Grant never played high school or college basketball, which may surprise you because of his 6'5" stature.

10.  Grant's favorite place in the world is Disneyland.  When I asked him where he'd like to vacation after he finished law school and the bar, without hesitation he chose Disneyland.  I was thinking something more relaxing like Hawaii or renting a place on the coast ...

11.  Grant's favorite places to eat:  Chef's Table in Orem, The Blue Iguana in Salt Lake (mostly for their mariachi), Cafe El Salvador in Provo because they sell "popusas" (sp?), a dish he loved when he was in Guatemala, Best Little Roadhouse in Salem, and Carl's Junior (anywhere!) is always a safe bet with him.

12.  Grant's a fussy dresser.  I stopped buying clothes for him after our first Christmas when I struck out with my choices (one shirt was too "cowboy," another was ribbed and a big "no no" with Grant).  Who knew my generally easy-to-please husband would be so picky about what he wears?

13.  A perfect day for Grant would probably involve golfing, waverunning and/or waterskiing at the lake, a barbecue and board games with family, and maybe a special night out with me?

14.  Grant didn't always want to be a lawyer.  Besides his childhood dreams of becoming a chef, Grant was pretty serious about pursuing a job in law enforcement or something related to Criminal Justice (his undergrad degree).  It wasn't until near the end of his mission that he felt very prompted to pursue the field of law.  And here we are ... almost done with his J.D.!

15.  Grant's eyes are hazel, and so are mine.  So how did we end up with a blue-eyed child?!

16.  Grant underwent major surgery when he was a Senior in high school to remove a non-malignant tumor in his left cheek.  It was a pretty intense surgery that involved removing a rib to use in rebuilding his cheekbone, as well as popping his eye out of his socket (sorry if that's gross).  If you look closely you can tell that his eyes are a little uneven, but otherwise, you might never know. We're just grateful that as of his most recent appointment last summer, Grant's still not suffering any major effects and hopefully won't need any follow-up surgeries anytime soon.

17.  Grant used to work as a landscaper and knows quite a bit about sprinkler installation, a skill we're hoping will save us some money someday.

18.  A few years back you might have seen Grant in a bright orange vest cleaning up trash on the side of the freeway.  No, he wasn't "serving time," but was supervising work crews of juvenile offenders who were!  He actually really enjoyed that job and gained valuable skills like how to most effectively remove graffiti.

19.  Grant is a certified Mediator.  One of the things Grant became very skilled at during his undergrad was mediation, and he used to help with parent-teen mediations held at the BYU law school.  He was also the student Ombudsman of UVSC, a job in which he mediated disputes between students and landlords, coaches, professors, etc.  He loved it, and it's a skill he'll definitely put to good use in his career.

20.  Grant is one proud daddy of his little boy.  The day we found out Eliot was going to be a boy, Grant had an ear-to-ear smile that lasted the rest of the evening.

21.  Grant loves playing board games, but watch out, he's an ogre when it comes to rules!  Some of his favorites are Cranium, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Catch Phrase.

22.  Grant has 5 sisters, no brothers.  I also have 5 sisters, no brothers.  You should have seen the lineup of bridesmaids at our wedding!

23.  Grant's dream car is a Corvette, though we've both agreed we could never bring ourselves to buy an extravagant car.  He says he'll settle for an Audi.

24.  Grant's a Discovery Channel junkie.  Cash Cab, Deadliest Catch, you name it, he loves it.

25.  Grant is a perfect gentleman.  When we were first dating in high school, I used to have to get etiquette tips from him because he seriously knew everything.  I love that he still opens doors for me and is always an example of courtesy.

26.  Grant's favorite treats are peanut butter M&Ms, Dr. Pepper, and anything pastry-related.

27.  Grant's first name is Dennis, after his dad, and Eliot's first name is also Dennis.  It's a wonderful tradition, except when it comes to mail, movie rental accounts, etc. More than once Grant and his dad have pawned off their late fees on the other person -- the stinkers!

28.  Grant is easy to please when it comes to gift-giving (except for clothes, of course!). He is genuinely excited about most anything he receives, which makes him not only easy to shop for, but I really admire his sincere gratitude.

29.  Grant is my favorite person in the world.  He has been my best friend for 12 years, and I can't imagine my life without him.  I love his sense of humor, his easy-going personality, his friendliness and optimism, his work ethic, his determination and perseverance, his loyalty to family ... I could go on and on!  Obviously I think he's wonderful, and I hope he has a wonderful 29th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Grant!

Mother Hearts

One of the most tender messages I have ever heard given about motherhood was given by Sister Julie B. Beck, who was at the time a counselor in the general Young Women's presidency of my church. She is now the general Relief Society President of the Church, the organization which I belong to and serve in at a local level. The talk Sister Beck gave years ago, "A Mother Heart," rings in my ears as one of the truest, purest declarations of motherhood that has been shared in our time. That phrase -- "a mother heart" -- is now the phrase and almost an image that comes to mind as I am influenced by remarkable women who are involved in the great and eternal work of mothering.

My own mother, my sweet "Lil," is unquestionably at the top of my list when I think of women who possess a "mother heart." If you have not met my mother, I don't know that I can possibly describe her to you in a way that would communicate all that she is and does. I hope everyone feels that way about their mother, or at least someone who has been a mother figure in their life. My mom is the kindest, most giving, most unselfish, most pure-hearted angel that I believe walks the earth. For barely reaching five feet in stature, she has a powerful presence that is quiet yet unmistakable. It's not that my mom is assertive or dynamic or commands attention; in fact, I think Lil's greatest strength comes from the fact that she is so understated and sweet and humble. I am inspired by her ability to relate with and communicate love to anyone, but particularly with children. It is especially endearing to me to see my own son relate to my mother. There is a very tender and real relationship there. Eliot is genuinely excited to see her and to be in her presence. Lil's secret? Love. Pure, undeniable, genuine love. Which is probably what having a "mother heart" is all about -- possessing that kind of love.

While I am not one for public "shout outs" or glorifying (or for that matter, embarrassing) friends, I don't think I could blog about the topic of motherhood without recognizing two amazing women who have blessed my life over the past year through the greatness of their "mother hearts." Both of these women have endured great heartache and worry this past year as they have bravely faced great challenges in their roles as mothers. And each has done so with faith and perseverance in a way that has changed me, a simple bystander, forever. My own mother heart swells with love and admiration for these sweet moms.


This is my friend Mary and her son Max. You wouldn't know it to look at him, the healthy, feisty little one that he is (maybe not so feisty in this picture, but trust me, he is!), but Max underwent open heart surgery, not once, but twice, by the time he was four months old. He is, as Mary puts it best, one tough little fighter. But of course he is; he gets that from his parents, including his sweet mommy, who, despite many great obstacles piled on her plate at the same time, helped Max through his challenges with faith and hope and optimism. Mary's "mother heart" pounds with courage, cheerfulness, and faith in better, brighter days. In the midst of her darkest hours, she was always thinking of others, constantly aware of others' burdens and seeking to help and lift and lighten. When Mary learned of Max's heart condition at her 20-week ultrasound last September, Mary became the world's most diligent biology and anatomy student, and studied and learned all that she could so that she could understand the doctors and surgeons who would help Max. She then selflessly "translated" all that jargon into every-day terminology on Max's blog so that friends and family could also understand what was happening to little Max. And when Max was born Mary lovingly cared for him and her little Morgen, who's just a little bit older than Eliot, even though that meant long days inside, often alone, since Mary's husband Spencer was studying for the Bar exam, and all of that on little to no sleep. And when Max's condition took some unexpected turns and Spencer and Mary ended up preparing their infant son for surgery much sooner than expected, they cheerfully submitted and worked through those long, uncertain hours with great optimism and patience. I will never forget the day I visited Mary in the hospital before Max's first surgery. Though Spencer was down to his last few weeks before taking the Bar (which, if you're not familiar with the process, means hard-core pressure), you'd never know that they were facing such immense stress. They were happy and positive. They were thoughtful and gracious. Months later, Max has received his second surgery and is recovering well, thanks in large part to his mommy, whose tremendous mother heart was prepared long before this life to care for her little son, Max, with a mighty heart of his own. And watching them through this time of great worry and concern has blessed my heart forever. My heart has been softened and strengthened and has become more tender as I have watched my friend Mary and the power of her mother heart.


Then there's my dear friend, Misty. Misty is the mother of four beautiful, personality-filled children: Hannah, Ian, Olivia, and Isaac. Misty's mother heart, which is as devoted and wrapped up in motherhood as they come, bears the special burden of only getting to mother three of these little sweethearts in this life. Just a little over an hour after Isaac was born on April 8, 2009, he returned back to his Father in Heaven, and Misty made the ultimate sacrifice that any mother could make: she gave up her child. Misty knew early in her pregnancy that that day would come. Doctors quickly recognized at Misty's 20-week ultrasound that Isaac suffered from a condition called Anencephaly, a condition which is completely fatal. Misty courageously opted to carry Isaac full-term, despite his condition. In the last several weeks of her pregnancy, she, if you can imagine, made burial arrangements instead of preparing a nursery. She bought clothes and blankets in which she would bury her son instead of hold and rock him in. I sobbed as I read on her blog and talked with her on the phone as she recounted to me that she would often have to leave a store because she'd see an adorable outfit for a baby boy and then realize she didn't need to buy it, and would almost break down right in the store. Though I can never fully comprehend her pain, I agonized with Misty as she told me about her husband taking the crib down shortly after they received the news about Isaac's condition, and my heart broke when Misty told me that she realized one night as she was bathing her children that she could cross "baby shampoo" off her grocery list. I wept as I attended sweet Isaac's funeral and saw Misty cradle and kiss her baby for the final time in this life. The victory of Misty's mother heart, to me at least, is that Misty goes on to mother and love her children -- all four of them -- despite the fact that her heart was shattered by this life-changing experience. She is gradually and slowly putting those pieces of her mother heart back together and trying to find how to go on in her new "normal." The great miracle of it all has been to witness her unwavering faith in God. Rightfully so, Misty has felt anger, sorrow, grief, devastation, loss, and so many other feelings, but more often than not I have marveled at her blog posts in which she has declared over and over that "God is good" and has witnessed again and again that she knows she would make it through, that her son is perfect, and that she will see him again. Misty's mother heart beats with an unmatched will to survive, to move forward, to continue mothering, to keep trying. She does it with a sense of humor, with realism that is endearing, with strength that is unparalleled.

Sorry to tug at your heartstrings or even make you cry. But as tender as these examples of motherhood are, they are also very much real, and they have served as strengthening agents in my life. I guess you could even say that they have changed my own heart. I can't say that I am noticeably more patient with Eliot day in and day out as a result of seeing my friends -- these sweet examples of motherhood -- face great challenges in their own mothering, but I do believe that I have a greater resolution in my own "mother heart" -- as faintly as it may beat sometimes -- to cherish my son a little more, to be a little more gentle and kind, to be grateful for his messes, tears, mischief, and yes, even tantrums. I am trying to be a little more humble and less judgmental in my approach to mothering in general. I am trying to support all women a little more -- since, as Sister Beck so wisely points out, "some of the truest mother hearts beat in the breasts of women who will not rear their own children in this life" -- because I've learned that you just never know what someone else is going through, what pains or aches they may carry in their mother heart.

Perhaps the best parting thought I could add is this quote from another favorite address on the topic of motherhood, this time given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (And watch for his reference to hearts): "May I say to mothers collectively, in the name of the Lord, you are magnificent. You are doing terrifically well. The very fact that you have been given such a responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you. He knows that your giving birth to a child does not immediately propel you into the circle of the omniscient. If you and your husband will strive to love God and live the gospel yourselves; if you will plead for that guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit promised to the faithful; if you will go to the temple to both make and claim the promises of the most sacred covenants a woman or man can make in this world; if you will show others, including your children, the same caring, compassionate, forgiving heart you want heaven to show you; if you try your best to be the best parent you can be, you will have done all that a human being can do and all that God expects you to do" (Because She Is a Mother," Ensign, May 1997, 35).

Trip Home & Twin Falls Temple

Our drive back to Utah was mostly just long and uneventful.  Eliot wasn't a happy traveler, but he wasn't a terrible one, either.  We stayed in a nice place in Boise where we got to take a swim and have a yummy Baja Fresh dinner.  One of the best parts of our drive home was getting to stop at the Twin Falls, Idaho, temple.  It's a newer temple, and also a "smaller" temple, and it is so pretty.  It provided a nice place to stop for lunch and walk around.  Here are some photos of the Twin Falls temple, but first, I just had to include this one of Eliot.  We hadn't even left the house yet, and look at his face!  Can you blame him, being wedged between all that junk?!  But in fairness, a good portion of it was his, actually aimed at helping him be happy during the trip.

Such a beautiful temple.  This is the best shot I could get since it was gated off (we stopped to see it on a Sunday).

Eliot and his mommy.

Eliot and his daddy.

Home #4: Some of the Things We'll Miss

In our six-and-a-half years of marriage, we've now lived in four homes, excluding living at Grant's parents' home for the summers and Christmas break.  Our first home, an old, scary really, apartment in southwest Provo, was our home for the longest amount of time -- almost three years.  It was old and worn down and in a scary part of town (I'll never forget Grant running through the door one day and telling me to turn on the news because the SWAT team was just up the road), but to us it was wonderful.  From there we moved across ward boundaries (to the "nice" part of the ward) and lived in a beautiful, light-filled condo.  Our landlords were salt-of-the-earth people, and that home was an absolute haven.  It was the home we brought Eliot home to. Then when Eliot was only six weeks old, we packed up and moved to Oregon, where we lived in home #3, an apartment we found last minute thanks to our friends (whom we had only met once at that point) Spencer and Mary.  There were some difficult things about that apartment, but it was the home that Eliot came to know first and where he experienced many of his firsts -- rolling over, sitting up, crawling, eating solid foods.  And then there's home #4, the house we just left after completing Grant's second year of law school:

Dickinson Family Home #4, the beautiful home we got to house sit for a couple in our ward while they were on their mission to Hawaii.  Not your typical student housing situation, we know. This home provided not only a lot of living space (understatement), but also a lot of wonderful memories -- having friends and family come and stay, hosting baby showers, game nights and get-togethers with friends.  This is the home where Eliot took learned to walk and talk, where Grant successfully completed his second year of law school, where I taught piano lessons ... so many great memories made in such a beautiful place.  Here are some of the things we will miss the most about living in this home:

"Eliot's toy corner."  I've always dreamed of having a home with a window seat, and if I ever get to design even part of a home someday, a window seat will be a must.  Here's Eliot perfectly content the first time he climbed up onto the seat, not long after we moved into this home.  He's loved that area ever since.  He knew just which toys went in which drawers, and he would sift through and pull things out and play contentedly there for hours.  Watching him in "his space" is a happy memory for me.

The fantastic kitchen where we not only celebrated my 30th birthday, but also hosted baby showers, had our "down time" at the end of the day when Grant got home and we could enjoy a meal together, where I learned to make jam and bottled my first successful jars of applesauce.  We will definitely miss having the kitchen that opened into the family room.  It was so nice to be able to fix meals while Eliot played on his jungle gym and in "his" toy corner.

The views from the kitchen and family room.  These are some of the images that now come to mind when I think of Oregon and the lush green horizon.  Some of my most peaceful moments in this home were sitting in the big overstuffed chair by the family room window first thing in the morning as the sun was coming up over the beautiful trees and reading my scriptures and thinking in those quiet minutes before Eliot woke up.

The spacious jet tub ... that mostly got used to bathe Eliot.  Lucky kid!

Seeing and hearing this every night before Eliot's tubby time.  This will be the image in my mind of evenings spent in this home.  That sound of Eliot's feet scurrying across the floor is one of my favorites so far of being a mother.

The incredible views from the back of the home and this wonderful deck where we loved to barbecue and eat outside on beautiful days like this one, our last night in Salem and in the house -- a celebration dinner of steak, potatoes, grilled veggies and watermelon, in honor of Grant and another successful year.

Done and DONE.

We made it through year two!  

It feels SOOOO good to say we only have one year left of law school!