2013 FLEW by. I can't believe that a year ago I was about to start my last semester of law school. It's weird how my law school experience seems like so long ago, but when I think about certain days and memories, it seems like just yesterday. Time is tricky. But anyway...a lot has happened since Christmas last year.
1. LAST SEMESTER OF LAW SCHOOL:
Made wonderful memories.
Said goodbye to good friends.
Played more intramurals. Even snagged a flag football championship!
Left places that were home to me for 3 years...and the people that I shared those places with.
2. MELISSA GOT MARRIED:
Missy asked me to be her Maid of Honor. I was so happy to be by her side on her special day!
(I know...I'm a giant...whatever).
She will always be one of my very best friends! And now she has a baby!
3. SENT MALEA AND CHARLES ON A MISSION / TURNED 26: I already blogged about this (here).
4. VISITED CALIFORNIA WITH BRENDA: I already blogged about this (here).
5. BSU ALUMNI GAME:
It was so fun to play with my old teammates and spend time with some of my closest friends!
We even won a set against the current team. It's the small victories that matter...
6. WENT TO SEATTLE WITH LAW SCHOOL FRIENDS:
We caught a Mariners game (Jessica is a HUGE Tigers fan...so it was fun...even though it was raining).
We saw the sights of Seattle.
We stayed with Jessica's very pregnant friend who had her baby just hours after we got back to Moscow!
7. GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL: I already blogged about this (here).
8. STUDIED FOR THE BAR. ALL SUMMER. Blogged a little bit about my experience (here).
9. TOOK THE BAR EXAM:
There are no fun pictures to illustrate this part of 2013. It was a long two days. 6 hours each day. The first day was two, 3-hour sessions of essay writing. The first session was 6 essays, and the second session was 2 essays. This was the scariest part of the exam. I felt okay after the exam, but the more I thought about it that night, I was sick to my stomach. If you have enough time, you can think about a million things you messed up and a million things you should have mentioned. And the whole "don't think about it" thing does NOT work. It was horrible. Then the next day, we had two, 3-hour sessions of multiple choice questions. Multiple choice sounds nice...but it is horrific when there are two right answers on every question and you have to pick the "best" one. It is also extremely scary because the practice exams are not very indicative of how you will do on the actual exam. I was failing multiple choice practice exams all summer. Sometimes I would randomly pass with flying colors. With such inconsistency, there is no self-confidence going into the exam. When it was all over, I knew I did all I could and I just had to wait. You take the exam at the end of July and have to wait until mid-September to know the results. I felt no relief after I took the bar. Waiting for almost two months is torture. The whole experience was the most challenging thing I've ever done. But it's over. And I'll hopefully never have to do that again! haha
10. FAMILY TIME AT BEAU'S WEDDING:
It was SO nice to catch up with my Fuller side. We don't see each other often because we are so spread out, so it was awesome to see almost the entire family. My 91-yr-old grandpa sealed my cousin and his wife in the Salt Lake Temple.
Oh, and also, Brooks from the Bachelorette was my cousin's roommate for a bit, so he was at the reception.
He fell in love with me for a second. I'm famous.
11. PASSED THE BAR EXAM AND WAS SWORN-IN:
Most relief I've ever felt. Ever. Seeing my name on the "pass" list made me cry a little bit. So much hard work and so many hours went into the bar exam...and it sucks because you have no idea if it will pay off. But it did.
And I am a licensed attorney now!
12. COACHED THE VARSITY VOLLEYBALL GIRLS AT CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL:
Since I was waiting for bar results with nothing to do, I was a substitute teacher and I coached volleyball at a local high school. I thought that when I went to law school, I'd be done with coaching for quite some time. But I am so so happy that I was able to do this. Coaching volleyball is so fun and easy and natural for me. The girls were a blast...and they improved so much throughout the season. One of my favorite things in the world is to teach something to someone and then see them implement it and improve from it.
I may have been hard on them at times (which earned my alter-ego the nickname "Monster Maren"), but it paid off. I became really close with the girls, and it was really sad when the season ended.
I hope to be a part of the program for the remaining years my girls have in high school, even if I can't be at every practice yelling at them (I'm sure they'll appreciate the break from my stern tone). We had so much fun, and I loved the coaching staff I worked with. I continue to coach club volleyball with one of the other coaches from CHS.
No, I did not make that sign for myself. The girls made it after I passed the bar exam. Awe, so sweet!
13. ROBYN GOT MARRIED:
My teammates and I love a good excuse to get together and party!
14. GABE SURVIVED:
It's been 13 years with Gabe in our home. This year his health is getting worse and worse. We've been expecting him to die, but he keeps on truckin! He even survived 21 hours in the freezing cold when we couldn't find him one night. It was traumatic. I cried and cried because I knew he'd be dead by the time we found him the next day, but then my dad found him the next afternoon ALIVE. So I cried that he was alive. Now I have to deal with the fact that he will die. Again. But not again. Oh, Gabe.
We even did a photo-shoot with him to make a Gabe Calendar. Harry Potter Gabe was one of the themes we used. No, this is not animal cruelty. We love him. (Obvi, with the heart-shaped pics.)
15. FAMILY TIME:
I sorta like these people.
It has been such a blessing to be home and around my family. They rock. We rock.
And we're not too hideous.
This year was one of my favorite years. So much happened. I accomplished a goal that I have had since I was a young girl. Along the way, I also had to say goodbye to some wonderful friends. Change is always hard. Especially when the change means that you won't be surrounded by the people you have grown so close to and that you are so comfortable around. That part of growing-up always sucks. BUT, I am really excited for the next chapter of my life. I guess it's time to finally be an adult. Yikes! It's funny to think about the perception you had of 25+ year olds when you were younger. I always thought 26/27 year olds had to be married with children, and that they had life all figured out. Now that I'm here, I feel so young! My age is nearing 30, which is scary, but I still feel like I'm not old enough to be an actual professional adult. This world puts way too much trust in us youngins by allowing us to be whatever we want to be. haha. Darn American Dream.
SO WHAT'S IN STORE FOR 2014?
Well, in January, I start as an associate attorney at a small firm in Nampa, ID. It's a fairly general practice, focusing on complex litigation, family law and estates, business law, real estate, and government law. I am really excited and slightly terrified to begin learning how to be an actual attorney (unfortunately, they do NOT teach you much of that in law school). Guess I better frame those degrees and certificates and get to work!
I will still be able to help coach volleyball, which is a dream come true! I absolutely love it, and I'm lucky to have friends/colleagues in the valley that allow me to be a part of a program despite my limited availability....a perk of staying in Boise.
I will also continue to stay youthful (or should I say, "attempt" to stay youthful) by playing on basketball and volleyball city league teams. Someday I'll be too old for that. I'm glad that day has not yet come. It's a blast playing bball with some old law school and high school classmates; and, of course, volleyball with my BSU teammates.
Oh yeah...and I'm chopping my hair off. Not, like, all of it...but you understand. New year, new changes!
Additionally, there will be a few 2014 weddings to attend, new friends to make, a summer to enjoy without the bar, a lot of learning, and hopefully a few surprises. Stay tuned.
Picture of Gabe = EPIC !!!
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