Livin' on a Prayer

Beckett has told me no less than 20 times today that he loves me and is proud of me. So sweet. But how will he feel when I fail my exams? :0) He's precious and a constant reminder to keep trying harder. A very cute, sweet constant reminder. Also, he wants to grow up and work in the "corkhouse" and be a "lawler," just like his mom.

AND......I AM HALFWAY TO MY LAW DEGREE. Feels fantastic!

T-Minus 12 Hours

You'll have to excuse the myriad of Richard III references that are sure to pop up in the next few days. It's one of my favorites and I decided to try to fit a reread of it in somewhere in between my studying. It's nerdy, I know, but there's something about Shakespeare that helps me de-stress and calms my nerves. Wow. I just reread that sentence and realized that I really am a dork. Well, I'll own it for now.

Last week, B had a birthday party to attend. Isabelle's birthday party to be specific. Now, at school, Beckett, Isabelle, and Nate are basically your run-of-the-mill 3 Musketeers. Inseparable and ALWAYS playing with each other when I go to pick B up. In fact, B tries to take one or both of them home with him almost everyday. But they love him back, so I feel pretty okay about it. I mean, at least he isn't that weird kid that just follows them around, hoping to get in on the action.

They played in her playroom, decorated sugar cookies, and had pizza and cake. A 3 year old's dream come true. Well, after most children had finished decorating their cookie and and left to table to return upstairs to play, Isabelle was still trying to finish hers. And Nate and B were sitting there at the table, finished, and doing nothing. Nate's mother said, "Nate, why don't you and Beckett wipe your hands off and go upstairs to play." To which Nate responded, "We have to watch Isabelle finish." Nate's mother, Gina, and I both about died laughing. I said, "Note to self: Teach boys not to stalk girls. It makes them uncomfortable." Truer words were never spoken.

Finals update: Four down, one to go. Crim Pro is tomorrow morning.

Thou cam'st on earth to make the earth my hell.

Richard III, 4. 4

In Two Weeks, it will be the Winter of our Discontent.

It's been a good while since my last blog, and for good reason. It's that most anticipated and dreaded time of year once again....FINALS. This year they have descended upon me in a way that can only be described as "with the quickness." My next 2 weeks will be filled with outlines, Kaplan questions, Q&A on every subject possible, and just enough desperation to let me truly know that finals are indeed upon us. I made the mistake of picking up Richard III last night. I am supposed to be reading the ICWA or ALI principles or something about the ICJ, WTO, or GATT. But how, or more importantly why would I want, to put down Shakespeare to drudge through what may or may not be the existence of international law?

Onward to stories about Beckett:

He's a mess, as I have reported on many, many an occasion. And no more so than recently. He tells me daily that he doesn't love me. One day, I made the mistake of asking why. His response? "Because you put me in time out. If you'd stop doing that, I'd love you." My response? "Well, if you'd do what I say, you wouldn't have to be put in time out." Rebuttal? "Well, I do what I want." I do what I want? Are you Eric Cartman or Beckett Nelson? REALLY? I do what I want? I had to get up and leave the room for a variety of reasons: (1) I was about to LOSE it. If a 3 year old tells you that they "do what they want," you know your first reaction would be to laugh. And not giggle, or chuckle, or snicker. I mean full-out, laugh until it hurts and tears are running down your face. That's the exact laugh I couldn't let him see; (2) I couldn't fathom where he had heard that phrase and needed to put myself in time out for a moment to think about whether or not I had, in fact, taught him that; and (3) I also needed a moment to think of a more creative way to punish him. Besides the fact that he says he doesn't love, time-out has completely lost it's edge with him.

Well, I should really get back to work. But we got some great news today: Jones School of Law received full approval from the ABA! Something to celebrate!

Will be back with more later.

The Power of Prayer According to Beckett

I know there are many of you who I have heard this story, but for those who haven't......enjoy!

Beckett got in trouble at school this week for hitting and kicking another child. Not good, but he's a boy with a grandfather that he can both hit and kick, so it was only a matter of time before this bleed over into school. Anyway, he goes to Memorial Presbyterian, so when he got sent to the Director's office, she prayed with him. Afterward, she sent him on his merry way. No less than 20 minutes later, he was hitting and kicking again. It was at this point that he looked at his teacher and said, "Well, I guess that prayer didn't work, did it?" Then he walked off.

Evidence Tales

It's Saturday morning, which, as of late, has meant that I am going to camp out on the downstairs sofa, surrounded by case books, supplements, Spark Charts, and whatever else I need to get my outlines completed. Well, this morning, Beckett came a stood right next to my computer, intently watching as I typed up my Evidence notes. His sweet little face conveyed but one notion, I have GOT to push one of those buttons. So, I became instantly nervous, certain that I could try all day and NEVER figure out how to delete an entire outline, and yet my 3 year old could probably accomplish this in the blink of an eye.

20 minutes later, Beckett returns. "Mama," he says, sweetly. "Could you get this and this and this and take them and do your work in my room while I play?" Well, how do I say no to that? So I grab my evidence book, my notes, and a legal pad and go sit on his bed while he plays. He wants to listen to Veggie Tales, so this is what about 20 minutes of my morning consisted of:

If you like to talk to tomatoes,

If a squash can make you smile

Rule 406: Habit Evidence

"Regular response to a repeated specific stimulus."

-Very narrow and specific

If you like to waltz with potatoes

Up and down the produce aisle.

Have we got a show for you!

Personal habits: Special kind of semi-reflexive or automatic behavior that occurs only in response to a specific stimulus.

It is at about this moment that I get kicked (quite hard) in the kidneys. Then Beckett jumps on my back screaming "Hut hut, Mama! I tackled you!" Evidence has officially been turned into a contact sport.

Note to Self: Must Remember Maya More Often

After I took Beckett to school this morning, I returned home, grabbed myself a cup of coffee (but not in my Las Vegas mug, RIP), and walked outside. I have been busy, busy, busy lately getting things together for finals, trudging through the daily readings, going to class, taking care of B's fever, and whatnot. It was a pleasant break from everything to sit, facing the woods (which have changed from green to various shades of yellow, red, and brown), listening to the wind chimes, and enjoying the cool breeze that reminds me autumn has finally arrived. My mind turned instantly to the blog (it seems the beast has conquered the master). I sat, trying to think of the events of the past week -- conversations with friends, Beckett's adventures (or misadventures, depending on your outlook), classroom incidents, etc. These things came to mind:

My father took Beckett to Waffle House for dinner on Sunday. While he was brushing his teeth later and getting ready for bed, Beckett told me, "Mama, I need to throw up. That waffle didn't cooperate with me." Huh? Where did that come from? Incidentally, he did not throw up.

I thought also about apartment searching, thrift store shopping, and discussions about fireplace colors.

And then there's last nights discussion about naming future children after Supreme Court justices (Harlan, yes. Scalia, NO). Law school, what have you done to us?

Then there's the triumphant moment when I answered a Constitutional law question without even having to think about it. As it turns out, studying helps. It's the craziest thing.

We (Brandi, Paige, and I) sat in the library for HOURS yesterday, quietly chipping away at the massive amount of work that is to be done prior to finals.

All in all, the past week has been relatively boring and low-key (but on a happy note, I got all of my Law Review timesheets turned in). Well, boring, but overall leaving me feeling overwhelmed and relatively inadequate. This too shall pass, I suppose.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. - Galatians 5:22-23 & 26 (Hmm, something to think about in the coming weeks)

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.

I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can’t touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them,

They say they still can’t see.

I say,

It’s in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Now you understand

Just why my head’s not bowed.

I don’t shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing,

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It’s in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

the palm of my hand,

The need for my care.

’Cause I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

-Maya Angelou, Phenomenal Woman from And Still I Rise

Halloween, Makeup, & Law School.....Oh My!

So, I know it has been FOREVER since I blogged. Please accept my sincerest apologies.

So, Halloween 2009 came and went. This year, Beckett was a Frog Prince. Pictures to follow when I get them from my mother's camera. He LOVED trick-or-treating and even told my neighbor that she needed to fix her doorbell when she didn't answer the door fast enough. On a related note, we had the world's brattiest children come to our house begging for candy. I can excuse Beckett's insistence that the doorbell was broken, our's is, so he doesn't really know any better. But when Beckett is 9 or 10, he will -- under NO circumstances -- ring a stranger's doorbell and DEMAND candy. UNDER. NO. CIRCUMSTANCES. If I teach that child nothing besides good manners and a basic level of respect, I will consider his childhood to be a success.

Speaking of respect (or a lack thereof), Beckett and I were hanging out before school one morning this week. Suddenly, he turned to me and , very seriously, told me, "Go put on your makeup." I asked why. Mistake, very large mistake. His response? "Because that's how you look pretty." Thank you. Note to self: Teach Beckett to never, ever, under any circumstances, say that to another girl again. This observation came on the heels of my 26th birthday, so it was particularly unnerving.

Law School Update: Finals are getting very close. Don't expect to hear from me. I will be in a study cave with only Red Bull and despair to comfort me. But, come December, I will be half way finished!