Well, look who just caught up.

It's practically defunct over here but this blog's not going out without a Zombieland-esque Bill-Murray-Death-Sigh-scene, so let's get on with it.

Some major events in the last year (year, guys. yikes.):

1. I graduated law school. That was a good one. 

2. I moved to Los Angeles so Dan and I could finally live like real married people again. 

3.  We survived me studying for and taking the California Bar exam. And by survived I mean I ate all the mac and cheese and drank all cab sauv I could find. 

4. The Herrington-Xep circus took Disneyland which was pretty epic because we hadn't all been there since 2009.

5. My favorite jeans busted on the inner thigh - the ultimate jean death knell. Because, of course. And I'd only had them for like 18 months. But to be fair, I wore them like 4-6 times in a week. Those poor seams just couldn't take it. 

6. Dan and I went to Scotland and Ireland in August and I am still trying to figure out ways for us to move to the Highlands because I want to die there someday, but not before I've lived there. I read Outlander before we went on the trip and all of my Sassenach dreams came true (praise hand emoji). 

7. I PASSED THE CALIFORNIA STATE BAR. 

8. I got a job working for a firm based in Seattle which moved us one step closer to our Pacific-Northwesterner-wannabe dreams. But for now, still in Los Angeles and working that remote-job life. 

9. I started training for a half-marathon and proceeded to make everyone train with me (aunt, dad, sister, sisters boyfriend, long-lost cousins, sister-in-law... basically I'm needy and require lots of motivation). Fun fact - that is likely only fun for me - I've run over 90 miles since November in preparation for this race. 

P.S. I've been using this training plan and I really like it so far! I printed it out put it on my fridge door. 

10. My cat had some digestive/health issues and began pooping EVERYWHERE. We got him help and he's physically better now but will not stop pooping on my kitchen floor. Seriously, I love that cat but he's an asshole. 

{yeah, he's a jerk but he's so handsome}

So, that's our year 2016 in a nut-shell. Here's to hoping the Republic doesn't burn to the ground with the new spray-tanned administration. Happy New Year, America!

day five

Dan made it to CA safely and he and his bff/road-trip buddy are still hanging out even when they don't have to, so the trek was a success!  He's in our hometown right now, picking up old furniture, and seeing family.

{they are having fun without me which is just rude I tell you}

I've been occupying myself with Journal* duties (and wine)**.  I also happened to keep all the best rom-coms we have in our collection and a couple dramas (also some sports movies because Dan HATES sports movies but I am a sucker for them all and get the chills whenever the protagonist team wins), so I've got that going for me.

I promised myself at the end of 2L that I would splurge on a nice massage.  But then work started and Dan got his job and things were just a bit crazy.  So when I finally was able to schedule it, I decided to schedule it for after Dan left because I knew I would seriously miss all the back scratches that I force him to give me.  You know, because there's nothing like paying someone to give you physical affection. At least its not a hooker, right? Am I right?  Regardless, that massage is happening this evening and I am so ridiculously excited.

In order to keep focused on the positive, I've downloaded myself a little countdown app and I've put in all the various dates that we know we'll see each other.  FIFTEEN DAYS until I see that man I love.  Yep, cheesy. Deal with it.

{it's called dreamdays and its cute}

*Have I explained "Journal" in this place?  Well, it's just the most horrendous scam they have going in law school.  Everyone competes in the first year to be placed on a journal.  Most schools have multiple journals but every school has Law Review (the creme de la creme of journals).  I didn't make Law Review, I'm on a secondary journal.  And it is just a load of horseshit.  "Do it," they tell you.  "Employers will wonder why not..." They say.  I CALL CRAP.  Not one employer has asked me about it and the workload blows and if you are a 1L and you do not think you'll make Law Review: DON'T DO IT.  It's not worth it.

**Drinking even a solitary glass of wine by myself feels weird.  But I do it anyway.

Day One

Dan got a new job.

In Los Angeles.

Which, it is, it's good.  Because we want to be back on the best coast and having jobs usually facilitates that.  But, I'm not done with school.

So, Dan packed up his stuff and a U-Haul and hooked the Ranger Danger up and pulled out before sunrise this morning with his best friend from childhood.  (Cue all the the Dumb and Dumber road trip scenes/quotes/Mockingbird sing-a-longs.)  Meanwhile, I'm still here in this basement apartment.

{and just when we found the ONLY good Mexican food in Arlington, VA}

We split the kitties.  I kept Houston, duh, and Dan took Athena.

All of his stuff is gone, and it's pretty heartbreaking.  Because he's my person.  He's my best friend.  And my fiercest advocate.  And my chicken tikka masala maker.  And, usually, he cleans the bathroom.

{is this not the greatest anniversary gag gift ever?}

This sucks already, and it's only the first day.  Not even a whole day.  And while I feel like a big ole baby for crying about this, I just hate that for the next nine months we'll call different cities home.  We'll see each other, and talk everyday, and maybe try that sexting thing those young kids are doing these days, but it just sucks, ok?

I ate some Kraft Mac & Cheese for dinner in an effort to eat my feelings.  It was unsurprisingly helpful.

{don't mind me as I lounge around in Dan's shirts and mope. #feminism}

two-thirds through

{Do I look professional?}

My second year of law school is over and I can't believe how quickly it has gone by. I remember the first few days, meeting the people who would become some of my closest friends, who understand every second of the experience of law school. I remember taking my photo id and sending the picture to my grandma and how she responded with such pride and encouraging words. I remember going to my first few classes and feeling like the professors were speaking in another language and feeling like a fraud for being around all these smart people.

Now, law school is somewhat old hat. I know the drill: read, outline, test, repeat. The process doesn't scare me anymore, though I still get that flushed feeling in my stomach when a professor calls my name and my heart beats three times fast the whole time I'm on call and I probably drink more water in that 15-minute quick-fire than I do in the whole 55-minute class. 

Second year was less about fear and more focused on stamina. The tasks piled on (voluntarily, of course, because we're all masochists) and I struggled to juggle it all. Searching for a summer job was exhausting and felt all encompassing and I loathe the process of looking for a permanent job, though I think the experience I had this year will help me when the time comes. Second year was tiring. 

Dan is on the fence, but I think my stress-outs (like freak outs but worse) got better by the second semester of second year. I had a couple, because that's just me during finals, but overall, I felt like I knew what I was doing and came into a c'est la vie kind of existence. Which seems to have worked out so far. 

This summer feels less like summer and more like an extension of being a law student. I know, I know, summers as I knew them will never exist again, and that is a little bitter-sweet. I will say, I feel more sure of the future in this moment than I have in months and that is a good feeling. There are some big things and changes coming up the pipeline for us, but for now it's slowing down, if only a little, and, if nothing else, at least I don't have to take exams at the end of the summer. 

{This is how I celebrated my last final: brut rosé and shack shack. Classy.}

Vegas, baby, Vegas!!

Errybody on my Facebook was like "Woo! Spring Break in [bahamas/mexico/so cal/vegas]!!" And I was just here lounging in leggings and hanging on my couch. But, to be honest, it was bliss. Law school and interning take it out of me. It's been pretty great having no big plans and no where to be. Needless to say, I didn't go to Vegas.

My Spring Break in a nutshell:

(1) I started {and finished} House of Cards, season three. No spoilers, but I liked it better than season two though the end was kinda daytime soap, ya know?

(2) Attended my first ever Soul Cycle class. My first ever spin class, really. It was intense. And loud. And fun. My bff here does it all the time and she is so good at it. I, apparently, can barely keep a beat going. No wonder I never took to dancing. 

(2) I finished a crafty project I'd been slowly working on for a month. I'll share more deets lata.

(3) Houston has this horrible thing going on under his chin which I just noticed - I'm probably the worst cat mom. He didn't appear to be in pain but it looked gross. Took him to the vet, which he hated, but we got him some meds and some ointment and I think he's gonna make it. Poor guys has to deal with two-a-day face washes but once a day he gets a pill in a salmon flavored pill pocket so we're gonna call it even. 

(4) SNOW DAY!! Thursday was a snow day!! Which means Dan got to stay home with me all day. 

(5) Dan was like: "Let's celebrate Purim." And I was like, "I'm down to party." Usually our recognition of Jewish holidays is limited to eating latkes and lighting the menorah during Hanukah but I'm always down to expand my cultural experiences. Dan's mom sent this really sweet story about her memories celebrating Purim with family down in LA. Carrying on traditions is fun. I made hamantaschen (the chocolate rum kind) and they were de-lish. Also, my first box of wine. So, there's that.

(6) On Friday I looked at Dan and said, "We should do something this weekend. It is Spring Break. I should do something." "Sure, what do you want to do?" Dan asked. "Well, I don't know. Something." I replied. So, the Planetarium it was. And drinks after, of course.

(7) I had two Skype dates this week. One with a friend from California and the other with a friend in Norway. I love catching up with people and need to do it way more often.

(8) I made paleo pancakes. I think I nearly perfected it by the end there.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

It's a few days late, but here it is nonetheless - our Christmas Card. I love Christmas mail. Adore it. It is so fun to get. Our entire fridge is covered in well wishes and beautiful family pictures and since I frequent the refrigerator more often than your average bear, I am consistently mandated to enjoy myself, prosper, and be merry. Fantastic reminders and I endeavor to take their advice.

We spent the holiday here in D.C. by our lonesomes, but it wasn't really all that lonesome. We missed our families but we did Christmas by ourselves in NC a few years back and, while it isn't home, it is cherished because it's us.

I thought a bit guilty as I though I should be more sad, not being in California for Christmas, but I also felt really content because I love that Dan is my family. We are at home wherever the other is and I feel so comfortable in this environment. Again, and not to beat a dead horse, but it's not that I didn't miss my family and the traditions, of course I did. I missed our cookie making extravaganzas, our Christmas morning brunches and present opening, and our big family dinner. I missed walking around Deacon Dave's who every year does an incredible Christmas light display (not kidding, better than any Christmas display you have ever seen. I dare you to find better.). I miss those things. They are so entertained with Christmas.

But. But, Dan and I have a good thing and sometimes lounging on the couch, drinking mimosas all day long, and having chorizo con papas for breakfast is just the kind of Christmas you want even if you didn't know it. It was different and wonderful.

Anyway, enough about that. The New Year is coming! 2015: the year I will turn 27 (Dan turns 32!), finish my second year of law school, start my third year of law school, and... those are the only things I know for sure. 2014 had its rough patches that we trudged our way through and it had some wonderful moments with family and friends. I'm hoping that 2015 is smooth sailing. For auld lang syne!

happy thanksgiving

You know that thing, where your house is always cleaner when people are coming over? Like, you don't want to appear to be a slob, so you clean every surface, move every scrap, and pretend like your place is always this tidy? It happens so infrequently these days because we live pretty far from any friends we would invite over but for Thanksgiving my best friend in law school was joining us so Dan and I did a massive clean in the morning. What's great is that it's still clean. It feels so good to not feel guilty about that pile of clothes that sits unfolded or the bathroom trashcan that can't fit one more q-tip. Nope, it's all been taken care of. We should have people over more often.

So now, Dan is driving two hours to meet his buddy so they can watch Dumb & Dumber To together and I sit here, in the clean house and study and contemplate eating all the leftovers. I maybe had mashed potatoes for breakfast. It was a close call between the potatoes or a big slice of apple pie with my coffee, but I figured I would enjoy a the pie after I'm done with my long day of studying -- something to look forward to.

This year I'm just thankful I'm not a 1L anymore. I mean, finals are here and there is some stress but nothing like last year. Woah, boy, am I glad I am not in 1L land and I will never be there again. I'm also thankful that Dan makes the turkey every year. Hope you had a great thanksgiving, ours was relaxing, tasty and filled with great conversation and a viewing of Pitch Perfect because our guest hadn't seen it and that had to be remedied. Duh.

things over here

Here are some things that made me happy this week:

1. When we found out it was going to snow pretty severely we went to the store to stock up on some necessities. Because I wasn't sure we'd be able to drive out truck in between here and Friday, I stocked up on wine, because on Friday grades come out and, lesbehonest, I'm probably gonna need some wine.

2. We got a new fridge!!! I can't even explain how much we needed a new fridge. The old one had very little room and a "freezer" inside the fridge, which didn't really keep things solidly frozen and was constantly freezing over so Dan would, graciously, turn the fridge off and clean it all out and put everything back it, like twice a month. I mean, I liked the kinda vintage thing it had going but not at the price of functionality! PLUS, we can fit about double the amount of stuff in the freezer, which means extra ice cream on hand, duh.

3. We went to watch the 49er game at a bar in D.C. with some of my law school friends. I've been really lucky to meet the people I have at this school. Most people aren't as crazy as you'd think for law students, and I kinda like them.

4. We went for a walk in the snow on snow day! Dan didn't have work. I didn't have school. It was glorious. We were on cloud nine for a four-day weekend.

5. Also, this photo of Athena. She's yawning but it looks like she's laughing in the face of the blizzard. She's a badass.

Happy Thursday!

negative, ghostrider. the pattern is full.

I figured I would make the grand total of posts this month a whopping TWO, and maybe put something on this forgotten space of internet. To be honest, I'm thinking of taking it down, but that's a story for another day.

We've been at the Parents Herrington house since March 7 which means it has been 54 days. In that time Dan has finished redoing the front yard and has completed about half of his project in the backyard. I have taken a nannying position, let go of that position, taken on another two nannying positions and claimed part of my Mexican heritage as a cleaning woman for a family friend.

We've met with friends and spent time with family. I've been accepted, rejected, and waitlisted from law schools all over the country. We've celebrated the birthdays of my 71-year old grandma, Dan's 80-year old great-aunt, and my 93-year old great-grandma.

It feels like we've been constantly busy. We've traveled to Southern California twice since we've been back, and I went to the Santa Cruz mountains with my aunt and mom for retreat. We've got trips planned to Yosemite and Disneyland.

Life is continuing and time is moving quickly, yet it feels like things are a bit stagnant as we wait for the next part of life to start.

Nannying isn't what I want to do with my life neither is it all together fulfilling as employment goes. It's for a time and I'm bringing in some (much needed) money. The kids are great and I enjoy being looked up to as possibly the coolest kid on the block - the one who can do six somersaults underwater in a row - but it is, at the end of the day, babysitting.

Dan is helping my parents around the house and I know they (and I!) are so grateful and appreciative. Us sisters are pretty sure he's taken up the slot as the family favorite over here. It's amazing what he's accomplished in the past few weeks (and not only because someday I know he'll be doing this stuff for our own home), but it's not his career. It's not what he's been trained to do.

Some of these pieces we are so grateful for.

Family, for instance. I have accepted a slot at the George Washington University School of Law in D.C. which means we're moving back to the east coast in just a few months. With this move on the horizon and another three years of being separated by 3,000 miles we're enjoying every second we have with our families.

The meals, the outings, the adventures, the sitting, the talking - all of it is so important to both of us. It was hard being so far away from family these past few years and I know it'll present it's own difficulties as we set out to do it again. For now, I'm just enjoying the close proximity of the people that I love so dearly.

This time has given both Dan and I an opportunity to get to know each other's families better. We got married pretty quickly and were apart for a chunk of our dating relationship so our families, while welcoming on both sides, were largely unfamiliar with their new daughter/son, niece/nephew, granddaughter/grandson. It's nice to feel the familiarity that comes with being in a family - this time has provided that.

All this to say, it's a strange, wonderful, terrible, exciting, and anxious time in our lives. We have so much to look forward to and so much to be grateful for. So, while I fear that some of this sounds like complaints, and maybe some of it is, this is the place where we are. We're in a holding pattern. It's a place of limbo and, man, am I glad I'm not Catholic because limbo is not something I deal with well.

These past few days

 

1. I've started my summer job as a nanny to three kids.
2. Dan's been relandscaping my parent's front yard (he installed a sprinkler system - weirdly hot.)
3. We've been discussing (us), stressting (me), and looking forward to (him) a decision on law school.
4. We've been contemplating a move back east.
5. I went to the Rihanna concert (she's beautiful) with my best friends Brittany. More thoughts on that later - I'm still thinking about it.
6. We went bar hopping in the city (that's San Francisco to all you non-locals). So many tasty drinks.
7. Dan's Grandpa gave Dan his golf clubs for Dan's 30th. So sweet.
8. Family has been close by and easy to hang out with and we love it.
 

settling

{we set up a rod in the attic space attached to our room. my closet is in the attic.}
{those aren't even half my clothes.}

When you've got all your clothes set up in a make shift attic-closet you're pretty much settled in at your folks house. At least, that was my indicator. It was a necessary addition (otherwise where would I put my clothes!) but also had the feeling of a bit of permanence which I think was weird for both of us. 

I've been applying at random secretary/administrative/temp jobs (some that were a bit creepy) and think I've got something lined up. I'm still waiting to hear back from the last few schools - a couple of which are deal breakers (like, I'd go there in a heartbeat and never think twice about the loans). 

Dan is still applying and interviewing and really we're just waiting for a break. Part of me feels like God is just waiting to time this out perfectly - ya know, job/school all in one neat package - but the other part of me just thinks, this is the economy right now; deal with it. Maybe it's a little of both. 

Slow ride, take it easy.

Hello from highway twenty west! It's six o'clock in the am and we've been up since four-thirty. It's hard to sleep when your sketchy motel has a prostitution shop running upstairs. We high-tailed it out of Shreveport, LA just happy our cars weren't busted in when we woke up. Daily blessings, you know?

Yesterday was a seventeen-hour day in the car. Dan's been a champ driving the truck while towing my car. I just sit next to him looking pretty and eating banana nut bread. We've got a good thing going, I think.

The cats are holding up as well as can be expected. Both have become serious cuddlers over the past twenty-four hours. I'm not complaining.

Here we come New Mexico! Roswell or bust!