Surprise!!

Well, I love surprises. Usually, it's Matt surprising me, but this time I got to pull off the surprise. My mom's 50th birthday was Sunday (April 20th), and Dad and I decided several months ago that a surprise party was the way to go. At first, I didn't know if Matt and I would be able to make it, but things worked out and we made plans to go. I have to admit, planning a party from 800 miles away isn't the easiest thing in the world. We planned the party for lunch time at the church, hoping that Mom wouldn't expect anything. I sent out the invitations, ordered the food, & planned the decorations so dad didn't have to try to hide things from her. She can be kind of curious, so we didn't want to risk her finding anything that would tip her off. If I say so myself, everything was perfect! We had about 30 people show up and Mom was COMPLETELY surprised! The cover story to get her to the church was that someone had broken into the church and all of her decorations for baby/wedding showers was scattered everywhere. So, she had to come quick to the church and make sure nothing was stolen so they could report to the police. If you know my mom, you know 2 things about her. 1.)She loves anything that has to do with the police (she falls asleep listening to the police scanner every night). 2.) If someone messes with her decorations, she's gonna be mad. So, as soon as she heard the cover story, any suspicion or thought she had of a birthday party quickly flew from her mind. They got to the church, and she came in saying "they better not have messed with my silver." Everyone hid in the hallway, and as soon as she opened the door they yelled "surprise!" Luckily, she didn't wet her pants, since she had just told Aunt Robbie that she needed to pee! The second surprise came a few minutes later when she realized that Matt and I were there! She had no idea! We flew in the night before, stayed at my Aunt & Uncle's house, and got to the church early Saturday morning to decorate. I'd have to say that Matt and I are masters of the surprise (and Dad & Uncle Kim are excellent liars).

I would have pictures to share, but I left my computer and camera in Duncan. Won't get it back until Matt's graduation...which leads me to my next point. Today was Matt's LAST DAY OF CLASS for his entire law school career! This day came with a mixture of excitement (to be done with school), stress (studying for finals & the Bar starts now), and frustration (still don't know where we're going next). He did have a 2nd interview with a firm in Dallas on Monday, which went well. They don't know when they're going to hire, but act like they'll offer him a job when they decide to hire. So, still playing the waiting game. The option of going to Chicago for an LLM is still in the running too. Someday soon maybe we'll have a final answer! Being in Dallas got me excited because Emily (Tomberlin) and Jared (her husband) just moved there. They're going to live in the Arlington area & Emily will be a children's minister at a church there. It would be really fun to live close to them. Anyway, still trying to figure out the future, but we know that God will lead us in the direction we're supposed to go. We're trusting him to take care of us and provide for our needs. He always has, and we know He always will.

Well, that's about all for now. Have a wonderful day!

Job Hunting...

Well, some of you have asked for an update on the job search...We still haven't heard much. Matt is still talking to the firm in Dallas (things are looking pretty good with them...we think). He is still waiting to hear whether he'll have an interview with the Private Equity Firm in Dallas (hopefully news will come this week), and there is a firm in Houston that he's sent his information to & they should get back to him sometime soon. So, all that to say...he hasn't gotten a job offer, but there are still possibilities in the works.

We were extremely busy last week with the 1L Moot Court Tournament at school. Matt was the Director of the tournament, and I helped with the catering for the Judges and Competitors. It was a pretty big event, but everything turned out great! The only mishap of the tournament was that one of the competitors passed out while he was arguing & we had to call the ambulance to the Supreme Court building!

This week we've just enjoyed relaxing a little bit. We've actually both been sick, so we're being pretty lazy. Lazy days are always welcome. Matt's last day of class for his entire Law School career is NEXT FRIDAY! I can't believe he's almost done! His last final will be on May 9th! 3 years have flown by! Well, I must get to the homework now. Have a wonderful day!

Mom...

I know, I know....2 updates in one day is WAY over the top for me. Well, this one won't be long because I'm about to go to bed, and the last one wasn't long because I was REALLY busy at work today (I'm talking, line of students out the door for the entire afternoon). Anyway, I just wanted to welcome my mother to the world of blogs! She just recently read my blog for the first time. Although she thought it was depressing (I really don't mean to be if I am), I think she liked it. I talk to her several times a week, so she pretty much knows what's happening in my life, but I thought she'd like to see the blog world. So, mom, welcome!! Hope you enjoy, and I'll try to be less depressing!

Not much excitement is happening in the world of Matt & Lori this week. I've been busy at work because students are registering for summer and fall classes (and Faulkner is technologically behind, so students can't register online). Matt has been planning and organizing the 1L Moot Court Tournament. It's next weekend, and it's a big deal at the school. Along with that, he's planning a banquet for over 100 people that is at the conclusion of the tournament. So, he's BUSY, but I think he loves every minute of it. Work and school about covers it for us this week.

Oh, quick funny story before I go to bed...yesterday on my way back to work from the post office, I decided to stop and get some tea. I had a tough time deciding between McDonald's ($1 for a large tea, but sometimes too sweet) and Sonic ($2 for tea, but better ice & tea). This was a tough decision, but since I had enough cash, I decided to splurge for Sonic. This turned out to be the wrong choice. After I ordered, the Sonic guy (who is rather feminine) brings out a tray with several large drinks and an ice cream cone. He sticks the tray half way through my window and tells me to take my tea & ice cream. I take the tea, but not the ice cream, explaining that I didn't order ice cream. I turn to put the drink in the cup holder as he's praising me for being such an honest person. As I turn back toward him, I quickly realized that the reward for honesty at Sonic is someone else's large drink spilling through the open window into my lap. Yes, the Sonic Guy dumped the drink through the car window, the lid came off, and the tea went everywhere! He starts going crazy, saying "I'm sorry sweetie, I just sugared you up" (not sure what that meant, but I think he was referring to the sticky tea) & yelling at the Sonic Girl to bring me some paper towels. I get out of the car and start cleaning the ice out and drying the seat & my clothes, and he tells me the next time I come back, he'll give me a coupon. No offer to help me clean up, no offer to give me free tea, just an apology for "sugaring me". Very strange, but I got a good laugh...Well, off to bed...have a good night!

Prayers...

Matt is waiting to hear if he got an interview with a Private Equity Firm in Dallas. Please pray he'll get it!

Slacker...

So, you might be thinking that I'm a blog slacker (and I've only recently promised to update more often). Well, I'm not a slacker, just forgetful!! I have been trying for several days to log in to my blog, but I couldn't remember what email address or password I used! Finally...I figured it out & I'm back!

Let's see, what has happened since I last updated? Well, we went to Chicago. We had a GREAT trip, with beautiful weather on Thursday. Everyone said it was the nicest day of weather they have had since November! We went to Navy Pier and rode the ferris wheel, which gave a beautiful view of the city! (pictures coming soon...). Saturday was the day of the St. Patrick's Day parade. Due to some subway delays, we apparently missed the parade. However, the river was still dyed BRIGHT GREEN, and we got to see all the crazy people dressed up in their crazy green outfits. I joined in on the St. Patrick's day fun & bought an "Irish" hat. (again, pictures coming soon...).

The purpose of the trip was to visit The John Marshall Law School & help Matt decide if that's something he's interested in. While we were there, he was feeling pretty excited about the program. The classes were interesting to him, and he went ahead and enrolled in classes. We visited a place for him to live (a guy from the church there in Chicago lives there) and that also seemed like it was working out. However, when we got home Matt started to waiver on the idea of another year of school. Now he's back to looking at some job possibilities in Dallas. He hasn't totally discounted the idea of school, but I think it's just not his 1st choice. So, I can't say that we're any closer to knowing what is going to happen after Matt takes the Bar Exam, but maybe the trip provided him with a little clarity. Still praying, still waiting for an answer! I'm sure it will come, but I'm impatient sometimes! That's the biggest thing that has happened in the last few weeks. We did go to LTC in Mobile on Easter Weekend. Our congregation actually attends Lads to Leaders in Atlanta, but Matt and I grew up going to LTC. So, the last 3 years we've gone down to Mobile to help out. We sold t-shirts and organized rooms and cleaned things up. It was fun! Well, until next time...have a wonderful day!

Chicago! Chicago!

So when I sit down to write a blog entry, I realize that my life just isn't that exciting. I tried to think of something to write last night...nothing came to mind. No funny stories, nothing. Right now, our thoughts are pretty much consumed with what is going to happen after Matt takes the Bar Exam in July. He was offered 2 jobs here in Montgomery, but we don't want to stay here so he turned them down. While I think it was the right decision, it's pretty stressful to say no to job security! He applied with some firms in Dallas & Oklahoma, but those opportunities don't seem to be working out. Then, a surprise came along...Matt applied to John Marshall Law School (on a whim) and he was accepted! So, currently we think he'll be moving to Chicago for more school. He was accepted into the LLM (Master of Law) program for Real Estate Law. It's a 2 semester program, so he would start in August and finish in May 2009. I have to stay behind in Montgomery to finish my internship for my Master's degree. I'll finish in December, and then I'm not sure where I'll go. The main kink in this plan is that from August-December, I won't have a job from August-December, and right now Matt doesn't have a job either. So, we're not really sure how we'll be putting food on the table during the Fall semester! We're just praying a lot about it and know that God will provide! When I graduate, I might be spending the semester in Duncan (with the parents) substituting. I'm not feeling brave enough to substitute or teach in Chicago! That's all still up in the air, though.

In order to get some answers, Matt and I are going to Chicago next week!! It should be a good trip, and hopefully we'll be able to find a job for Matt! We're having lunch with some attorney's while we're there to discuss the possibility of Matt working with them. The LLM program is a night program, so he could work quite a bit during the day. We're also planning to check out some places that Matt might be able to live, and the church that he'll probably attend. It should be an exciting, interesting, and COLD trip!! I think what I'm looking forward to the most is Giordano's Pizza...deep dish, Chicago style, a little piece of heaven!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ok, so I just realized that I haven't posted since April of last year! So, I've decided to turn over a new leaf and start posting more often (maybe). Our lives aren't extremely exciting, but I'll at least try to keep things updated a little more than once a year!

So for my first post of the year, let me tell you about our Valentine's trip. As Matt likes to do, he decided that he would plan a surprise trip for me. Of course, he tells me he's planning this trip weeks in advance and then takes great delight in me trying to guess where we're going. This I never would have guessed! I took Friday off work and all I knew is that I needed to be ready to leave the house by 9:00 and we would be back on Sunday. The day started off with a 1 hr massage at a local massage school. Very nice, and a great way to start off a relaxing weekend! Then we set out on our trip to the unknown place. All I knew was that we were headed east, and we were going somewhere that was south of the Mason-Dixon Line (a commonly used landmark here in the South). So off we go, down I-85. After we stopped for lunch, I woke up and had no idea where we were! I didn't know what state we were in, and it was obvious that we were no longer on I-85. Matt said we were about 30 minutes away, so of course I started trying to guess. Still no clue. Finally, about 2 minutes from our destination, he tells me that we're going to Juliette, GA to stay in an old plantation house that's a bed and breakfast. At this point I'm thinking, why am I supposed to be excited? I mean, not that I'm not up for staying at a Bed & Breakfast, but he was acting like I would 1.) be able to guess where we're going and 2.) be excited about the place. .. Finally, after a confused look and a feeble attempt to pretend like I was super excited about going to a place I've never heard of, he tells me the exciting part...Juliette is the town where Fried Green Tomatoes was filmed & the Whistle Stop Cafe is actually open for business! Now, in case you're not aware, I LOVE the movie (Matt has been kind enough to watch it with me several times!) This I was excited about. We had a wonderful weekend. The Bed & Breakfast was pretty incredible too! The plantation house was built in the 1920's and it was beautiful! This is the website if you want to check it out...http://www.jarrellhouse.com/. The Whistle Stop Cafe still looks exactly like it did in the movie, and the little town that surrounds it is great! It was so much fun to shop in the little stores and eat FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (the were actually good!) Anyway, we had a fun, relaxing weekend and I definitely appreciated the surprise.

Chi-Town

Our latest adventure was a week long trip to Chicago! Although we actually went for a law school competition, we still managed to have some fun while we were there! Matt's Moot Court team made it to the National Quarter-finals and their brief (40 page paper) placed 2nd in the Nation! So, the trip was a success in that sense. Before the competition, we had 2 days to hang out in Chicago and see the sights. Below are some of the highlights of our trip...

The Art Institute of Chicago...here we saw some paintings by Van Gogh (my favorite), as well as American Gothic, and we even found a painting that Matt liked!

Our next stop was Navy Pier. At a balmy 37 degrees, with a 30 mph wind off Lake Michigan, the long walk there was brisk and cold! The fog blocked the view of the City Skyline, but we still enjoyed the view!

The 2nd day of our trip was spent at several different museums. We toured the town with Christy (Matt's teammate) and her mom. Although it rained and (again) was VERY cold, we still enjoyed our tours. Thanks to the Chicago CityPass, we were able to skip the LONG lines to get into the museums!

Adler Planetarium...here we saw information about the various space walks, as well as a show about the constellations. We even learned how to find the north star (but don't ask me, because I probably couldn't do it again!)

(Right) We went to the Aqaurium...this is one of the fish we saw. It looks like Dori from Finding Nemo! (Below) The Lions of Tsavo...these lions killed over a hundred people in Africa before hunters were able to kill them!

We did manage to spend some time acutally focused on the competition...

Crafty (John Craft) getting ready for his argument.

(Right) John Garman (the coach), Matt, Christy, and John Craft...on the way to the quarterfinals. (Below) Matt in the courtroom before his argument

Matt and Christy preparing to kill their opponents!

Well, we have many more pictures, but we'll have to save them for later!! Love you all!

My Husband is Amazing...

really, he is wonderful! So last Thursday I had to go to Birmingham for an appointment. Matt went with me and we were planning to meet his cousins for dinner afterwards. Well, my doctor was running late and Matt was getting REALLY impatient. I thought it was strange, because he's usually pretty calm, but I didn't think too much about it. Anyway, I finally got in to see the dr (an hour late), and then we headed to the north side of Birmingham to meet his cousins. Matt was driving like a maniac...so, or course, I had to tell him to slow down and stop being impatient. After all, his cousins wouldn't mind if we're a few minutes late for dinner, right?

Well...we take the exit for the restaurant, but instead of turning right like Matt said we would, we turned left...which happened to be toward the airport. Again, I have to point out that he's turning the wrong way...but he said, "no, I'd rather go to the airport because you're flying to LA!!" (For those of you who don't know, my cousin who was living here in Montgomery just moved to LA a few months ago and I REALLY miss her!). WOW! What a surprise...needless to say, I was beyond shocked. It was 5:00 and my plane was leaving at 5:45 (hence the reason Matt was being impatient), so I barely made it in time. But, I had a wonderful weekend in LA with family...and Matt even managed to pack everything that I needed for the trip!

P.S. I had another surprise waiting when I get home...he painted and rearranged the bedroom! Man, I don't think I've been good enough to deserve all this!

Love you all!

Home Improvement...

Well, Matt and I decided to tackle a home improvement project last night. It was quite the adventure, but it looks great now! (at least we like it). Our front bathroom is the tiniest bathroom in the world...so naturally it was the easiest room to tackle! I thought I would share some before and after pics...

BEFORE: UGLY Striped, flower wall paper; Off center towel rack; Gray Laminate Countertops



















AFTER: Granite Countertops, Tropical Blue Paint, Crisp White Towels & shiny chrome towel racks/shelf















So...let us know what you think! Comments and/or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Have a great day!

Real Quick...

I'm at work, and although I'm not terribly busy, I'm a bit sleepy and not in the writing mood. So here's a quick update because I know there are tons of people who are dying to hear about our exciting life!

For Spring Break (well, it was Matt's spring break and my vacation time), Matt and I made the 12 hour trip to Oklahoma, yet again. We left Bama around 4:30 in the afternoon on Friday, expecting to stop around midnight in Shreveport. Well, if you haven't tried the new Vault Energy Drink, I'm here to tell you that IT WORKS!! We stopped along the way at a gas station, and Matt decided to try Vault, which in turn kept him from getting tired until we reached DUNCAN at 5:00 in the morning!! Yes, Friends, we drove ALL NIGHT LONG. Actually, he drove and I slept. I would occasionally wake up along the way, but for the most part I snoozed after about 11:30. We spent the weekend in Duncan, then Matt went up to OC to do some recruiting for the law school, while I stayed in Duncan for a couple of days. What did I do in Duncan? Definitely went with my parents to doctors appointments. Isn't that what people do when their parents are old!?!

We got to see Chloe (matt's neice) score 2 goals at her soccer game (actually she scored 3, but one was for the other team!) We didn't make the trip home in one night, but we did have the pleasure of staying at a luxury hotel on the way home. Ok, actually it was Motel 6, and it wasn't luxurious AT ALL!! I dream of the day when we can upgrade to staying at a hotel that doesn't smell like smoke, and has been cleaned recently, and doesn't have people partying outside the room all night long... Well, that's our trip in a nutshell. This weekend is the last weekend we'll have free for quite awhile. I think we're going to replace our fence tomorrow. Ok, that's all for now!

Wedding Bells...

I'll update you on the eventful weeeknd with the In-laws later...we had a good time, but I'm not sure my dog did! She was dragged around everywhere by Allie! Anyway, until I get those pictures downloaded, I thought I would post some pics from our wedding. I know it was several months ago, but I thought those of you who weren't able to come might enjoy them! It was a beautiful day, and so much fun!


First, we have the wonderful wedding party. The boys are...David Lee, Terry Craghead, Heath Wilson, Matt, Nathan Lee, Brenton Brown, and Daren Ford. The girls...Tabitha McAllister, Lauren O'Dell, Emily Tomberlin, Lori, Kelly Tyson, Julie Barchers and Sommer Billings. They were a good looking group!




Here we have the beautiful bridesmaids relaxing in the O'Dells backyard after our delicious lunch!



Julie...looking her best!



Kelly, Lauren and Lori enjoying the last few minutes before the ceremony starts!









The happy Bride and Groom!

The In-Laws...

Matt's parents came to town last night and brought the nieces along! We're looking forward to a weekend full of fun...fishing, trip to Birmingham, seeing the "sights of Montgomery"! Allie has already been chasing the dog around the house ("helping out" by picking her up and holding her) and loving every minute of it! I'm glad to have them here, I miss those crazy girls!

On a different note, people in Alabama are absolutely CRAZY about the weather!! In Oklahoma, there has to be a tornado on your front porch before you actually take cover, right? Well, in Alabama if there is a possibility of a tornado anywhere in the state, they're blowing the sirens and finding shelter! It's really quite amusing to watch everyone getting all worried. Even the weather men are overdramatic about the threat of storms! For instance, last night there was a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Montgomery. So, I'm thinking that means it's going to be really windy and rain a lot. BUT, to all of my fellow colleagues, this is cause for stress and panic! They were all checking out the radars and planning their evening schedules so as to avoid getting out in the "dangerous" weather! It just makes me laugh at how stressed out they get when the wind is blowing 20 mph!! On the up side of the weather craziness, the thunderstorm last night caused my class to only be 20 minutes long, rather than 2 hours, and I got to leave work early because when the wind blows, the power goes out! I do love Alabama! Well, that's all I have for today!

A New Family Member...

Well, Matt and I had quite a weekend. After months and months of begging and pleading, Matt finally convinced me to get a puppy dog!! For those of you who know me well...you know that I'm not exactly an "animal person." So, getting me to agree to have a dog in my house was quite an accomplishment (you should congratulate Matt!) Our weekly Saturday ritual for the last couple of months has been to go to breakfast, and then to PetSmart to look at the dogs that were up for adoption. Well, this week when we got to PetSmart, there were 2 dogs left...and one was the cutest little puppy you'll ever see!! Here are some pics of her...

Her name is Lucy and she is lots of fun. Well, I should say that she will be lots of fun when she stops barking at night, and chewing on cords and furniture and everything else! Matt is working hard to get her trained, so hopefully soon she'll be the perfect dog!! She went to the Vet today and she only weighs 3 pounds!! She looks like a stuffed animal (side note...Matt is currently in the kitchen growling at her because she's chewing on the rug!) That was our excitement for the weekend, and it might be a little more than I can handle!!

Holidays

Thanksgiving has come and gone and I'm still tired from travelling! I do love the holidays. Matt and I went to Northern Missouri (a 12 hour drive from Montgomery) to visit his family for Thanksgiving. It was nice to see everyone, but I really missed my family! I'm looking forward to my parents coming for Christmas! So it has been ingrained in me since I was small (by my mom), that a house should be completely decorated for Christmas...that's EVERY room in the house (including bathrooms)! I can't even begin to start decorating because we still have boxes that need to be unpacked...but I can't wait to get started! We've decided to get a real christmas tree this year. I've never had a real tree, so that will be fun. Hopefully it won't die before Christmas gets here! Enough rambling for now...

First Blog

Well, here's my blog...but I don't have time to write anything of significance today. I'm busy at work (well actually I'm counting down the minutes until I get to go home). Have a wonderful day!