Photographic Evidence

...to accompany previous post.

An American Family

At one time, I had a mom and a dad. I was also born into two sisters.

Then I had a mom and a dad and a stepmom. I inherited a stepbrother.

Then I had a mom and a dad and a stepmom. My dad and my stepmom added to my two sisters and my stepbrother two other sisters, my half-sisters.

Then I had a mom and a dad and an ex-stepmom. That meant I now had an ex-stepbrother, but we still called him my "brother". I also still had two sisters and two half-sisters.

Today, I have a mom, a dad, an ex-stepmom, and a soon-to-be-new stepmom. Add to my ex-stepbrother, my two half-sisters and my two real sisters a new soon-to-be stepsister and a new soon-to-be stepbrother-in-law.

And my question is: will this new stepsister be better at delivering me a soon-to-be stepnephew or stepniece?!?!?

(But in all seriousness, congratulations to my dad who proposed to his ladyfriend, Sherry, today! I like her a lot and can't wait to have another stepmom!)

School Days

Surviving the first week of school was no easy feat this year. Everyday I woke up around 5 or 6 and rushed to finish whatever homework I hadn't done yet. Most mornings, I wouldn't even need an alarm clock to wake up - I just felt so overwhelmed by what is undone that I would wake up every morning in a panic. Then it was off to class and in between all my classes I would sit in the office and help the four or five different people who inevitably came with questions or in need of help. When classes finished in the afternoon, I was off and running to spend some time and eat dinner with my little sister, who is spending her last week in the States with me before heading to Dublin for the semester. *tear* Around 9 or 10 I would finally remember that I had work to do for the next day and I would get an hour or two in before crashing again.

One day I even contemplated going to mass, just so I would have some time to breath. Instead, Courtney and I fed the ducks. After Courtney goes to Dublin on Monday, I hope things will calm down somewhat. Not that I haven't loved having her - I don't know what I'm going to do when she is gone ALL semester. But I feel guilty making her follow me around all day - trust me, the life of a law student is not exciting.

If ever she harbored any resentment towards me for making her put up with my boring life all week, she got her revenge by coming to my Federal Income Taxation class and watching me squirm as I got called on.

Hey, Fellas!

A few shots of the rotating men in our lives.

Back to School

(I'm back from a not-so-long hiatus so that my sisters will get off my back. However, I would just like to point out that I post twice as frequently as any of you, so you have no room to complain!)

In honor of my very last back to school season ever, I thought I would do an update on a post from 2 years ago where I set goals for myself in law school. I got at least one prediction right: looking back, I have had a good chuckle out of at least half of my goals. For those of you too lazy to look at the link, here's a recap:

1. Make Law Review
2. Graduate without living up to Miss Kitty's expectations that I would have a fiance by the time law school was over
3. Graduate with some sort of cum laude behind my name and a high-paying job
4. Have a niece

Here's my progress:

1. Haha. No. But just to make sure I wasn't missing out on any of the self-torture and fun, I found a positions with much of the pain, but little of the prestige.
2. Got this one down pat. Nowhere near anything resembling a functional relationship. I win!
3. The cum laude is a maybe (knock on wood) and the job is a probably (although if I don't pick between San Francisco and Chicago soon, they might both say to heck with me!). My favorite part of the job goal was that I stated in no uncertain terms that I would not be a corporate lawyer and while I'm still going into the litigation side of things and not the transactional side, my firm is known for its corporate practice more than anything else. "Hello, Dark Side? How much will you give me for my soul?"
4. *grrrrrrrrrrr*

And now, roughly $100,000 of debt later, I've readjusted my personal goals:

1. Don't screw my journal up too badly. Get all three issues out before graduation.
2. Don't f up the GPA, take easy classes, and close my eyes, spin around three times, & pick a city to work in.
3. The campaign for Baby Hamilton 2009 is officially underway. Campaign contributions are greatly appreciated.