Oh Happy Day

We just turned in our labor law finals! The word limit was 4000 words. Mine was 3999 and J-M's was 3996. I was taking a lot of articles out at the end...needless "the"s and "a"s.

Dawn sent us a package before Thanksgiving break with a holiday elf in it-and a challenge to do good deeds for one another. She suggested that we hide the elf to signify that we've done an act of service-and we find the elf, we'd realize the good deed the other did. A couple of pictures to illustrate-



I found this after J-M cleaned the bathroom for me.

And this was where the rascal was found this morning:



J-M always cleans off the car in the bitter bitter cold every morning. I wanted to surprise him by doing it this morning. I didn't get out there and back without him noticing, but at least I was able to get the little guy grabbing the handle before J-M came outside.

J-M and I have had many a exciting trip to our neighborhood Kroger lately. One of the best was last night...Kroger was having a 10 item mega event. We wanted to get cereal, because we've been eating Malt O Meal free-from-Rite-Aid cereal for awhile and it leaves something to be desired. We also have a box of blueberry special K in the basement that I got for free a year ago-J-M refuses to eat it, which is saying something. We may give it as a White Elephant gift at the Ward Party.

Anyway, Kroger was also having a sale for 50 percent off Kelloggs cereal. Combining that with coupons and the Mega Deal, we got a whole lot of cereal for about a dollar a box. I wanted to post this picture to show Mom how we eat veggies and fruit most of the time-we get the stuff that's going to expire (notice the marked-down price tags). Also, we had a coupon for free fruit when you bought a box of Kelloggs cereal. We bought another box not pictured cause we donated it on our way out. We paid about $17 for everything below. Oh Happy Day!



Sadly, we forgot milk.

And here is our first live Christmas tree. It's small and we love it.

Whistle as you work

I gave the "First Sunday" lesson in Relief Society this past week. After reading Pres. Uchtdorf's message for December in the Ensign, I was thinking a lot about how we can "see" the Savior now.

I came to a partial conclusion that a way to do that is to consecrate our lives to the Savior. Elder Christofferson gave a talk about this, and I've been thinking a lot about one of the ways he says we consecrate our lives: through work.

He quoted Carlyle, someone I know nothing about but someone I would like to learn of someday-because he's quoted constantly.

“All true Work is sacred; in all true Work, were it but true hand-labour, there is something of divineness. Labour, wide as the Earth, has its summit in Heaven."

I think I've felt this all my life. This week is a case in point-we have four finals coming up! We're looking forward to being with family in just a week and a half.

Trial

John-Mark and I have been taking Trial Advocacy this semester-the course culminates in a short version of a full scale trial that the students put on themselves. John-Mark and I were defending a man on trial for both armed robbery and first degree murder. Gabe was able to come up to Morgantown to be our defendant, John Burns. He was fantastic. Although he was declared guilty after our jury of ungrads seeking extra credit deliberated for about 15 minutes (I think they were hungry and ready to leave) our professor mentioned several times to Gabe that "A real jury would never have convicted you."

John-Mark did a great job-so much so that during cross examination, he got the witness to change his story and to agree with John-Mark's line of questioning. This eventually raised an objection from the prosecution..."Your honor, the witness is clearly confused!"

I've been thinking about how to trust myself more, after we finished the process. I think some of the members of the jury noticed pauses before questions I asked, and took this to mean that I lacked confidence. I'm very deliberate. In court, I need to let up. Our professor was speaking to me after trial and compared it to playing chess versus boxing. Communication is a contact sport, he says, and my deliberate movements almost cost me the human aspect of trial.

I made split pea soup last weekend and John-Mark ate it.

Visitors!

The Marissa Worsham and the Christina Pace are visiting us for the weekend from Utah. It's been "a treat, a real treat" (in the words of Robin Hood). John-Mark and I talked to them at Rachel's reception, where they told us that they'd love to come visit. We didn't really believe them, I suppose, probably because Marissa's about to leave on a mission and Christina basically lives in Asia. But it has been so fun to have family visit! They've kindly helped me use up the rest of our zucchini as we've gone through several loaves of Diane Pennington's chocolate zucchini cake (so good!). We've had a great time. I love you both!!

Back to school

On-campus interviews started this week at school. I think between John-Mark and me, we had about 20. He has more next week-I forgot to sign up for those-so I'm finished for awhile. The best part of the whole process was a particularly awkward interviewing moment when the interviewer stopped me mid-sentence and said, "You know, you seem like a pretty nice person. Friendly. Outgoing. You really think you could make someone feel uncomfortable in a deposition?" I stared at him. He leaned back in his chair. "Make me feel uncomfortable. Right now."

Oh-kay...

Next time I'll go into the interview in intimidating-defense-lawyer mode.

We've been assigned the same study carrels as we had last year. So nice to be back.

Close Quarters

When John-Mark and I were in Ogden over Christmas break, I picked up a book of Dad's called "Nighttime Parenting". It was written by a pediatrician, William Sears, who suggested different ways of infant/parent bonding that may help a young child to sleep better. He advocated sleeping in the same bed as the infant-and this surprised me, because of the danger that a parent may roll over accidently during the night. I laughed with John-Mark about it because Sears suggests that if the parents don't have a big enough bed, perhaps the father can sleep on the couch for a couple of years.

Well, this approach-should we consider using it the future-seems, if nothing else, more feasible recently. While we've been moving our apartment around, John-Mark and I have been sharing a twin mattress with great success. At first we had it pushed against the wall and I'd kind of turn on my side and lean into the wall to give John-Mark some space. Last week, though, we moved the bed away from the wall and still, neither of us have fallen off. It's come close a few times, and I wouldn't say that we exactly have room to spread out, but we've been getting great sleep.

So at least until a babe comes around, John-Mark and I have been enjoying bonding time with eachother as we hang precariously off the edges of the twin bed.

How Grows the Garden?

Trying to make my father proud, I placed a few seeds in each spot of my seed starting kit. The result---15 tomato plants, 10 bell pepper plants, 2 jalepeno plants, and 10 struggling strawberry seedlings. After they all came up, I realized that John-Mark and I may be the only ones in the Atkinson household this summer that care for tomatoes. Any other takers? Tristan? I can at least feed the neighborhood deer.

I'm counting on Benson's help with the strawberries.

Dad told me that I needed to get the seedlings some light as soon as they came up-so J-M and I spent far to much time selecting the right lightbulbs at Lowe's and then set the whole thing up over the microwave. I grew concerned that the micro waves weren't doing good things for them, though, so they've since been moved under the TV.

Fredette is the Truth

Does Lloyd Jr's new haircut count as an extreme hairstyle? Either way, I'm a fan. March Madness is the best time of the year at our place-John-Mark and I currently find ourselves in one of WVU Law's classrooms, watching BYU get blown out on our lap tops.

Some people think it an indication of great things to come that they were born under a particular zodiac sign...with J-M, he was able to start out on a path of destiny because he was born during the height of the Madness. If I'm not able to plan anything exciting for his birthday, I can let it go knowing that he'd probably rather be watching basketball anyway.

The "life lessons" John-Mark is able to glean from the game of basketball astound me. I'm currently learning to cheer for the underdog-whether it wrecks my bracket or not. John-Mark had Kansas winning like everyone else (with the exception of .4% of the country, I hear) tonight, yet cheered for Northern Iowa because it's the right thing to do. Selflessness, I tell you. Forget the bracket. Forget personal fame. Cheer for Northern Iowa's 2 days in the spotlight. (This is probably why I've beat him in Bracketology every year since we've met, but still...point taken, J-M).

Real Life Interview

During the last few weeks at the law school, the dress code seems to have changed-sweat pants have morphed into suit pants and polished shoes, ties and collared shirts have replaced wrinkled T shirts (except for J-M on Fridays...he's started playing basketball after class, and shows up to Property ready to hit the gym). Along with the regular course load, many of the 1Ls have been preparing for interviews. Whenever someone arrives to class in a suit now, the question has become "Oh, do you have a real life interview?"

I had a mock interview with Career Services last week. The interviewer gave me some interesting feedback..."You're introspective," she said. "You know yourself." I've been thinking about whether that's true. I've been asked twice this week by professors what I think of a case and whether I think the argument was justified. Maybe it seems strange, but I so often have my hands full trying to figure out what the court thinks that I pay little attention to my own opinions. But now that I have an excuse---I've thought a little. About my thoughts. A simple exercise, but one I haven't engaged in much lately.

I love restocking the grimy beverages at the College of Law bookstore.
I think there's no better feeling than washing my hands vigorously after restocking beverages and seeing the water running off them turn a tinted brown. It's the simplest way to get a feeling of accomplishment, a job well done-getting messy and cleaning up.
If you go to law school-go with your spouse-or with your best friend, anyone who knows you well and is in it with you for the long haul---because if I'm going to be stuck in a study carrel until 7 every night, I want to know the person on the other side of that carrel, and know that it's hard for him too. And that we can laugh at things together when we finally go home.