Surprise Dinner!

Well -- I actually pulled off a surprise! Dustin and I headed to dinner at Dulce Vida, a new favorite of ours by our new house....and when we walked in, there was a table full of our friends! But this was only after we had pulled in to the parking lot once and left to go back home for Dustin to upload his Bar Exam -- HE FORGOT!!! AHHH...but that took 5 minutes... I knew that after Dustin finished the bar there were two things he would want to do: a) see his friends and b) get out of the house. The Burkholder's have a precious baby girl Aly and she got to meet the Patton's adorable baby boy, Beck that was born on July 4th -- I am sure they will have many play dates in the future. Today we are getting ready to head to the Bahamas -- we have been catching up on much needed yard work, laundry, etc. this morning. My friend, Susan, from Levelland is coming to town tonight so we are going to catch her and then we have an early early flight tomorrow. Life in the fast lane -- but we wouldn't have it any other way. : ) It is so nice to have my husband back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. The cupcakes tasted just as good as they look!!!

Done! It is finally all over and both of us are in a state of shock. It feels good, but the good hasn't worn in just yet -- but give it time! Dustin feels really really good about his work today! So life will now, officially move on. : ) Tonight we are going to dinner at Dulce Vida -- and plan on cabbing it to and from...so please don't worry about us. I will post pictures of tonight, tomorrow sometime -- but we plan on sleeping waaaaaay in!!!! Above is Dustin's welcome home snack -- a beer and a red velvet cupcake!!!

"That was a Marathon"

Well day 2 is done with! 60% down, 40 to go--and it will all be over with TOMORROW!!! Dustin is pretty stressed about today's material. It was 200 multiple choice, 100 in the am, and the other 100 this afternoon. He felt he could get most problems narrowed down to two -- he is definitely not as "chipper," today. He said he did his very best and there was no way he could have been better prepared, so hopefully it will fall in his favor. One of Dustin's law school friends (that took the bar last year) called a couple of days ago to give a good luck speech and he told him Day 2 was his worst day -- felt like he missed everything, but ended up passing and even scoring higher than expected so feeling this way is apparently, NORMAL...hmmmm.... One more day to go!!! Keep praying -- tomorrow night I have a surprise planned for Dustin and then Saturday we are off to the Bahamas (poor us). THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE LONG $W^$%&* TUNNEL WE HAVE BEEN IN FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS!!!!! : )

Day 1, Down

Well he's in good spirits! He said time was an issue, but it seemed to be for most others as well. Today was the "easiest," of the 3 days in Dustin's opinion. He, as planned left the house before 7 am and surprisingly was not the first one in the parking lot, ha (other over-achievers). His biggest dilemma today was trying to figure out how he was going to get his Nicorette in. Though the security was tight -- could not bring anything other than your ID, admission ticket and computer---Nicorette was an allowable item much like pens and pencils...the state knows who they are dealing with, recent graduates that are all, still, addicted to nicotine. I know many of Dustin's classmates, many of which are chain smokers -- I hope they are doing OK since cigarettes are not allowed. : \

I had a list of "to-dos," for myself over the next three days and well I guess my adrenaline allowed me to finish all of my list just this morning. I feel accomplished, but now am wondering how I am going to pass the time tomorrow and Thursday. Hopefully the sun will come out (it's been raining) and I can put our new Margaritaville margarita-maker to good use!

This afternoon we are going to take it easy -- probably watch some recorded Datelines, 20/20's, America's Most Wanted, etc. -- we are crime junkies -- perhaps this explains why Dustin had a perfect score on "homicide," in his practice exam. After that we are going to La Cantera for a couple's massage -- THANK YOU TONNA! A Good Day! Thank you for your texts, phone calls and e-mails -- we have such great family and friends!

A Bar Exam Checklist

• Nutritional, non-perishable snacks for Dustin's lunchbox, check.
• Frozen icepacks to ensure the lunch stays at an optimal temperature, check.
• Three, ironed "green" shirts for good luck, check..check..check.
• Dustin's "lucky" pair of boxers (blue and green with horseshoes and clovers--if you can't pass the bar exam with this pair of underwear then no one can!) P.S. Don't worry I plan to do laundry every evening, hehe.

We just had pancakes and bacon for breakfast and now Dustin is doing the last minute touches on his studying. The first part of the bar begins tomorrow morning! Luckily, the exam site is less than 2 miles from our house, but knowing Dustin I have no doubt that he will show up to the exam site by 6:30 am as he says he is going to, to ensure he has ample amount of time in case the unpredictable does occur. Tomorrow's portion of the test counts for 20% of his overall score and he will be done around 1 or so depending on what time they get started. He plans to take it easy each day after the test, have good dinners and touch up on the next day's exam topics before going to bed early -- or at least TRYING to go to bed early....his nerves and anxiety have set in. Dustin has done everything right when it comes to his study schedule -- he took 3 days off for one lake trip, but other than that has hit the books 10-12 hours a day following his graduation...HE IS PREPARED!!! As Oprah once said "Success is where preparation meets opportunity," and this is it for Dustin, one could not be more prepared. Please pray for Dustin over the next three days that he will be calm, collected and can perform at his max....the rest will fall in to place--we all know how smart he is. : ) THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Less than a week!

A week from tomorrow will mark the END of the BAR EXAM!!! Dustin starts testing next Tuesday and will be done at 5 pm on next Thursday (yes, it is a-3-day test) : 0 I will be anxiously waiting at the house ensuring the beer is at an optimal frosty temperature for him when he is done. Right now, he is just reviewing over everything they covered in Barbri from now until testing begins. We are going to go to Fredericksburg on Saturday evening for a "pump-you-up," German Schnitzel at Bavarian Inn. This is our most favorite restaurant to eat at in the entire world -- and I can safely say it is my parents too! Good hearty German food, yum. yum. Dustin has been very tense since I got home--nerves. We played tennis this morning and he had a lot of "aggression," behind his swing (he got 2 games off of me, a first!). Since I returned from Levelland I have tried to stay out of his hair--going on jogs, catching up on laundry, organizing etc. etc. But of course I go on a jog and get stung by either a wasp or scorpian -- whatever it was, it hurt like hell! I could not even walk because my muscles in my leg just went tense--even though I didn't want to I called Dustin to pick me up. The point of impact was puffed up like a TB test and my thigh was rash-like red...so Dustin took me to a minor emergency clinic because it just didn't look right. But we swung by the house on the way to get his review books, ha. Good thing -- I am allergic to whatever it was. Within hours I was fine and passed out on our couch with some benadryl (a great nap inducer)! ONLY ME! If Dustin had 10 exam points for every time he has had to take me to a Dr. over the past year he would pass the Bar Exam with flying colors -- this hasn't been my best year! Below are some pics of the house -- still in progress I might add, but it takes time, you all know this! Be praying for Dustin over the next week + 1 day.

In Levelland

Well I am in Levelland visiting our families and friends while Dustin remains in San Antonio continuing to prepare for the bar exam that is less than 2 weeks away! This quite possibly has been the best trip to the South Plains I have ever made, with the exception of my first "home" visit from college (nothing can compare to the smell of your home after being away for the first time). I have had some time on my hands in the evenings and am re-creating our family blog. I think of life in sections or chunks and after the bar exam will begin Chapter 2 of our lives (I'm counting the days!!!!)...I will title this chapter "growth," as we anticipate a lot of growth in our careers, as individuals and literally as a family. : ) I think blogging will be a great way to keep friends and family informed of what's happening without having to broadcast it to all of our many friends and acquaintances (whom do not care that we have moved or that I am eating BBQ in Levelland, ha) via facebook and since some of our closest friends and family are smart enough to not have a facebook this will keep them up-to-date! I am still trying to decide whether I should put the link to this blog on facebook or not?? I have for now... and facebook friends can CHOOSE whether to view it or not?? Thoughts???