Wow, where has the time gone, huh? I've recently been inspired to restart this blog that we used to reserve only for vacations (except going to China last summer sort of ruined that...we had this grand plan of blogging our entire trip, only to discover that China basically blocked every social website on the planet, no joke...and we just forgot about it in England and Prague back in March). Kyle's cousins have been blogging non-stop, and combined with the fact that we're always getting asked what we're up to due to our current circumstances, this might be an easier way for our friends and family to follow us on our journey! So...let's recap, shall we?
Kyle and I were married last June on the 25th, so we're coming up on our first wedding anniversary! It was a beautiful event, one that we've been requested to replicate again this year...and the next...and the next. Well, when I win the lottery, we will be sure to throw another party :)
The day we got back from California (literally, we took a red-eye back to NY), I received an email saying that I had been accepted to transfer into American University Washington College of Law. I started freaking out. I'm not even kidding. Kyle had gone off to work, and I was sleep-deprived and all by myself in our apartment. I applied to AU on a whim, and never really thought I would get in, and even if I did, didn't think I would go. Well, I'm now sitting in DC blogging away, so you can guess what my decision ended up being. It was the best decision for both of us, and we knew our relationship was strong enough to get through it. Sure, it's hard, but it's something that we both decided to do, and we both knew the challenges we would face leading up to it.
Fall 2010: My first semester at AU was hard, mostly because I was studying for/taking comprehensive exams for my PhD which is still in Buffalo. I was flying up to Buffalo every weekend, Thursday through Sunday, and didn't really meet any people, plus I had one awful class. I got through first semester (and passed comps!), and Kyle finished his last semester of law school! Kyle finished school and classes with a bang- graduated with honors, and received both his JD and his MA, as well as bagging a FABULOUS job.
Spring 2011: Kyle moved down to DC for three months to study for the NY bar exam, and life was easier for me. I didn't step foot in an airport for a good three months, and it was GREAT. Even though he was studying for the bar, we managed to do fun things on the weekends, and it was great seeing him every night, and he managed his time so well that when I WAS home, he was able to hang out with me. It made all the difference in the world. Come end of February, he packed all his stuff back up and headed back to NY to take the actual test. After the test, we celebrated by going to England and Prague for Spring Break. SO. MUCH. FUN. Also- SO.COLD. We stayed with Sam and Louise the entire time, and had a blast. If only we remembered to blog about it... Our yearly trips to England/a-new-European-city is pretty awesome.
Kyle, me, Louise, and Sam in Prague :)
As soon as we got back, Kyle moved back up to Buffalo to start his new job. He has an AMAZING job he loves. He works with great people who do great work, and I really can't say anything bad about his job, other than maybe the location. In fact, I like where he works so much that I actually go hang out in the office every now and then :)
As for me, the second semester went MUCH better. My stress level was also a lot higher. I put more on my plate than I did before. Took 5 classes, had to write my comment for Law Review, and was working. I was streeeessed out. But it worked out. Why? Although I wanted to stab myself in every class I took, I met some really great people every which way I turned. Writing my comment for law review was anything but fun, but hey, I got a chapter for my dissertation done, and through law review, I was able to take part in one of THE coolest things I have done so far: oral argument at the Supreme Court, tour of the S.C., and tea and cookies with Justice Alito!!!!! It was truly one of the best moments, mostly because I've heard so much about them in law school (of course), and also studied them individually through my PhD work (the attitudinal model is no joke).
Started doing Therapy Thursdays with some other transfer girls, and all-in-all, actually participated in law school. I made the school's Society for Dispute Resolution team, and I will be officially competing at the International Chamber of Commerce next February in Paris! :) Imagine that. I was never that involved in law school at Buffalo, more so because I didn't want to, but I actually WANTED to be part of law school here. The firm I started working for is awesome. Actually made me start participating in 5ks, and I also signed up for a half-marathon! Love the people, the professionalism, and just learning the way a firm works.
The other big news of this semester- Kyle not only PASSED the NY bar exam, but also graduated law school! The Pozza clan headed up to the Northeast to attend graduation (which was this past weekend), but unfortunately, Stacy and Amy weren't able to make it because of flight delays and cancellations. Boo storms. But we managed to Skype them the ENTIRE graduation, which was SUPER cool, and I'm really glad I made the investment in an iPad 2. Anyway, here is my handsome, amazing graduate of a husband!:
I will actually upload more pics as I get them from Kyle, because it's all on his camera. Want to share all the fam pics! Anyway, since graduation was only this past weekend, I can still upload them later and be "current" on my blogging.
Other than that, I think that's about it for our update. We have some here-and-theres for this coming summer and upcoming school year (including some incredible weddings), and I'm super psyched to be sharing them!
~Kristen
