I have never been more excited for Christmas than I am this year. Last year was rough for me, and needless to say, it kind of brought down the christmas cheer. But, this year, my heart is so full. Tonight I was able to enjoy our traditional Englert dinner of my mother's homemade lasagna before jetting off to church with my family. After church I went over to Camila's parents house to celebrate a traditional Columbian Christmas. The entire night centered around one main idea: being together. There was never a selfish though, never a greedy-gift grabbing thought. The night was about togetherness and that feeling is only going to continue. Tomorrow is CHRISTMAS day! It's also my beautiful mother's birthday and it's one more day of celebration. This year my heart is full of love for my family and joy for this incredible season. I am so blessed. Silent Night is my favorite hymn from our Christmas Church service. It is so beautiful and simple yet the words say all you need. So, tonight as I lay in bed and fall asleep to "A Christmas Story" on repeat, I won't forget why were celebrate this day, to celebrate Jesus. Merry Christmas everyone, I hope your day is merry and bright.

Last night was our annual Christmas cookie baking extravaganza. Traditional cookies in our household consist of my Grandma McKenzie's (my mom's gma) gingerbread cookies and my Grandma Grace's (my dads mom) german chocolate hearts. It's normally just my mom and I, but last night Camila joined us to learn how to make these Englert traditions.

YOU DESERVE THIS. My best friend, Whitney is graduating today. It breaks my heart that I can't be there to celebrate with her, but I will be celebrating her for the next month before she goes to Nursing School. 

My dearest Whitney, I could not be more proud of you. You have set your mind to do such amazing things and this is the culmination of it all. You deserve all the attention on you today. You did it babe, you graduated. I know I'm not there physically, but I am there mentally, cheering you on. Get ready to celebrate this weekend, next week and for the remainder of your time in Arizona. Get ready for your next big chapter. Smile big, don't trip and rock that hat with pride. CONGRATS Whit, I love you. 

- Michael Phelps

I cannot wait, thanks for the recommendation Lindsay!

I get to go home in 5 days and I am beyond thrilled. Yes, it comes with some bitter-sweetness like leaving all my girlfriends, my boyfriend, my cute apartment, and yes, the cold, but I am so excited to spend some much needed quality time with my family. I haven't gotten to spend time with them without the nagging need to do homework since August! It's going to be so nice to drink wine with my mom, rollerblade with my dad, go out with my brother and spend time with my sister. Tonight, I'm missing my sister, Erin. I don't get to talk to her on the phone, or have skype dates with her like everyone else but if I could, you can bet that is what I'd be doing right now. (check here for more details on Erin). I really miss her infectious laugh and huge smile. I miss the way she greets everyone who walks in as if she hasn't seen them in years. The hug I get from her Sunday afternoon is going to be the best part of my Christmas break. I get to go home, to my sister, in 5 days, and I'm thrilled.

I just love this quote... 


"Real life is a funny thing, you know, in real life saying the right thing at the right moment is beyond crucial.  So crucial in fact that most of us start to hesitate for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time; but lately what I've begun to fear more than that is letting the moment pass without saying anything. I think you deserve to look back on your life without this chorus of resounding voices saying 'I could've but it's too late now'.  So there's a time for silence and there's a time for waiting your turn; but if you know how you feel and you so clearly know what you need to say you'll know it and I don't think you should wait, I think you should speak now."

I was reading some blogs this evening on my study break and sometimes it's as if complete strangers know exactly what to say at the right now. One of my new favorite blogs, Scenic Glory, just posted this the other day....
mo·ti·va·tion
1.  a. The act or process of motivating.
    b. The state of being motivated.
2. Something that motivates; an inducement or incentive.
It's the night before week two of finals. Everyone is gearing up for the harder of the two weeks, the 5-hour energy shots are being pounded, copious amounts of diet coke and starbucks lattes are being consumed and people are gearing up for what could be a pretty rough week. But this weekend was a good one. It snowed on Saturday and as everyone here knows, I just love it. All the midwest natives keep telling me I'm crazy, they tell me I'll be 'taking back those words' come February.... But, I'm not sure if that's true. Sure, its freeeeezzing cold, its scary to drive in and it makes getting back and forth from West Omaha to downtown kind of dicey, but there's something about that snow that is so refreshing. It's clean, and its white and when it's coming down, it is so beautiful. And before it gets driven on and becomes slushy, the whole town is this perfect blanket of white, pure snow. It's a fresh start. It puts me right in the christmas mood and it's a little beauty in the midst of the chaos of finals. So, yes it's irritating and messy, but  I'm pretty sure its God's way of giving us all a fresh start, prepping us for tomorrow. So, enjoy it, throw a snowball, and pretty soon we'll all be making snowmen and snow-angels. Good luck to everyone who's currently taking finals or is about to start... we're almost there, and I promise, it's going to be worth it.

I'm pretty sure law school and finals is making everyone go a little crazy.... hence our current sentiment towards finals, lets hope this week gets better.

Today is the start of 2 weeks of hell, otherwise known as finals week. We're going to be pushed to the scholastic limit, try not to break, any try to pass all finals without having a nervous breakdown. But once it's over we're going to cheers to a job well done and we're going to celebrate getting through the hardest semester of our lives. So, let's do this, let's take these tests of endurance and let's pass, because we're all deserving. Rock it out everyone, welcome to finals week(s).

One of my favorite things about December is the Christmas lights that pop up everywhere. Putting up my Christmas tree is my most favorite things to do during the holiday season. One of the things on my bucket lists is to see the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. This year it was November 30th, and once again, it was quite a sight to be seen.

I am so thankful. It's safe to say I had the best thanksgiving ever yesterday. I had the chance to sit in the company of the best people on this earth and just be. I watched as two families joined as one to celebrate each other and the love between the two. We ate the best food, laughed at the best jokes and took the greatest pictures. I have so much to be thankful for, and I love that I get an entire day dedicated to basking in that. I'm positive I have the greatest family on earth. The five of us don't get together very often, so when we do it's always a blast. Getting to spend an entire day with them is my paradise. I got to spend the day with my best friends - they're the greatest and they bring the joy of the world into my life. I got to celebrate my new family. When Tom started dating Camila she brought this new world into ours and we've (Tom) hasn't been the same since. Yesterday I got to watch the first Englert-Urtubey Thanksgiving and boy, was it wonderful. I watched two families from two different worlds join together, and it was as if we've known each other for years. There was a point yesterday afternoon after we had finished stuffing our face where I just looked around. Camila's dad was playing the guitar and singing in spanish, the moms were on both sides admiring and taking pictures, the boys were smoking cigars and everyone was drinking baileys and coffee enjoying the sounds of the day. At that moment my heart was so full I could have cried. I am so blessed, and I don't acknowledge that enough. So this is to all of you [Englert fam, Urturbey Fam, Leisenring Fam & Kuipers Fam], who made yesterday great, I am so blessed to have all of you in my life. I would be lost without you. And, to everyone who couldn't make it yesterday... You were so missed. I am so blessed to know and have you as well. To Kate, Carly and Callie, I am thankful for the relationships we made in college and have continued since then. To my beautiful law school friends, Kristin, Alyssa, Lynds, Britt, Hannah and Sarah - you girls continue to amaze me and challenge me. I am so blessed to go to school every day with such inspiring girls. To Adam, thank you for being such a wonderful boyfriend. I hope one day all of you get to join in at least one Englert Thanksgiving - because it's crazy, and loud, but it's full of love and a sight to be seen.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.  ~Melody Beattie

One of my favorite Keith Urban songs made better by the sweet guitar and voice of Mr. John Mayer.

Enjoy, Happy Sunday.

I forgot your birthday post, but I'm glad I waited because this picture is my fav. So, here is the latest Happy Birthday post ever. I'm glad I got to spend your birthday with you Kris, and I'm so glad the universe is spinning our of control.... because of us :) Love you miss! 

It's coming. They're coming. Finals are 19 days away. In 19 days I will be taking tests that define my last 4 months. Not only do they define my last 4 months, but they decide if I get a clerkship next summer, and a clerkship could be the beginning of a job opportunity, and a job opportunity equals a career. In 19 days, I'm going to define my career. It's absurd. It's scary, but they're coming and needless to say I'm starting to freak out a little bit.

I'm tired.
I'm starting to get worn down.
I'm wondering if I'm really cut out for this.
Am I prepared?
Will I pass?

All my self-doubts are rising to the surface and while I'm doing all I can to quash them before they get too much... sometimes its nice to sulk about it. But not too long of course, because just when I start to think I'm all I am are my insecurities, I have people that shake me out of it. I have this new boy who makes me happier than ever. My study buddies and law school comrades remind me that we're all in the same boat, and then my best friends back home remind me that in 25 days I'll be back in Arizona celebrating the Christmas season, and all this will be worth it, all my hard work will pay off. So I'm gonna disappear for the next couple weeks. I'm gonna bury my face in the books and get down to it. Because in a month I want to feel secure in a job well done.

Right before I moved to Omaha, Whit gave me this quote on a home-made CD,

"The leading rule for the lawyer, as for the man of every other calling is diligence. Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today."

Omaha never ceases to amaze me. I experienced my first snow last night. And, when I say snow, I mean snow, not just those pretty little flurries that sparkle in the street lights, but full snow, I'm talking at least 3-4 inches. Most people probably don't think that's a lot, but I sure did. It all started driving to Kristin's birthday dinner, (Shout out- Happy Birthday Kris!) and it was raining pretty hard. All of a sudden, Kristin says, "Oh my, Kristen, it's starting to flurry," I didn't believe it for one second, but sure enough, I couldn't deny the SNOW that was building up on the side of my windshield. With tears in my eyes, I continued to drive cautiously with my 3 girlfriends guiding me along the entire way, "break slow," "turn slow," "don't speed." They were my guiding (back-seat driving) angels. Once I parked, the snow was in full force. We ran, slid and hobbled our way to the restaurant through the slush. Picture this: 4 girls, 4 pairs of high heels and a lot of snow. It was a comedy show to say the least. We finally made it across the street to Pitch, this warm, amazing, cozy little pizza joint, and from there the night began. We cheer-sed, sipped wine, ate cake and laughed together as the snow fell outside. I felt as if I were in a movie. It was a magical night.

Perfect Imperfections. The more I grow up, learn new things, meet new people, have new relationships, and learn more about myself, the more I realize how honest this statement truly is. Perfect Imperfections. I wish I could say I read this on some really great memo about accepting yourself, but I actually read it on the inside of a pair of jeans, but regardless of where I found it, it got me thinking about people.

Last night I was watching my TIVO'd Ellen episode of the one where she interviews Portia Di Rossi. Here sits the most beautiful model I've ever seen, discussing how she used to count calories to the point of weighing a mere 86 pounds. She discusses the need to be perfect in a world where nothing is perfect. I sat that, obviously re-thinking that last slice of pizza when I realized that, those imperfect moments, or imperfect parts to someone are what make everything perfect in the whole. A crooked smile, maybe a little too tall or a little too short, it's all part of the whole person that makes those little imperfections, truly perfect.

I've been learning about other people recently. How they think, how they handle situations, how other people hurt. Needless to say I've grown up where the people around me are very similar to myself and my background. Even in California, I didn't venture too far out of 'me.' So, I've been learning about other peoples lives and the things that make them who they are. Sometimes it's irritating and frustrating, trying to figure out why some people do certain things are act a certain way, but all it takes is one conversation. A simple conversation, from the heart of a friend, to really learn about that person. It takes having someone care enough to make the effort and ask. It's about learning what they consider their own imperfections which in turn make me realize my own. [I'm too sensible when it comes to relationships. I have a hard time saying no. I feel obligated to please everyone else before considering my own happiness. I don't understand how to be vulnerable.]  Maybe when I can figure them out, I'll learn how to turn those imperfections that I consider a negative aspect of myself, into the perfect imperfections someone else loves.

My mom's the best. Today has already been one of those days. With everything that happened over the weekend, to now being in the final four weeks of school, it's easy to get kind of worn down. This morning has already been long; being late to get up and get ready, forgetting to eat breakfast, cleaning poop up, being 45 degrees out to then spilling coffee down the front of my shirt all I heard in my head was, "This is going to be a shitty day." But then my mom sent me this quote, doesn't say much or probably mean much to non-dog lovers, but she knew it would make me smile and I can already see the day getting better. So, even though I'm sitting in the library before the sun comes up, watching it rise through thick double-panned glass, I just have to laugh about the stupid stuff and smile about the great stuff...today's gonna be a good day.

"Happiness is a warm puppy."
-Charles Schulz

I can't get enough of Taylor Swifts new CD. It's just as good [if not better] than the last. I admire how she sings with conviction and honesty. I just love her, she's my fav right now.

Tomorrow is back to the daily grind. After 10 days well spent, its time to get back to Omaha, Creighton and homework. I had the best break, but tonight as I lay in bed, preparing for tomorrow I can't help but get a little excited for tomorrow and for the next couple months. I've waited years for law school and after this break, I only get more excited when I realize I'm living my dream. Sometimes I hate it, sometimes I love it and sometimes it's harder than imaginable. But this is my dream and its exhilarating. So, after some Con Law homework, Property and Civ Pro, its time for bed, because tomorrow I'm waking up to my dreams.