behind bars

Tonight is Bar Eve. Matthias takes the Bar Exam Tuesday and Wednesday. I am pretty sure Matthias has felt like he has been behind bars the entire summer, missing out on all summer funness, sitting behind a desk, cramming info after boring info into his head.

Here's wishing you a great exam hun! You are going to do great! We love you!

Doctor of Jurisprudence

Matthias LaMar Sayer, J.D.

Graduate of the 23rd ranked (7th of all public institutions)

Indiana University

Maurer School of Law - Bloomington

HONORS & ACHIEVEMENTS:

** Cum Laude **

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, Executive Productions Editor

Environmental Law Society, Member

Latino Law Student Association, Member

J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Bloomington Chapter Co-Founder & Member

Tenant Assistance Project, Member

Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition, Top Brief Honors

Pace National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition, Competitor

Conservation Law Center, Intern

Married to Andrea and involved Father of 2





Proud Family


Good Friends

Dean Robel, Michael Maurer, and Professors

Wow Matthias!!! Congratulations! We love you!

schnitzelbank

Matthias' parents and little bro, Zacc, came in town for graduation weekend! It has been so much fun to have them here. Events taken place thus far: celebration of Zacc's birthday at the Schnitzelbank (German restaurant), family game of bowling, trip to pouring Nashville, IN, and the Law School Party. Joan and LaMar have been so sweet and delightful to be with, and Zaccy has become the kid's new jungle gym! What a fun time we are having. We can't stop saying Schnitzelbank. . . or Leiderhossen.

We hired a babysitter and went out to the Law School Party tonight! We introduced Matthias' parents to all his favorite professors and friends, tapped our toes and snapped our fingers to the rhythm of the live Jazz band. I definitely had a proud wife moment tonight - seeing Matthias in all his Law school glory, he's worked so hard and I can't wait for the big and final celebration tomorrow: GRADUATION!!! That Matthias is one handsome man. Schnitzelbank!

books about the law

. . . one type of book that practically no one likes to read is a book about the law. Books about the law are notorious for being very long, very dull, and very difficult to read. This is one reason many lawyers make heaps of money. The money is an incentive--the word "incentive" here means "an offered reward to persuade you to do something you don't want to do"-- to read long, dull, and difficult books.

Lemony Snicket, The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events), 83-84 1999

The past little while we have been entertaining ourselves with the audio books: A Series of Unfortunate Events. I originally checked them out from the Library for the kids to enjoy, but have found the series quite entertaining for myself. I must say, despite three years of reading dreadfully boring books, Matthias is still quite humorous and fun to be around! Thank goodness.

turbines

These pictures were taken during our long and excruciating 24 hr drive along I-70&80 (UT to IN) over Christmas Break, I think these were taken in Wyoming. With not much else to view along the highway, wind turbines were definitely the highlight of the drive and really stirred up the crowd in back every time we passed by. Matthias loves wind farms - right now he is working for a renewable energy clinic at school - he can't really tell me what is going on - confidentiality reasons - you know, top secret stuff - anywho, he is always sharing facts with me about turbines. ie: Did you know that the diameter of some wind turbines are the length of a football field? Huge, huh?

give me a reason

How do you know where you want to live after graduation? I know this Place is mainly wherever the job takes you... but part of where the job is - is where you are applying for a job. (No, I am not the one who will be working, but obviously if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy). So back to my original question... what motivates you to choose the place where you want to live?

The reason I am asking is, despite my feelings of wanting to explore and experience anything and everything outside of our originations (SLC, Utah), we (Ummm, I mean Matthias) is feeling this gravitational pull to move back to Utah. This is such a recent development. Also recently discovered is that we have opposite desires of where we want to end up. I told our friends on Sunday that while I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting, I was thinking about what if we had to move back to Utah and was rather turned off about the idea. To which Matthias replied, "Hmmm, I was just thinking how nice it would be to go back." Now 1 day later, my mind has started to deviate from my firm statements of not wanting to move back.

I know, I know, you must think I am crazy for hesitating to move back. Family is in Utah, our ENTIRE FAMILY is there! This alone is such a major factor of what draws us back. I love you family, you know that. But.... there are also so many things I don't particularly love about living in Utah. When our friend asked me why, I said, "Because everyone is soooo...." and we both said "mormony?" at the same time. I don't know why it is that the mormonyness (new word) bugs me. I just have found I love being around such diverse people. Being outside of Utah I feel that practicing my religion is more a matter of faith and personal choice, whereas in Utah it is seems like a default choice because it is the culture, i.e. I do it because that is just what everyone does. I know this isn't the same feeling for everyone, but for me, it is. I also feel like there is such a competition in Utah that I don't feel here. Competition in houses, looks, and clothes. Utahans are beautiful to me, Utah homes are beautiful. Everything just looks beautiful, and I don't know if I really care or don't care, but I notice a feeling of competition when I am there - and it stresses me out. And I wonder about Utah schools, I would love my kids to go to great schools. I've heard that Utah schools struggle. Class sizes are huge. Then I wonder about what is better, to raise your kids surrounded by other kids of the same faith, or to raise them being one of few? Ty's best friend is not a member of my church, but lives and makes choices the way that I want Ty to live and make choices. These thoughts all seem so trivial, but at the same time, I don't know if I am done experiencing life outside of Utah. I love who I have become outside of Utah.

Can you give me reasons to move back to Utah? OR do you want to give me reasons to stay outside of Utah? Please comment and give me your thoughts!

IJGLS banquet

A little late getting a picture up of our evening, but Friday night I was Matthias' date for the Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies end of the year banquet. Always a good time when I get Matthias-time! The semester is coming to an end as well as our second year! Wow, I can't believe how these two years have zoomed by. It amazes me that when we moved to Bloomington, Beckham was only 2 months old. Things have changed so much for us. Being away from family in Utah has been hard at times, but I feel like we have grown so close as a couple and a little family being out here on our own,  relying on each other and helping each other through challenges as well as celebrating the good times and enjoying being together. I have this quote hanging on my wall - Together is the best place to be, and you better believe that wherever Matthias and the boys are, I am most happy!

Oh happy day

Felicidades, Matthias is home! Journal Note . . . done, Pace Moot Court . . . done, meaning that not only is he home from NY, he is home from all these extra-curricular husband thieves. We are excited to have him home! I told Beckham last night when he went to bed that daddy would be home while he slept. This morning, when he woke up, he started yelling, "DADDY DADDY" over and over until Matthias went and got him. He was very excited to be with his daddy! He laid on our bed with Matthias for a while and just enjoyed being by him. Ty was equally cute and excited and just ran and gave Matthias hugs. Cute boys. Matthias brought home cute "I heart NY" shirts for the boys and a hot red purse from Canal Street for me. Nothing like counterfeit designer merchandise!

PS. here are a few pics of the day. I made Mediterranean Chicken with mushrooms and zucchini, it was pretty rico. Both boys in their church attire, Ty wanted to wear a scarf, he looked quite dapper. Beckham saw Ty wearing a hat and wanted to wear one as well. Not really a church hat but oh well, he really wanted to wear it.

my matthias

Matthias is gone to NY this week for a PACE moot court competition. I heard from him today and he says things are going pretty good. Let me say, being Matthiasless is a drag. How can all the inhabitants of the earth survive not being with him? I do not know this. He makes everything better. He is my number one everything. He is the cheese to my Macaroni. And although we have been doing a good job being without him (thanks to the good friends who have been helping me with the boys), we still miss him like crazy and can't wait 'til he gets back. Good Luck Matthias!

dc

Matthias is in DC today. He flew in last night and will be coming back tonight. He has 4 back to back interviews lined up this morning for different summer internships. He'll only have a couple of hrs to see the sights after - a friend of his is meeting him there to show him around. I wish I could be there to see the sights too!!! His plane was delayed a little over 3 hrs on his way out, so he didn't get there until after the metro stopped running - had to take a taxi to the hostel he stayed at (got in after everyone was sleeping, thank goodness). I was so worried about him staying at a hostel, but he said it worked out great and was only there long enough to catch some shut eye then was off for his interviews early in the morning. Can't wait to hear from him!

catch up

So I really need to catch up on my blog. If hell is what I picture it is to be, then I think I was there this past week! All I will say is: finals and 3 kids. BUT I got through it and Matt has his last final on Monday morning - and then we are going to party!!! We did do some fun things this week though, and so here they are:

TyTy went to a friend's birthday party at the bowling alley... fun... there was a ramp for the little kids that they could put their 6lb. ball on and roll it down - Ty wanted to roll it by himself though, and therefore Beckham did as well, except Beckham wanted to roll it every where else but the alley! Here are a few pics of the occasion.

We had our first snow in Indiana - although it doesn't look like it. There is nothing like plentiful white fluffy Utah snow - oh how I miss it - mostly just for the boys to play in. I hear they are having a great snow storm right now 8-12 inches in one day! (Jealous!) This is a pic of Ty and Eagan all bundled up ready to play in the snow. All they got were a couple of flakes on their hoods. Bummer! Aren't they so cute? After they came in, they kept looking out the window asking where the snow was... a couple of flakes shouldn't be considered snow I guess. I think it is supposed to be snowing the day before we fly in to Utah... flying over the snow covered Rockies makes for an amazing view! Can't wait to be in Utah. Indiana snow is more like falling shaved ice, not snow.

Lots more to say that I will fill you in on tommorrow! Hopefully!