Matt graduated today, (which also happens to be my brother Noah's 19th birthday--a happy one to you, Noah) and I am so very proud of him. Three years ago, I could not envision us and what we'd be doing or where we'd be at this point (his graduation) and now I know.
A little background for the uninitiated: Matt and I got engaged a few short days after he got accepted to law school in August 2003. Although when I look back now I think, "Why would I EVER hesitate to marry this wonderful man??" at the time I had some hesitations. Give me a break, I was 20 and he was a graybeard of almost-26.
Anyway, so we had been doing the marriage-talk dance for a few months ("When two people . . . talk of marriage"--movie reference? anyone?), and he was having a hard time deciding what to do. He got accepted to a few other law schools, which would have put him in either California or Texas or D.C. In the end, he decided to stay in Utah--where I would be--although he hadn't gotten accepted to any Utah schools. That was a gamble, sort of. Call it a hunch, I guess, that he and I were M.F.E.O.
I was in California for the summer and he and I decided to go on a road trip together to and from New York. Or maybe we were going to fly to New York and drive back? I think the latter. Anyway his friend was at Cornell doing this internship thing or something and we were going to drive back with him. I remember my aunt Frances and uncle Dee came to visit my parents' house one day after we had decided to go on the trip, and they commended me on my adventurousness when I told them with relish about it. (I am such a road-trip freak.) "You have plenty of time to settle down...enjoy your youth...etc." At the time (early August?) thoughts of marriage were not at the forefront of my mind.
A few weeks after that conversation and the decision to do the road-trip thing, Matt got accepted to law school at the last minute and our trip was cancelled. ("I'm so glad that trip didn't happen," his mom commented, just today as we reminisced. We've had our share of those trips since, so I don't mind either way.) I drove up to Utah with my parents and my newly freshman sister, and we got engaged a week later, a few days after he started as a 1L and a few days before I started as a senior.
Now, almost 3 years later, he's done! A few more months of studying for the bar and he'll be a bona fide attorney, and we'll be east-coasters. Again, I am so proud of him for all of his hard work and marvel that we made it "this far." I know you "old-timers" will laugh at me for talking about "this far" at the tender age of 23, and I understand. It's both an end and a beginning. Who knows where we'll be and what we'll be doing three years from now?
I'll let you know when I find out.
Congrats! I'm so happy for you, Matt!
ReplyDeleteAnd my roommate wants to know if Matt knows Ian Davis, her cousin. He graduated with the lot.
Congratulations Matt on the graduation. Law school is one heck of an accomplishment. Good luck in DC.
ReplyDeleteWay to go Matt! I'm just sorry we couldn't be there - not that I love graduations, but I love getting away and seeing people I love!
ReplyDeleteThanks all. Hannah: Matt knows Ian Davis. I've only met him a few times, he and his wife came over for dinner once. His wife is pregnant and adorable and possibly one of the nicest people I've ever met (although I don't remember her name).
ReplyDeleteKatie: I totally remember that conversation. I feel really fortunate not only to have so many options but to know that I do. If you know what I mean. Also, I love you!
My graduation isn't until June 9th, guh, that seems so far away. Although I have a ton of stuff to do before then--most of my papers are due by Memorial Day weekend. So that's good, I guess.
i'm with eliza. i really can't believe it either!!! congratulations matt. that is so awesome. i can't wait for you two to come out here. love you both!!
ReplyDeleteThanks to all!
ReplyDeleteYou can never really enjoy a law school graduation because you have that bar thing hanging over your head the whole time. I guess that's when I'll feel like I've really acomplished something.
Hannah, as Eliza mentioned I do know Ian. He's a great guy. We did a lot of pro bono work together at the Spanish language street law clinic.
So what school do you both go to? U of U, I assume? Congratulations on graduation and especially on already having a job lined up. That is the real accomplishment. What kind of firm is it? Or is it a clerkship? It is all very exciting--we were there four years ago!
ReplyDeleteOh Emily, I must chuckle at that, for neither of us actually have jobs lined up. We're sort of free spirits these days, I guess. Actually he got offered a job in Salt Lake but we decided to make a change and go to D.C., where we have both lived and worked before, and where his chances of finding something he likes (international law, immigration, human rights) go up. Plus it's a logical choice--he'll be a lawyer and I'll be a librarian, and the city is pretty well known for litigation, legislation, and libraries.
ReplyDeleteWe have both been applying, but neither of us have gotten anything yet. We're banking on temping for awhile and on getting more interviews once we actually have a local address.
EXCITING, I know! Maybe a little nerve-wracking too, and a little bit of a cliche (I'm thinking aspiring actress moves to Hollywood, aspiring musician moves to New York or Nashville) but mostly exciting.
Matt went to the U and I'm about to graduate from the University of Washington (distance program, obviously) with an MLIS. We both did our undergrads at BYU, which is where we met (in the library, no less).
It's all becoming clear. Thanks for the clarification. I love that you are doing something so fun and adventurous. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteCongrads' Matt and good luck with the Bar.
ReplyDelete