Moments of Musing

My Magnificent Feathers

Filed Under: Uncategorized //

My fortune the week after taking the bar exam
 
On Monday, I received news (bright and early, i.e. 5am HST) that I passed the Illinois bar exam!!! The 8 week-long 12 hour days of studying. The 11 days of not leaving my house. The countless tears. The emotional breakdowns. It was all worth it.

 

 
I have what I need to get where I need to be — I am more than capable. I’d doubted myself too much in the past. Realizing that all took time. Just like my journey will. But I am excited. And I {think} am ready. 
 
But for now, weekend fun+relaxation here I come 🙂
 
 Happy Friday!
 

For Military, By Military

Filed Under: Uncategorized //

As a blogger on the issues facing the military community and its families, I am well aware of the uncertainties our active and veteran service members are feeling at this time – particularly from the threat of downsizing. Many military members across our country will be making hard choices in the days ahead that could have a permanent impact on the financial security of their families.
 
No one who has honorably served this country should be forced to decide between quality of life for their families and their long-term financial security. And yet, that’s what many will be asked to do when they will have to opt to pay for higher-cost commercial life insurance or to go without. And this is but one of the many choices these folks will have to make about retirement, survivor benefits and more.
 
 AAFMAA, a mutual aid association created by members of the military for members of the military, allows military veterans not to have to make the above choice. It provides low-cost life insurance, survivor services, and financial planning to those who risk everything for this country. Not many veterans know about AAFMAA, though, and that’s why I am informing you all about it today.

All AAFMAA Life Insurance Policies Include:

  • Competitive rates for service members and military spouses
  • Survivor Assistance Services for members’ spouses
  • No war, terrorist or aviation clauses, exclusions or surcharges
  • No coverage limitations based on deployment status
  • Coverage available up to $1,000,000 ($800,000 term)
  • Continuation after separation or retirement from the Military (as policy allows)

– See more at: http://www.aafmaafacts.com/#sthash.Qu5A8QVk.dpuf

 

AAFMAA was found in 1879 after “Custer’s Last Stand.” It has 90,000 members and more than $1 billion in assets. All Active Duty, Retired, Guard, Reserve and Veterans (residing in Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, or Virginia) of the American Armed Forces are eligible to join. 

 

AAFMAA offers SpouseLink.org, an invaluable online tool connecting and strengthening the broad network of military spouses who hold these families together. For advice, the latest news from the military community or just a sympathetic ear, SpouseLink.org is the place for military spouses. – See more at: http://www.aafmaafacts.com/#sthash.Qu5A8QVk.dpuf
AAFMAA offers SpouseLink.org, an invaluable online tool connecting and strengthening the broad network of military spouses who hold these families together. For advice, the latest news from the military community or just a sympathetic ear, SpouseLink.org is the place for military spouses. – See more at: http://www.aafmaafacts.com/#sthash.Qu5A8QVk.dpuf
AAFMAA offers SpouseLink.org, an invaluable online tool connecting and strengthening the broad network of military spouses who hold these families together. For advice, the latest news from the military community or just a sympathetic ear, SpouseLink.org is the place for military spouses. – See more at: http://www.aafmaafacts.com/#sthash.Qu5A8QVk.dpuf
AAFMAA offers SpouseLink.org, an invaluable online tool connecting and strengthening the broad network of military spouses who hold these families together. For advice, the latest news from the military community or just a sympathetic ear, SpouseLink.org is the place for military spouses. – See more at: http://www.aafmaafacts.com/#sthash.Qu5A8QVk.dpuf
AAFMAA offers insurance, financial, and survival services for veterans and their families. One product that is very popular among service members is the CAP Loan. It is a one-time $4,000 loan with 1.5% interest to qualified members. Details are here if you are interested: https://www.aafmaa.com/BrowseProducts/CAPLoan/CAPLoanInformation.aspx

 

An especially unique aspect of AAFMAA is its invaluable online tool connecting and strengthening the broad network of military spouses who hold these families together, SpouseLink. For advice, the latest news from the military community or just a sympathetic ear, SpouseLink.org is the place for military spouses! 
 
This post, for which I have received no compensation, has been brought to you on behalf of AAFMAA. 

AAFMAA offers SpouseLink.org, an invaluable online tool connecting and strengthening the broad network of military spouses who hold these families together. For advice, the latest news from the military community or just a sympathetic ear, SpouseLink.org is the place for military spouses. – See more at: http://www.aafmaafacts.com/#sthash.Qu5A8QVk.dpuf

AAFMAA offers SpouseLink.org, an invaluable online tool connecting and strengthening the broad network of military spouses who hold these families together. For advice, the latest news from the military community or just a sympathetic ear, SpouseLink.org is the place for military spouses. – See more at: http://www.aafmaafacts.com/#sthash.Qu5A8QVk.dpuf
AAFMAA offers SpouseLink.org, an invaluable online tool connecting and strengthening the broad network of military spouses who hold these families together. For advice, the latest news from the military community or just a sympathetic ear, SpouseLink.org is the place for military spouses. – See more at: http://www.aafmaafacts.com/#sthash.Qu5A8QVk.dpuf

 

#1 Pinkalicious Wednesday Blog Hop for Hope

Filed Under: Uncategorized //

Welcome to #1 Pinkalicious Wednesdays Blog Hop for HOPE!  Hope you can help spread the word by Tweeting about this blog hop 🙂 Tweet
Sleepless in DIY Bride Country
Hello all, Jess from DIY Bride, and Jackie from City Girl Finding Her Place in the World have teamed up to create a new Blog Hop, and we are proud to introduce our #Pinkalicious Wednesday Blog Hop for HOPE! With October around the corner we decided to make this blog hop dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness Month! 
Jess-“A year ago, I lost my only and favorite aunt Linda to Breast Cancer. It was a devastating loss for me, and I miss her everyday. To keep her memory alive, I decided to start this blog hop for HOPE with my new Blogger Bestie Jackie from City Girl Finding Her Place in the World.” 
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Image Map

DIY Bride: Blog / Bloglovin’ / Twitter / Pinterest / Facebook / Instagram / Google+ 
City Girl Finding Her Place in the World: Blog / Bloglovin’ / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram
*Now it’s time for a GIVEAWAY to help spread awareness!! All proceeds for this bag will be donated to Susan G. Komen, and your support goes a long way!!
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*Show us your Breast Cancer support and link up your blogs!! Any post will do, but if you have stories, or awareness facts about Cancer, these posts are greatly appreciated!! We look forward to seeing what our blogger friends are up to this week!! There are co-host spots available, if you are interested in being a co-host, email Jess at lilmadjesse85@gmail.com
 

Out with the Next, In with the Now

Filed Under: aloha //

Happy October! I receive bar results this month – nerve-wracking is a complete understatement as to how this waiting game feels. Let’s focus on the present, though — shall we?

Upon reading the article, 26, Unmarried, and Childless, the very last sentence jumped up at me and I invite all of the people in my life to do the very same thing: “[D]on’t ask me what’s next. Ask me what’s now.” 

 

 
Like the author, I do not have a husband. (I do have a great boyfriend.)
 
I don’t have kids. 
 
I currently do not have a career (…since I am still waiting for bar results).
 
But –on most days — I am over-the-moon-happy. And it’s a lot easier and feels a lot better to be happy when others recognize that I’m okay with not being married right now, I’m more than okay with not having children right now, and I am enjoying my life pre-career. Too often we think about what is coming. I’m guilty of it. I wonder “when will Tim and I get engaged and married?” There, I said it. I think about that. And I do think about when kids will come into the equation. And Lord knows I wonder everyday what my career will be [like] and whether I’ll be any good at it.
 
For now, however, I am more than happy with my kickass boyfriend. I am happy dating and exploring the world with T whenever we feel like it. That will all change when kids come, which we very much want. But for now, it’s us (sometimes 5,000 miles apart, which wouldn’t be feasible with kiddos) and we’re happy with that. And I am happy writing on my blog these days and expressing myself in ways that I never have and more than I ever thought I publicly would. I will eventually have a career – along with the many years of working that will probably come with it.
 
Sometimes, as much of a planner as I am, I like not thinking about the future. So I’m going to do less of it and live in the now. Embrace it. Appreciate it. Bask in it. Love it. All I really do have and know is now – so I won’t waste it worrying about the next thing that might never even happen. 
 
And when asked by someone about what’s next, I’ll simply explain what’s now.
 
—————————
 
Speaking of what’s now – 
 
I am SO excited to see an article of mine on SpouseLink.org. Check it out here: https://www.spouselink.org/blog/blogging-a-coping-tool!
 
Oh, and I just found out this morning – shortly after posting this – that I PASSED THE ILLINOIS BAR EXAM! Chicago here I (and Tim, next year) come!!!!!!
 
 

“Septembered”

Filed Under: life //

“Of course, the world is spinning, always changing, and you know now that the Darkness is not really about you. It’s not a sign that you prayers aren’t strong enough, your Bible reading is a little too lax, your devotion to God is spread too thin. This is about orbit. About angle. About distance from the sun. And listen Love, change takes time . . . Deep down you know all this will be beautiful.”

 – Septembering, Addie Zierman


While the weather here in September did not shift to typical fall weather, I do think I have “Septembered” in ways similar to which Addie wrote about. August was a bright turned dark turned bright month. September brought more brightness. But the darkness crept in, most times at the most unexpected moments. Sometimes at very expected moments. But I knew the darkness had nothing to do with me as a person but rather with life and its lessons. And I always held strong to my steadfast belief that it would get better, and better it has gotten. 

 
And though I still have a ways to go, I know change takes time. 
 
I also know that in time, this will all be a key lesson to look back and reflect on. For it has made me a stronger, wiser, healthier person. Deep down, I know — in sum, in its own ways — it has all been beautiful.