Southern Love

I may be from Kentucky but my heart skips a beat for Mississippi. When Jace got accepted into Mississippi College School of Law I was afraid he would be the one who would fall in love and not want to return to Kentucky. Turns out, it is me who fell in love. The first time I visited Jace I knew I was in trouble. I can't get enough of the azaleas, Spanish moss, brown roads, and warm weather.

It is always a treat to visit Jace and last week was no different. I left bright and early on Wednesday and was happy to get around the storms that were hitting Lexington. I didn't have much time to make my connection flight but we loaded on time. Everything was running smoothly until the pilot received word that things in Charlotte were busy and we sat on the tarmac for 20-30 minutes. When we finally landed in Charlotte I knew I had to run. Have you ever watched the movie Home Alone? You know the scene when the family oversleeps and then run through the airport--that is what I did. I made it with 5 minutes to spare and wanted to hug the man at the ticket gate.

A few of my favorite things about Jackson is the warm weather, the smell of pine trees, the Spanish moss hanging from the trees. Maybe the best thing is seeing Jace's smiling face at the security gate when I arrive! Last week flew by and I walked away with a huge smile on my face. Here a just a few highlights of my trip.

On Friday, I met the attorney Jace works for and the rest of the staff. It was so nice to finally see the place where Jace goes every day and meet the people he works with. The attorney was down to Earth and his wife was the same way. I am impressed with the firm and am appreciative that Jace has this opportunity to experience what he wants to do. I am so proud of Jace and it is a blessing to watch him accomplish his dreams. Law school is hard and the demands are constant, but he thrives in tax law. It is his passion and he genuinely loves what he does. I left excited about our future and excited for Jace. We don't know what the future holds and some days I worry about the what ifs but on Friday I felt excited and happy.

Saturday was the big day: Barrister's Ball aka Law School Prom. We started our day off at our favorite bakery and it was delicious as usual. That afternoon I had a hair appointment and it was something. I told the hair dresser that I would like if my hair could go up but because I have short hair understood if he couldn't. He asked if I wanted straight hair or curls. I told him that I didn't care and trusted him. Maybe I shouldn't have placed so much trust in his hands. At the end of the appointment, I looked like Shirley Temple ! He managed to get most of the curls up into some do (with a billion bobby pins) and when he was finished, I looked at Jace and his eyes were big but not in a good way. I got in the car and realized I had prom hair and it was just not what I wanted. We got home and within 10 minutes the hair was down.

With dirty and curly hair, Jace and I went to Brent's Drugs. Brent's Drugs is the drugstore featured in the movie, The Help. We sat at the counter and I had french fries and a birthday cake milkshake. Our dinner reservations weren't until 8:30 that night and we had a late afternoon lunch. After waddling back home, we had a some down time and then got ready for dinner and the ball. I was ready and was right on time but it was Jace Stamper that I was having to push out of the door. I got Jace a pocket square for Valentine's Day and I never thought we were going to get that fixed. It turned out looking great in the end we made it to the restaurant just a little after 8:30.

At the restaurant, I met three of Jace's fellow classmates and their wives. I was a little nervous at first because I had never met them before. Within 5 minutes, we were all laughing! I can't tell you how nice it was to meet law school wives. I don't know who needed the night out more: the students or the wives. Us girls complained about how much our boys hate con law, the frustrations we have with moot court, the numerous Polos our boys have, and the feeling of not knowing where we will land. The conversation was constant and there were usually more than one conversation going with us girls. By the end of dinner I felt like I had known these girls my whole life simply because we experience the same emotions and feelings associated with law school.   

The girls

Our attorneys

At 10:30 we made our way to the Ball and the theme was Mardi Gras. If you know Jace Stamper, you know that he is a suit and tie, firm handshake, and always professional. However, there is another side of Jace Stamper that very few see. Give Jace Stamper a dance floor and that boy has moves like Jagger. He keeps me laughing and we had the best time together. 

Dancing the night away...

The night flew by and at the end of the night I walked away with one of the best dancers, a new set of friends who truly understand law school, and am already looking forward to next year's ball. 



Barrister's Ball 2012



Needless to say, it was a great trip to MS. I love spending time with Jace and being in his presence. I am thankful for meeting new people, seeing where Jace works, and being in the south. I am in love with a boy and in love with Mississippi!