One Word...

One word to describe the year Two Thousand and Ten.

Stress.

I think I knew from the first day of January, this year had the potential to be a "toughie." Over the last...shall we say, 21 years, I've learned to trust my gut feelings about some things, and I just KNEW something was not right.
I'd had such high hopes for this year too. I made the difficult decision to quit my second job, in order to relieve some of the drama and stress in my life, as well as go back to school full-time, starting a new major.

However, quitting that job was not an easy task. My boss was very difficult to work with, and she had me doing two people's job at once...getting all that work delegated to other people was a chore. A big chore. Add a brand new 9 week old puppy, that I'd volunteered to raise for the Guide Dog Foundation. Yes, I'd planned on getting another puppy, but.... I didn't plan on it coming a week after I'd hinted about wanting another pup.

Then top that with a $5,000 tuition bill from the school, since I hadn't lived "in-state" for two years. Oh! And lets not forget the teacher who was determined to make my life as difficult as possible while we're at it.

Is anyone depressed now?

Life really didn't get much better, as the year progressed.. I was paying out much more than I was bringing in, the school's financial aid system was sending me through the ringer, and the billing center at the college, kept harassing me, about payments that I could.not.afford...to the point I was about to break down.

Summer saw me fostering a "demon dog" determined to make my life and my dogs lives miserable. Which she succeeded in doing. My roommate even moved out during this time, and left me to deal with her by myself. She didn't do it on purpose I know, but explain that too my sleep, and stressed out brain. We finally found her a home, and life started looking up............

The Fall semester started ok, but progressively got worst, as once again the financial aid office, dropped the money noose around my neck by only paying $350 towards my school. Thanks guys! That'll cover...one book...maybe two.

And we'll not mention the near loss of my driver's license, $200 in court fees, drama, not to mention the invasion of some annoying, extremely hard to get rid of pest in my home, that nearly sent me over the edge.

Some how, I'm still alive through it all. Thank you God.

However, words cannot describe the feelings I get when thinking about December 31, 2010.

I can only get better from here..right?

So my word for 2011 is simple:

Puppies. 
I picked that word, because that's the only "sure" thing, besides the fact that God is in control here, that I know about next year, I refuse to dwell on all the uncertainties that will carry over from 2010.

~ Erin 

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