The last several months have been some of the most difficult of my life. I won't go into great detail, but rather gloss over the challenges I've faced... then focus on all the really freaking good stuff that's happened lately.
In June, my friend had his accident. He's doing great now, thank goodness, but those first few weeks were some of the most heartbreaking moments of my life.
In July I went on vacation with my entire family. I had a blast, as usual, but it was a bittersweet trip as we said goodbye to my family's vacation home. I spent every summer since I was born in that house and the end of the era was sad for everyone.
In August I started a new job and my last semester of grad school version 1.0. This semester was my busiest so far, and I slept way less and stressed way more than anticipated.
In September the bank foreclosed on the house I grew up in. We packed it up said goodbye to house #2.
In October I left a long relationship, the home we lived in (#3!), and the life we'd been building, not because anything was wrong but because it just wasn't right. I leased a bedroom in a new house and worked on building a new life, alone. This was without a doubt the most difficult thing I've ever done.
In November I got into a car accident and totaled my little car.
At this point I started feeling a little woe-is-me, until a read a funny quote: if life gets harder, you must have just leveled up. I felt like an adult, for real, for the first time.
Starting exactly 1 hour after my accident, life started looking up. When I finally made it to my destination that night I met a really nice boy.
On November 17th I interviewed at my dream grad school. I walked out of the door feeling incredibly confident about how the interview had gone - and for good reason. On November 27th, I got the phone call I'd been waiting for since 2008. I'd been accepted.
On November 18th I took my master's degree comprehensive exam. I passed with flying colors.
On November 19th I bought a new car.
On December 5th I spent the most important $700 of my life, on my grad school deposit.
On December 15th I finished my first master's degree. I finished with a program GPA of 4.0 and total post-baccalaureate GPA of 3.9.
On December 19th my part time job (which I absolutely love) was made into a full time position for me.
And today, Christmas Eve. I thought it would be a lot harder, this first year without the house, but I'm at peace. I get to spend the holidays with my brother and one sister as well as some friends and I've never felt so lucky. Its hard to live so far away from everyone (and getting further next year!) but there's so much love its aggressive.
Its a little early for end-of-the-year reminiscing, but that's not going to stop me here. Lately I've had the feeling that this moment, right now, is exactly where I'm supposed to be in my life. I have a master's degree. I have a wonderful job in a great organization doing something that makes a difference in the world. I have an acceptance letter to a top 10 ranked program in the field of my dreams. I have a great new relationship that is so exactly what I want right now it scares me. And most importantly, I have such an amazing, loving, supportive family it hurts. The good that is overflowing in my life right now makes up for the rough patch I went through a hundred times over, and I can't wait to see the good and that bad that will come in 2012. If, one year from today, I can reflect on the coming months with half as much appreciation, pride and thankfulness I'll consider myself the luckiest girl on the earth.
Merry Christmas, friends.
