When life gives you lemons...

THROW THEM AGAINST A BRICK WALL.

Trust me. It will make you feel better.

And the post I'm about to write will make you feel SO much better about your own life.

THE TOP FIVE REASONS I CANNOT WAIT FOR 2008 TO BE OVER!!!!!!!!

Starting with the most recent.

5. I lost my job today. That's right. Fired. For NO apparent reason. Oh yeah, except that my boss said "You're heart just isn't in it." Anyone who knows me can argue that point. I don't think my boss knew how many nights I lay awake wondering what I could do better. Wondering what more I could do to help my clients. No, instead she fires me, after implementing a new service plan tracking system that I invented. That's right. Thanks for the new form you made up. Now give me your badge. But...this IS the state. And for the first year of employment, your boss can technically fire you just because they feel like it. But is that ethical? You can BET that I'm working with HR to get my answers. This girl does not go down without a fight, as bruised and broken as she may end up. It will be worth it just to have some closure.

4. I lost so many special people in my life. Most of all my amazing brother in law Sean. I miss him SO much. It breaks my heart every day to know that he isn't going to be at the next family function. That Thanksgiving and Christmas this year will be missing one of the most special members of this family. Christmas definitely won't be the same. Not only that but my sweet Grandma Boulter died this year too. I miss her terribly, also. She was such a special lady, much too good for this world.

3. The economy SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do I need to expound on this? Or are we all in agreement that something is horribly wrong?!?!?!? Ok yeah. I know that it's not going to magically get better over night on December 31, but a girl can dream, right?

2. When it's 2009, I will only be 2 years away from my Masters. Not 2 1/2. Yeah, that's a stretch. But it's something I am VERY excited about! That will just make me that much closer to being a school counselor!! Yay!

1. My other sister will finally be marrying her fiance in 2009. Finally. Stop living in sin and get married already! Sheesh! Although because of my job loss, Scott and I won't be able to attend the wedding IN CANCUN, so 2009 is going to suck a little bit too....maybe I should have just left this one off.

Okay so I have a LOT more than five reasons. This originally started as a top ten list, but I shortened it for anyone who might actually read it. I really never thought I would know heart ache like I have felt this year. And so many different kinds - from the sorrow of losing a loved one, to the pain of being let go from a job and put back into financial crisis, to the anguish of seeing everyone you know have babies of their own and knowing that it won't be a likely possibility for me.

Despite all the negativity, though, I can't help but make mention of my lifelines - my incredible husband, who always makes me his number one priority and lifts my spirits when I am crushed into pieces, and my amazing family - my sister Amy, who is by FAR the world's best sister. She has made me feel so much better about my life on so many different occasions, all the while losing her amazing husband and having to raise her son on her own. She's one outstanding human being. My parents are pretty freaking awesome also. They always know the right things to say and just when to say them.

Life is full of crap. We wade through it, usually barefoot, for most of our lives. We're handed more lemons than we can hold. Which is why I say screw lemonade - throw those lemons as hard as you can against that brick wall. Watch them smash into pieces. You WILL feel better. Life is tough. But who ever said learning was easy?