Last year very early in the New Year I wrote that 2009 was a year of CHALLENGE for my family (and boy it sure was).  We faced many challenges in 2009.

If I had to describe 2010 up in a word or phrase I think it would have to be a year of MISFORTUNE.  That's my polite way of phrasing it.  If I was just letting it all hang out here I might call it the year of SUCKING BIG DONKEY BALLS.  It sure seemed like me and everyone I know was being hit with bad shit from all corners.  Some Major.  Some Minor.  I don't want to get into it again.  If you desperately want to know what happened you can skulk my old posts, but a lot of it I didn't even Blog about.  I know I did a lot of posts that were just pictures of things I've made and I focused on reflective posts for my Discernment Year.  Oh and I blogged about our Trip to the UK quite a bit as well.  I suppose I was trying to focus on the positive and stay in some kind of happyish little bubble.  But lets move on.  I say I don't want to focus on it and then I start going on about 2010 again.

It almost seemed fitting (in a sad sad way) to end 2010 with an allergic reaction to antibiotics covered in hives sitting in the ER being triaged (literally we rang in 2011 as the nurse was taking my blood pressure).  It's like my body was trying to purge 2010 out of it making way for 2011.

What do I want 2011 to be?  Hmm...it's a lot to think about.  So far this year seems so open to possibilities and potential.  But, so did the beginning of last year and look what happened there. 

I want 2011 to be the year that I PERSERVERE.  I want it to be the year that when unexpected things happen that I don't fall off track, that instead I just take a small detour and get back on the road.  I want it to be the year where I stay focused, where I follow through. I want it to be the year where I continue on long after others have stopped or long after I normally stop.  I also want 2011 to be the year or realistic goals and plans.  I don't want to make grandiose statements and then not follow through at all (which is what has happened in the past).  I don't want to get distracted in 2011.  I don't want to drop what I start and climb onto another bandwagon (or blogwagon).

In short.  I want a lot.  Hah.  I think for me the trick will be to not want everything.  To not want to accomplish everything.  To not want to do everything.  To not want to fix everything.  It's hard for me to actually look at things realistically and make a doable plan with reasonable steps.  I need a map.  That's what I need.