Two Years in…

Although our Michigan anniversary date is in June, it doesn’t feel like we’ve marked a year and started a new one until after our annual trip to FloydFest.

I’ve struggled with what to say about the past year. It was difficult, but in a different way than our first year. While our first year was marked mostly with being depressed and missing our life in Virginia, this past year was filled with anxiety. I had to adjust my plans for school several times. I completely wiped out our saving and had to return to work full time, while also keeping another part time job to make ends meet. It felt like every time I made a plan, something would come up to block or delay it. At some point during the year it also sank in that I’m in this alone. There is never going to be a second income, or another retirement account. The decisions I make about school and therefore my career and future earning potential suddenly felt very heavy. And all this was playing out against the backdrop of the current state of our country. Throughout the year the anxiety attacks got progressively worse, until I had one in April that was particularly crippling. I’m now on an antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication.

And because whatever forces are directing my life have a sick sense of humor, just when I thought we had settled into a course of action things are changing again and there are more decisions to make that will affect our future. I hate making decisions. I always feel like I make the wrong one. Two and a half years ago I made the decision to move back to Michigan. At the time it felt like the right decision. There are many times this past year when I have regretted it. I’ve tried to just accept it for what it is. I made the best decision I could with the information I had at the time and that’s all I can do with the decisions I still have to make.

So as we’re facing another year which could involve a lot of changes or none at all, here’s a pictorial review of what Annelise did during the past year.

June…