Since everyone else is posting facebook status updates and blogs reflecting on last year and expressing hopes for 2012, I figured I should put in my 2 cents as well. I don't blog often because I usually feel a little self-indulgent just writing about myself, but what the hell -- buckle up people, this is all about ME!! =)
I have a much brighter outlook right now than this time last year. Had a happy holiday season with the fam, brought in the new year with friends, and now I'm looking forward to all that's coming up in the next year or so. I graduate with my M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy in December, woo hoo! Right now I'm in the process of applying for a stipend that potentially would provide me with $18,500 (yowzers!) a year from now IF I commit to working 1 full-time year for a county-funded mental health agency in California. My best case scenario is to start volunteering or working low-level for a place like Butte County Behavioral Health as soon as this summer, just so I can get a foot in the door. This way I will increase my chances of not having to move to some other part of California to find work. I'd miss my friends too much. =(
I've also got potential prospects at Butte College, since my old boss is hoping to get the funding to hire me as a counseling intern next academic year. But if that conflicts with working for the county for this stipend, I'd have to put off Butte College for now (IF I get the stipend -- trying to not get ahead of myself). But I'm so excited at all these prospects coming up!
The next couple years will consist of me becoming a registered MFTi (Marriage and Family Therapist Intern), accumulating my 3000 hours (required for licensing), and studying for the MFT comprehensive licensing exam. It's a long road, but it's so worth it. It helps when you like what you're doing! Meanwhile, Dustin got straight A's last semester and is on his way to a B.S. in Engineering. He'll probably transfer Fall 2013 to Chico State. I'm hoping that 5 years from now, we'll both have awesome careers and maybe be able to do a little traveling. It would be so romantic for us to be whisked away to New Zealand to have a getaway in the shire . . . and perhaps walk the road to the fires of Mount Doom where we can destroy the ring of power. I know, right??
