Happy New Year!

As we begin the new year, I'm trying to think of ways to look forward.  There are things I want to accomplish this year as we move forward with life.  I guess January first is as good a time as any to think of what those things will be.  I'm facing a lot of uncertainty in the very near future as we wait to see if the teachers and administration in the school district where I work will come to a resolution or if there will be a strike.  I greatly fear a strike for a lot of reasons.  A most pressing one is that if the teachers go on strike, the district will most likely shut down, meaning that none of us will get paid.  If they don't shut down, that brings about a bunch of other issues, such as will I be asked to do work that isn't what I'm supposed to be doing.  In any event, I'm finding that looking at some of these longer term goals are helping me to look past the immediate scary future and into where I want to be at this time next year.

One goal I have is to finally bite the bullet and take a therapy dog certification test with Bunny.  Treat was a certified TDI dog, but I'd like to test with Delta this time if at all possible.  I feel that they're better for us personally and I also want to be able to participate in READ, which TDI doesn't support.  If I'm really honest, Bunny won't be the one who has trouble passing the test.  It will be me.  I'm a terrible test taker and I freely admit that.  I have no doubt that Bunny will do wonderfully as long as I stay relaxed on the other end of the leash.  So, after we've saved up a bit of money to take the test, we'll be making ourselves official.

Another thing I have to do is start walking more often.  I imagine that Bunny will be more than happy to help me in this endeavor.  Treat hounded me to walk every day when she was alive and I got in pretty good shape walking with her.  Bunny wants to walk, as well, but I've gotten out of the habit.  I've had some health issues that make breathing difficult for me at times, but now that some of that seems to be settling down, I need to get back out there.  Bunny, I know you can get me out there!  As the weather improves, I will get out there and get moving.  I want to be a person who resembles her dog again.

I'm sure there are other things I should do, too, but realisitcally, I don't want to overwhelm myself and make it impossible.  If we can accomplish those two things, I'll be much happier.  Now I just have to cross my fingers and hope that I'll get to go back to work after our winter break is over!