I totally understand the feelings of discouragement--even despair--when you've planned for so long and worked so hard for something and then things begin to fall apart. You can be so confident when you draw out that you'll have success, and then you find things much more difficult than anticipated. And when you're alone it's just that much harder. You feel like giving up, but making the long drive home empty-handed is just too hard to accept, so you push on.

So glad you're efforts were rewarded.