Well.  I actually acted on my Taking Anea Back Up idea - I logged into Anea, cleared out her bags, made sure reagents were stocked and queued for some heroics.  I didn't queue random, since I was afraid of getting Tourney ones I wasn't ready for, but eventually worked my way up to Forge of Souls, then Pit of Saron. 

I started out with a little heroic Utgarde Keep and Nexus though, just to get my confidence back up.  I know that those are "easy" instances, but I was still getting my feet hooves wet and getting used to healing again.

I checked my dungeon achievements and the last time Anea got an achievement for a dungeon was Halls of Lightning just about a year ago - February 15, 2009.  There are quite a few instance achievements in February, then nothing until one lone Sarth achievement in June.  I couldn't believe that it's actually been a year since I've done anything meaningful with Anea.  Sure, I've logged in now and then to help Lus with an alt, but mostly I'd log in for holiday achievements and that's it.  It's been alts for all the rest of the time.  It's slightly depressing to know that, really.

As I stepped into Forge of Souls, I was pretty nervous - I hadn't done this instance before and I knew how ruthless the randoms had become.  Things went pretty well though.  Pit of Saron though was another story.

Right after zoning into the instance, I let everyone know I hadn't done the instance before, right up front.  Before bosses I'd ask if there was anything I needed to know.  Garfrost went fine - a close call - but fine.  Ick though proved to be a problem.

The first try I couldn't keep all the DPS up, and at one point Ick was chasing me, and I died.  The tank pulled a "uh, gotta go guys, early day tomorrow!" thing and left.  We got a new tank and the DPS died off one by one, so that it was only the tank and I - I got chased again and we died.

On the way back, the new tank said, "Wow... I've never wiped on Ick before," then I was vote kicked.

It was a little disheartening, to be honest.  Now, it isn't because I was vote kicked only - I've initiated kicks in groups before.  But it's always been because someone was being an ass or was being deliberately troublesome.  I've never vote kicked someone because they were new or learning.  I remember what it was like to be new to something and how happy I was to have people that were patient with me. 

No, it was disheartening because I was vote kicked because I "wasn't good enough".  I guess by their standards, I was being a "failpriest" because I couldn't keep up and I didn't know the instance.  I know it sucks to wipe, but I took the wipes with a grain of salt 'cause I am still getting back in the groove and perhaps my gear isn't that great (since it's been a year since I really played her!)  So, I just gritted my teeth and carried on.  But they didn't want to deal with a new priest, so it's easier to get rid of the new one and get a healer that knows what they're doing, right?

Despite that little blemish on the night, on the whole I feel good about it.  I felt like I did back at 58 when I respecced holy and healed my first instance.  My hands were sweating and I was nervous.  I had the satisfaction of seeing all my green bars full, the slight panic when things turned south and disappointment when things went to pot.  Smugness when we sprinted through instances and flashbacks of wiping again and again in Naxx when I had to fly back to Ick on the ghost mount.  Everything that healing is.  And being happy that I had my priest spells to heal with!  I may have tried out the other healing classes for variety, but I truly do love my priest spells <3

So... that's how tonight went.  Hopefully when I try Pit of Saron tomorrow, things go better.  Hope springs eternal, yes?