Serenity Now!

Okay, so my last post I listed my blessings to try and get some sort of peace among the chaos that is my life. I've been thinking pretty intensely about this stuff as it seems that the past month has just spiraled out of control. And it's not just that way for me, everyone I know is having a crappy time lately.

Lucky for me, I have two dear, dear, dear friends (see left) who have planned some sort of crazy surprise for me this weekend. I never really LOVED Dallas, the way some people do, when I went there for college. It never seemed to fit quite right. But I did meet the two most incredible friends a person could ever dream up, and whenever one of us has gotten married the other 2 plan a little engagement weekend for them. Mine is this weekend, but there's a catch. I have absolutely no idea what we're doing. This is the email I got from Katy regarding what I needed to bring:

Subject: Niki's Engagement Weekend
From: Katy Bennett
To: Niki Clark, Emily Johnston

Niki -

As we get closer to the big Engagement weekend, we're hoping you STILL have no idea what we have planned for this weekend!!!

We're not telling you anything, but we do know you will want to bring the following:

1.) Camera
2.) Bathing Suit(s)
3.) Allergy meds (my house used to always make you congested… an insult to my housekeeping…)
4.) Comfortable Walking Shoes
5.) Spare Liver
6.) 3-4 nice outfits for going out on the town
7.) One Blue Star Tattoo, preferably on one's ass

Xoxo,

Katy B

Sounds pretty cool to me! I can't wait. So this is obviously a bright spot. Lin and I also shot a really amazing wedding this weekend. It was the first Jewish wedding we've done and it was just a really touching experience. Lin and I were both crying throughout the ceremony. They have such a great sense of heritage and tradition. And I think we both did a really terrific job with the images, so that was highly satisfying.

So although sometimes all seems gloom and doom (including the weather), I've got a fantastic (and hopefully sunny) weekend ahead, somebody paid me good money to be part of one of the most important days of their lives, and THANKS BE TO GOD the election is next Tuesday. I think that alone will be a big source of relief.

In the meantime, I have been saying the following A LOT lately (Thanks Lin, for the advice!)

God, grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Another one that works pretty well:
TOWANDA!!