Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now

I feel like Ryan Atwood. My world is grey because I am in Chino.* Chino is grey. It sucks the life out of you. People live with mattresses on their lawns. There is no joy in Chino.

On Wednesday I will be Ryan as he steps into a world of color and wonder and sparkles and Cohens. I will be in Orange County.

I will be in The O.C. For real.

More importantly, I will be with Dani. I will be with Julie. It will be the first time all three of us have been together in a year and a half. I will also be with Kisha. It will be the first time all four of us have been together in two and a half years.

I cannot express to you the joy it brings me to finally, finally, have the sisterhood reunited at last. These are my dear friends I navigated the treacherous and wonderful years of college with. My traveling buddies that experienced London and Paris and Rome with me. My lifeline to what is real and true and ….me. We have an infinite number of inside jokes, you cannot even imagine. I think of these girls when I hear about a button, tires, spontaneous combustion, flamingoes (or is it penguins?), toucans (what’s with all the birds, ladies? Oh! Seagulls too, am I right? PERCH!) and any other random assortment of buzzwords that transport me to times of laughter and hilarity.

Kisha, Jules and I have the express honor of standing up at our dear sister’s wedding on Sunday. We knew she would be first, and that she is. She found her One. She found her Adam. I still have no idea how I am supposed to stand there and look pretty and smile as our DaniLin gets her happy ending without COMPLETELY BAWLING MY EYES OUT. Tips, anyone?

I can’t wait. I’m packing, making my lists, running to the store (againagain), and trying to calm myself down from the giddiness that threatens to overtake my sanity. In the midst of sad job loss, sorrow, work insanity, and everything else going on in this crazy life, I can’t believe I get such an amazing sigh of relief. I get to act happy and go to the beach and take crazy pictures and love on my girls and wear a pretty dress and get my nails done and laugh and remember and rejoice.

I’m on my way, blog world! California here we come, Right back where we started from...

“Welcome to the O.C., b....!”

*Note: My life is not Chino. I love my job and my life in Texas. It is actually very colorful here. But for all intents and purposes, these two days before I leave for California are totally Chino.