Press Your Luck

 "Fate: It's not what happens to you, it's what you do with what happens to you"

-Aldous Huxley

My life is in a golden spot right now.
I hate to brag.  I scold my students for boasting and going-on when others' spelling grade scores are below their's. 
But, ya'll?  There are some beautiful things coming my way that I must share with you.
Despite the car accidents, the brother-in-law's dog passing (RIP Luckster), the wedding planning stresses, and the silly-every-day frustrations, there is good to be found.

Take a look:


We went to yet another seemingly-boring-yet-dotted-with-interesting-vendors bridal showcase this weekend. (Watch/Susbscribe to WeddingWire.com for free tickets to such events)  We put our name/number in boxes for the "big" drawings.  I encouraged Mike to stay away from the cheesy photographers prize packages because if we won I don't know how to say "No I think your work looks like a Disney movie so thanks but no thanks."  We need a cheap videographer and a photographer, but not a cheap looking one.

The next day I received a phone call from a financial planning organization, saying we won their package from this weekend's showcase.  I ignored the message, thinking everyone who put their name in the box won.  Then an email came the next day - a REAL email from a real person: our new financial representative.  Because we won!
We won a $1500 financial planning package.

And wowsers do we need it:  Mike's in one of the most expensive grad schools in the nation, with government loans, for two years; I earn a public school teacher's salary without a masters' degree (my own doing, I admit); we need to join accounts; we own property and want to move to eventually start a family when Mike's done with school.


Oh and I forgot to fess up: I don't have a retirement plan.
Stop yelling at me now.  I will have one soon, thanks to this divine intervention.

---------------------

And then there's this:

A couple weeks ago I heard of a destination photographer's wedding giveaway.  I will honestly enter any blog giveaway out there, so long as it makes sense for my lifestyle and doesn't ask too much of me.  So I entered Kristen Steele's Photography giveaway.  It required me to recount our engagement story.  And you all know that Mike's engagement will win him (almost) any fight for the next 10 years to come. (Sorry honey, only 10 years.  Everything has an expiration in life).

I entered the contest, hoping to win, because I do love Kristen's work.  I wanted this giveaway for more than the thrill of winning and wedding cutting costs.  I wanted it for the photographer.

Weeks went by and I heard from Kristen: we're the runner-up! 
This means we get her destination wedding package for half the price, but need to pay for her travel costs.   Unfortunately this still came out to the price of my favorite local photographer.  I told her we needed to think on it.
Then she emailed me again, saying she felt foolish, but the original winner declined.
We are now the winner of an estimated value $4000 photography package!  We still need to pay her travel expenses, but it comes out to less than anything we scoped out here in DC.

Kristen and I skyped last night, and she's a gem.  I heart her.  We still need to work out some logistics, but I feel like we are on to something good, here!


I'm a firm believer in taking chances.  If you don't try, you don't know.
And lookie lookie - it worked!

So, are you feeling lucky?  My two giveaways (Simple Green Naturals & Jammie Girl PJs) end tomorrow!