Two big events coming up

I've learned over the past little while to live each moment as it's own - not to worry about the future and past.  This is the only moment we can do something about, the past is over and the future has yet to come.  I find this very useful and try my best to live in the moment.  Except when I get stressed.

I have lots on my plate at the moment and I have a couple of big events coming up that I'm not sure how I will handle.  As I said, I'm trying not to think about them or worry, but at the same time I feel I need to prepare myself and figure out some techniques to use when the time comes.

The first big event is a family reunion this coming weekend.  It is my husband's family reunion and I am pretty sure everyone drinks.  The biggest issue is that we are staying on the Marae (my husband is a Maori New Zealander and this is a sacred meeting place.  Click the link for more info on Maori and Maraes) which means we will be staying for 3 nights.  That means once the party starts going there will be no escape.  Well almost.  I plan to go to bed with the kids since we sleep on the Marae but in a different place than where people will be partying.  Because the kids are so young I don't really want to leave them alone in there anyway. 

But that's not really the problem of course.  The problem is that I don't know how I'll be with all that partying going on.  Last time I was there I had a 'great' time... read I got super trashed, danced and was the life of the party (or so I thought... who knows, maybe people were laughing AT me, not WITH me) and the next day I was so hungover and sick I could barely make it to the car for the 6 hour drive home.  What will people think?  Will they think I'm lame and boring?  And lets face it, drunk people are annoying... so how long will I be able to suffer the repetative stories, slurred speech and general incoherence of drunk people while I'm sober?  And will I feel like I miss the drinking? 

So there's that.

And the other thing.  I'm leaving in 10 days to go and spend 2.5 months with my family.  That's right... I'm hoping on a plane (well 4 to be exact) with my 1 and 3 year old, on my own, to spend 2 weeks with my brother and his family and then 2 months with my parents.  My husband won't be with us until December 15th because he has to work. 

Did I mention they all drink?  My parents drink excessivley.  Not really sure how I'm going to handle all that.