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An ode to my friends, good coffee, and the comfort of routine

This was one of those weeks that kept me hopping. Not bad, just busy. The kind of week that is over in a blink and feels like a blur. Looking back on it this morning, I didn’t think there was much to note. Just a lot of chaos. But after a little reflection, the gold stars started to pop out. There was one or more every single day. Because just when I found myself bogged down by the chaos, grumpy and tired, a handful of my girlfriends surprised me with an unexpected show of support. Whether it was catching up over coffee and scones or a yummy lunch, a newsy email, or a simple text message to let me know they were thinking of me and wanted to chat, it felt good to connect this week. So much random love from a bunch of wonderful ladies, both near and far. It came just at the right time for me. The older I get, the more I realize how special a few lasting, meaningful friendships are in my life. We are all at a stage where our own families, jobs, and sometimes, troubles, take precedent over everything else in life. That’s normal and understandable. It’s hard to make new friends, and hard to keep up with old ones as much as you’d like. Some new friendships seem to come in with a bang…but are gone in a flash. Thanks, girls, for letting me know you’re still there, and for giving me a much-needed dose of the warm-and-fuzzies this week!

Gold Stars 2* “A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you’ve forgotten the words.”

*Time with Vovo and Vu. My parents were in town this week, and Ellie and I have been soaking up fun time with them. It’s been great hanging out every day!

*An amazing coffee find! A new coffee shop recently opened in my neighborhood, so on our way to pick Ellie up from school one day this week, my Mom and I decided to try it. SO GOOD! Cheers, Groundswell Café! That was the best mocha I’ve had in a very, very long time. I’ll definitely be visiting you again.

*Routine. We are getting it down, this new school routine. Ellie did fantastic with drop-offs this week and seems to be making friends. (Who knows…maybe one or two of them will turn out to be lifelong buddies!) I keep reminding myself that a good day is one where my biggest concerns, annoyances, and fears are mundane ones.