4 DaYs In....

4 days in and the need vs. want is proving to be good.

I have to say that I have had 4 Starbucks.  Wow 4 days in and 4 Starbucks.....that does not seem like I am making life changes!

Well I am very blessed. 

Starbucks #1
I found a Starbucks gift card from a friend AND the same friend who gave the gift card gave free Booster Juice coupons.  It was a win win situation for sure.  My little guys and I went on a date and were able to be doubly (if that is a word:) blessed.  We were together and we did not renege on our commitment of need vs. want (although we wanted those drinks).  We also were able to be thankful for that dear friend of ours.

Starbucks #2
Running Running....On New Years Eve my BFF's and myself ran a 5K run in the city along the river.  It was an absolute beautiful evening.  Just below freezing but not cold enough to put icicles on our eyelashes.  It was a full run...many many people dressed in orange and black jackets (compliments of the Running Room) herding down the road.  You could not miss us.

Poor Amy has to run the fastest...Look at those legs!

My BFF's and myself had a few belly laughs (if you can imagine running and belly laughing at the same time) and a few silent moments when we were breathing to hard to talk because we were trying to catch up with each other and realized we actually passed each other and had to run that much harder to find each other again.  After an amazing run together we were off to go home to be with our families for New Year's Eve....but not with out a Starbucks.  My friends are so good to me!  In order for me not to renege on my commitment, they bought me a coffee in celebration of our great run!

Starbucks#3
A drive into the city to solidify some paperwork and a trip to Blessings to check out some books ended up in coffee at Starbucks back at home with one of the BFF's.  I was able to purchase this coffee with the gift card from a dear friend (I still have some $ left YEAH!!!)  Coffee with friends is so amazing.  I value my time with friends.  Time of sharing our hearts and learning and growing with each other and independently because of this relationship.  Starbucks is also a great place to meet so many other people.  It is like a family.  I walk in and if Katie is working she punches in my order before I have time to tell her.  I chat with her about how things are going for her, how her family is, her sister, the baby etc.  It is a place for connection and compassion.  While sitting there I met a new person via BFF, I re met another woman whom I had met a few years ago.  It is a great place and again I am blessed by the friendships that Starbucks provides!

And today....
Starbucks #4
Over the holiday season I received my Starbucks gold card.  Not wanting to go through the hassle of re registering my card I set it aside and never minded it....until today.  I was de cluttering yesterday thanks to Rachel Anne's Home Sanctuary's encouragement....Today's Small Thing and came across the gold card. 

I opened it up and the card was gold with my name on it.  Now you know when you are getting a card with your name on it from a coffee shop you spend far to much $ there (hence the need vs. want situation I've got going on)!!!  They like me so much they are sending me a card with my name on it!! 

So I took my card off and noticed a coupon for a free drink for earning my gold card!  YEAH!!!!  So in my happiness I began plotting when I would use this.   This morning I had to go to the lab for some blood work....nothing serious just routine check up.....and because I had been fasting I thought it would be nice to enjoy this free coffee for breakfast.  After the blood was sucked out of my arm via a needle that was very uncomfortable I jumped in the sassy van and chugged over to the Starbucks.  Before I went in I poked my head into Booster Juice and invited my dear friend for coffee....Off we went to snuggle in to the comfy chairs and talk....Starbucks is a great place to be for comfort and conversation. 

By the end of our 45 minutes together we had laughed with another friend who had come in because all 4 of her drive through ventis were made wrong and she needed them to be right.  Not only did we make our souls well with laughter, my dear friend booked a hair appointment with the other friend....at 1 o'clock today.  Now if that isn't good stuff happening all because of the meeting place Starbucks provides and my love for the coffee!

To top the day off....in the mail today...I have reached my 15 star milestone on my card.  I get another free drink!!!  YEAH!!!!  I wonder who I will meet the next time I am in and what great relationships will be established or rekindled while I am there!

Where is your meeting place in which relationships are established and rekindled.  How is your heart affected by these encounters?