Ode to Starbucks

Let me just start off by saying that I love Starbucks, if you couldn't tell from the title of this post. I LOVE it (notice the capitals there). I go often. Chris prefers the local mom and pop coffee joint and always says Starbucks is a monopoly on the market. Well, I don't care! I support the monopoly! I have at times thought about the money that some might say is poured down the drain by frequenting a place that charges almost $4.00 for a cup of coffee. I say that sanity is worth it. I am a terrible sleeper, thanks in part to two people in my life. First of all, my wonderful, loving, handsome husband who I love very much, but who snores SO FREAKING LOUD that it sometimes takes me hours to fall asleep. Then, when I do fall asleep, I hear sweet little Sydney coughing or fussing through the baby monitor and get up to check on her. The Chris' alarm goes off at 4:45, and that's it. My sleep is over. So, coffee is a staple for me, a necessity, but I also love the atmosphere of Starbucks. I love how they paint it and decorate it, I love saying to someone "I'll meet you at Starbucks." I even get that warm fuzzy feeling when I go through the drive-thru. I was thinking about this yesterday on my drive back from the coast. It was raining, and I had just loaded the car with all the stuff that me and my toddler need (a suitcase for me, then a suitcase for Sydney, a booster seat, a portable crib, extra mattress, bag of food, diaper bag, extra clothes bag, etc...). I was soaking wet, Sydney was already tired of being the car after 10 minutes, and I was exhausted. I even cried out in agitation "Isn't there a blasted Starbucks around here?!" (Blasted is about as bad of language as I use, but if you want to hear some real whoppers I'll introduce you to my swearing-it-up friend Jami). Then, as I rounded the final bend in Highway 101 in Lincoln City, there it was, like a haven, a drive-thru Starbucks! Let me tell you, I milked that grande non-fat with whip peppermint mocha all the way home. I was thinking about all of this today when I was reading my friend Jill's blog. Jill has recently moved back to her hometown. I'm happy for her to be near her family, but she will be missed here. I'm sad, too, because I was just getting to know her and now she is 2+ hours away. I am more sad for her, though, because she is 10 miles from the nearest Starbucks! One of her friends coined the phrase "Civilstarbucksization" and I think that is the perfect phrase to describe me and my generation. I almost had a panic attack 2 weeks ago when the news said they were closing down 600 Starbucks across the country. But not mine! I am happy to report there are 5 drive-thru Starbucks within 5 miles of my house, plus other regular ones. I miss you Jill, and you should come to visit and we'll get some coffee. In the meantime, I will pray that Starbucks opens a location close to your new home.