the goodbye season

this week has marked the beginning of many goodbye's.

On Monday i turned 26. Wow. Just today i was reading an article in the newspaper with a picture of a couple remodeling their kitchen in their brand new house. They looked like adults to me - nice house, home owners, married couple, old. They were 27 and 28. Yep. I feel so much younger than i must look - to look at my peers and think of them as "grown ups" and exclude myself from that harshly aged category. But i don't grieve getting older. seriously - i'm only 26! Goodbye 25.

Thursday I cut my hair. I know, it's a miracle! I had only cut it 3 times since 2004. It was definitely time to do some damage to my goldy-locks. And this time i decided to pick a style - which is risky for me. I am utterly materially low maintenance. I have been using the same toothbrush, hair blow dryer, comb, and tube of mascara for way beyond their expiration dates - none of them even have product labels any more. I usually just like to have a cut where i can weave my hair into a braid when it's wet and leave it that way. But i've noticed pictures of me with my friends and family over the last 6 months when i have been fortunate to be with them and i'm the only one with my hair always still in a pony tail. So, i decided that now that i'm TWENTY SIX(!) that i should have a style that takes some tending to - but not too much! Goodbye carefree hair.

And this morning was my last day of waking at 3:30 an donning khakis, a black polo, pony tail and green apron. That's right - i'm officially finished at starbucks (here in illinois anyway...who knows where the wind will take me in utah! blah) And it was great. Many of my customers made sure to come in and say goodbye, "we knew today was your last day!", one of them even made me a cake - many i have seen almost every morning these last 2 years. amazing how being mere acquaintances through coffee can develop into something deeper so unintentionally. My coworkers gave me goodbye gifts (how sweet! - one of which was my haircut!), and then i went out to lunch with the "A team" - 3 girls that i have grown very close to in the pain of busy early mornings these last 6 months. I will miss them most of all. It was a great day. Right now i am fighting my heavy eyelids, which is very normal. It's past my bedtime - 8pm. But i don't have to prepare myself for an early morning tomorrow or any other day and it is enough that i want to push through the blurry vision and enjoy this evening while the sun is setting! Goodbye Starbucks and early mornings.

Goodbye.