Having worked at Starbucks in the past, one can become quite a coffee snob. Or for those of you who have “the Buck” (as Ali and I like to call it), on every corner, could say the same. Either way, being here in
Mexico, drinking only Folgers, can make that craving for Starbucks greatly intensify! But, I guess I’m just glad for coffee
at all! Okay, so right across the border, Ali and I found this shell of a Starbucks with a sign out front that said, “Coming Soon!” We drove by in anticipation of its opening but also with a feeling of sadness at being SO close, yet, still SO far away. So, it was back to the ole Folgers. The next week, Ali and I attempted to cross the border again in search for the Buck, only to find the same shell and the same disappointing sign. 🙁 By this time, I had grown to like (okay, like is a bit of a strong word…but couldn’t think of another one; suggestions welcome!) Folgers and Ali was stuck on drinking hot chocolate for her caffeine “fix” BUT this did not lessen our cravings for (me) a tall cup of Guatemalan Antigua or a (Ali) tall non-fat latte with caramel sauce on top and a blueberry scone for the both of us.
Okay, so, the third week’s a charm, or at least we were hoping! We wake up and unexpectedly have to cross the border again due to having to take one of the FYM girls to the hospital. While waiting with her and getting her all checked in, she told us she was going to sleep if we wanted to go run some errands. The first thing that popped in our minds was, “Let’s go see if Starbucks is open!” As we turned down the road that it’s on, we began praying, “Oh God, please let the Buck be open. It would make our day, our week even! Thank You, Amen!”
As it slowly crept up on us, we saw people sitting outside. Then, we saw a big sign that said, “Drive-Thru, now open.” We started laughing like little kids because we realized our prayers had been answered! But, even better than the drive-thru….it was GRAND OPENING DAY!!!! WOOHOO! So, Ali and I rushed inside, ordered our coffees and scones (and a few extra scones for the next morning) and sat in 2 big comfy chairs and enjoyed two of the best cups of coffee and scones! 🙂 During that time, one of the baristas was walking around handing out free coffee samples. When she came over to us, we told her that we had been living in
Mexico for the past 3 weeks and we were SO excited about them being open. Basically, we flipped out and we blamed it on the caffeine rush, ha! So, after making her take a picture with me, she gave us like 6 bags of coffee and 2 travel mugs—-I guess it pays to be cheesy and nice 🙂 Isn’t life grand! haha!
Well, after our little rendezvous at Starbucks, Ali and I made our way back to the hospital to get Vanessa, the FYM’er. After spending 7 hours there, we were finally getting ready to leave when, all of a sudden, I hear a man’s voice asking us about our friend (Vanessa). I slowly turn around and it’s this sweet, tall black man standing in the next room across from us. I just started laughing and almost ran up to him and hugged him and thanked him for being black. Okay okay okay….you’re probably wondering, “what in the world is Kristin thinking?!?” Well, let me back up for a minute: earlier this same morning, I was up on the roof (kinda like in my picture ) just journaling and praying about
Africa. Well, half-way joking, I told God if He wanted me to go to Africa, to show me a black man (seeing a black person in
Mexico or
South Texas is like seeing a monkey on a bus). And, lo and behold, I saw the sweetest one ever later that day! Don’t you just love God’s sense of humor! I sure do! 🙂
