Thirty, flirty, and thriving

You know that cheesy quote about footprints? The one that talks about people coming in and out of your life in various times, some leaving footprints on your heart?

Yeah.

That one.

Totally dorky. But—so true, and demonstrated so beautifully by a very special lady in my life: my friend, Yvonne.

How cute is she? Her cocktail even matches her blouse!

I met Y on my very first day at my current job. I pep-talked myself into believing I wasn't going to make friends at this job. I didn't really want to. I wanted to keep my personal life private. It was tough leaving my last job because I was so close to my co-workers. Then, when I got laid off, it felt like getting dumped by a super lame boyfriend. I even had a hard time seeing my old co-workers for a while after that. But, like all breakups, time healed those wounds, and I still keep in touch with a handful of my favorites.

Anyway, back to my current job. I just thought it would be easier if I didn't really open up to anybody, and I certainly didn't expect anybody to take an interest in my life. Two things about this thought: 1) I'm not necessarily what you would call a quiet person, so it was tough to keep my mouth shut and basically work day in and day out without saying much, and 2) you spend eight hours a day with a group of people, and at least one person is going to ask you a couple of personal questions. Well, low and behold, it took just one inside joke to cement what I believe will be a lifelong friendship between Y and me.   

Last week, we celebrated her 30^th birthday. Thirty, flirty, and thriving. We kept saying that all day long. After work, we headed to NW for a patio happy hour, followed by ice cream at Salt & Straw. Just the two of us. Let me just say...it was so much fun.

Y has a certain affinity with Los Angeles, one that rivals my adoration of Austin. She moved there after college just as I did, and she lived it up...just as I did. We reminisced about our city lives as we sat and soaked up the early evening summer sun and sipped on our sangria and cervezas. Being in the city made me realize how much a quick trip to downtown can invigorate and revive me, and I sort of vowed to myself that I should do this more often, even if it's just window shopping or sitting in a cafe writing. I used to do that more often, and it's something I really miss and enjoy.

Anyway...didn't mean to steer this convo away from the star of the blog post.

Yvonne has a quality I think can only be described as grace. She has a lot on her shoulders at all times, and the way she handles situations, people, work...well, she just does it very gracefully. I admire her for that. She is one of the best listeners and advice-givers I know, too. She flips my negatives into positives, and she encourages me to continue dreaming big...even silly little things, she's very good at encouraging follow-through.

Thanks, Y. You're a gem. Don't stop shining.

Y snapped this shot of me walking back to our happy hour...after snagging a really good parking spot. I taught her the Brazilian superstition of scratching your booty to find a good parking spot. Works every time. Thanks, Fernanda!

Work besties.