July 24

I've had Kristine over to chat in our backyard several times and I had her over again this morning, but this time was a little different because her birthday is tomorrow. So we celebrated with coffee and lemon bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes. (So, so good, for the record.)

I choose my good friends rather carefully, and I'm so grateful to have had her in my life for the past 24 years. (Oh, wow. Twenty-four years.) We haven't been in consistent communication over that entire span of time and Heaven knows we don't agree on everything, but we can always have peaceful, respectful conversations. And I can always count on her to lend an ear if I need one.

So for all of those not-small blessings that are encompassed within having her as a friend, I'm grateful.