Green Beans

I'm a huge coffee drinker. I've been drinking coffee since before I was 5 years old. How do I remember that? Well, I was in Mexico with my grandmother for a year before I started kindergarten in Cicero, IL. Every morning my grandma would make her cafe con leche (coffee with milk) and that was when I began my love affair with coffee.

I have always been an avid Starbucks coffee drinker. However, in Afghanistan (OEF 09-11) 2009 we only had a Green Beans coffee on the FOB...and no Starbucks. Thankfully Ft. Campbell has both a Green Beans and a Starbucks on post.

While in Afghanistan, I began drinking Green Beans coffee. Green Beans holds a special place in my heart. My husband Paul and I had our first "unofficial" date at Green Beans in Afghanistan back in June 2009. The first birthday present Paul ever bought me was also in Afghanistan, we had been dating a little less than a month and his gift to me was a gift card to Green Beans, which was absolutely perfect!

Since our return to Ft. Campbell in November 2009, I have only had Green Beans a few times. Strangely enough, Green Beans is about 3 minutes from the Aid Station and TMC...and Starbucks is like a 10 minute drive.

Yesterday I really needed some caffeine and figured it would be best to lay off the Red Bulls for a while, even if they are sugar free. I looked at my watch and realized that I would not have enough time to run to Starbucks. But I really wanted coffee!! Then I thought about running into the shoppette and buying a cup of their French vanilla, which actually wasn't very appealing to me at the moment. Finally, I realized that Green Beans was right next door to the shoppette and so Green Beans it was.

As I took a sip of my caramel latte I was transported back to Afghanistan and back to that first date with Paul.