Family Breakfast

This morning I got up early to go for a run. Don't be impressed, it was a rare moment of motivation. But as I walked down the stairs I was surprised to see that my family hadn't left yet. I stopped by the living room to say Hi and next thing I knew I was on my way with them to go get Phỏ for breakfast! Cô Sa was clearly confused by the fact that I thought I needed exercise again today when I just did aerobics yesterday. She thought that I should go with them instead. So I did! They went by xe máy (moto) and I followed on xe đẹp (bike). The place was just a few blocks away and is one of those that is set up outside with tables across the street. I enjoyed a delicious bowl of phỏ bò (beef pho) and a lovely morning meal with the fam. All this before 7:15am!

This is one of those moments that reminds me of the fact that I can't plan life and schedule building relationships with people. So often it is the little, random things that end up making situations and friendships great. In my attempts to find balance here between living with a family and establishing what feels like a normal everyday life I keep finding myself scheduling everything out: "I'll be home for dinner these nights, and I'll go to aerobics every week on these nights". Yes, some of that is necessary (who would want to miss doing aerobics to the MOST random compilation of music ever-last night we enjoyed Blue, hello jr. high!) but I am trying to not over schedule and therefore leave no room for the everyday kind of moments. The kind that steal my morning run but also remind me that I may be in Việt Nam, but life happens here just as it does in Seattle--in small and unexpected ways.