Cassie Kellner [00:00:00]:
Okay, Bloomers. You know, I don't hype products unless I absolutely love them. And ISORetract blew me away. In my 21 years in orthodontics, I've used just about every retractor out there, and nothing compares. No more cotton rolls under the tongue, no more sharp or awkward corners. Just smooth comfort for your patients. The isolation is like nothing I've ever seen. The built-in suction keeps the field dry and clear, making bondings faster and easier. It's reusable, autoclavable, made in the USA, and truly the gold standard. Grab yours at isoretract.com that's isoretract.com and because you're part of The Bloom Effect community, you'll get 10% off your order when you use the code BLOOM-10. That's BLOOM dash the number 10 at checkout. Trust me, you'll wonder how you ever practice without it. Welcome to The Bloom Effect. I'm your host, Cassie Kellner, former chairside assistant turned team coach and founder of Everbloom. This podcast is all about the real stuff. Honest convos, leadership lessons, and the heart behind thriving orthodontic teams. If you're ready to grow, lead and bloom, let's dive in.
Cassie Kellner [00:01:22]:
Welcome to The Bloom Effect. I am your host, Cassie Kellner, and today is extra special. Like. Like, really, really, really special. So I am sitting down with someone who's been a part of my life for 40 years. Like, 40 years in the entire universe, Devin Lombardi. Devin and I have shared everything from childhood to adventures, to the awkward teenage years, to middle school drama, to the biggest milestones in our lives, our weddings, our children. Oh, gosh, Dev, I. We don't have enough time for this. Let's get real. You are one of the most grounded and honest human beings that I know, and I am so honored that you are here with me today. Devin Lombardi, welcome to The Bloom Effect.
Devin Lombardi [00:02:34]:
Oh, my gosh, it's so excited to bloom with you.
Cassie Kellner [00:02:41]:
Okay, Dev, this month I am so focused on being thankful and grateful. And so I reached out to you and I was like, Dev, will you do this podcast with me? And you're like, I don't know anything about orthodontics. And I was like, you don't need to know anything about orthodontics. I really, really wanted this episode to be really centered around the power of female friendships. And so that's what we're doing. I. It's important. I don't think people talk about it enough My algorithm is covered in it. But that's just my algorithm.
Devin Lombardi [00:03:23]:
You know, that's because we talk about our friendships so much. I know they're listening, and they just bombard us with friendship stuff, which is good.
Cassie Kellner [00:03:32]:
Yeah. And this is what's happening. So we're going to start from the beginning. I. Oh, I need to preface some things. We could drop a few F bombs here, because this is, like, the real real. And we also call each other bro.
Devin Lombardi [00:03:51]:
Yes. And I don't even know why or how I do.
Cassie Kellner [00:03:57]:
You don't?
Devin Lombardi [00:03:58]:
No, I just remember something came out on, like, a show or something where they were saying, like, jersey Shore, bro or bro bomba. Or was it the Jersey Shore? And then you and I would just roll with it. We'd come up with all these ways to insert bro.
Cassie Kellner [00:04:12]:
We'd be like, hey, Brody.
Devin Lombardi [00:04:14]:
Brody Jenner into anything. And. And then we just eventually shortened it. That was over a decade ago. That was. Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:04:25]:
So the Jersey Shore came out, and they were calling. The girls were calling each other bro. And we thought it was hilarious. And then we. We just took it, and it's never stopped. Your children call me Auntie Bro. Auntie Bro.
Devin Lombardi [00:04:39]:
Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:04:39]:
This is how deep it is.
Devin Lombardi [00:04:42]:
Yeah. Yep.
Cassie Kellner [00:04:44]:
Okay, we're going to start from the beginning. Bro. You ready? Okay. Do you remember the first time we met?
Devin Lombardi [00:04:53]:
I think it's really funny you're asking me, of all people, this question, because I think your listeners should know that for the past 20 years, you guys have been warning me that I have early onset dementia. My memory is so terrible. So I only remember you from a picture. I do have glimpses of you while we were in the same kindergarten class, so I have glimpses of you in kindergarten memories. I can picture how Mrs. Vossler's room was, where we put our backpacks, where the tables were, where we exited that back door for recess. So, like. And then there's the. The famous kindergarten Halloween parade photo that someone shot. And we're both in it.
Cassie Kellner [00:05:40]:
I'm gonna. I'm gonna post that, so.
Devin Lombardi [00:05:41]:
I know. I know. That's my earliest memory of you. And then we had. And then I think the next grade we had third grade, we had Mrs. Wallace, the best teacher ever.
Cassie Kellner [00:05:52]:
Ever.
Devin Lombardi [00:05:53]:
She was so wonderful. Yeah. So that's me. That's what I can recall.
Cassie Kellner [00:06:01]:
Okay. So my earliest memory was also kindergarten. And I think that's when we really, like, became friends. But then I think in third grade is when you, like, form real friendships. Well.
Devin Lombardi [00:06:18]:
And you and I were very different. You were very Quiet.
Cassie Kellner [00:06:23]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:06:23]:
Like, shy. You were shy. You were quiet. You hung. You, like, you clicked with the shy, quiet, innocent girls.
Cassie Kellner [00:06:32]:
Yes.
Devin Lombardi [00:06:33]:
And I was a night. I was a nightmare. I was just loud and obnoxious. I wanted to be the center of attention. I didn't raise my hand. Like, so we were friends, but we definitely. We hung out with different people as well. Whoever we felt, you know, the most comfortable with. I don't know. I was probably too much for you.
Cassie Kellner [00:06:58]:
I don't remember that. But I was really shy so that, like, we didn't.
Devin Lombardi [00:07:03]:
We didn't become friends. Friends hanging out, going to each other's houses until, like, fourth. I don't know. Probably.
Cassie Kellner [00:07:09]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:07:10]:
Fourth. Fifth grade.
Cassie Kellner [00:07:12]:
Fourth grade, like, shifted, I think. I think, yeah, third grade shifted. But fourth grade, like, really shifted. I mean, I think that's when you create such, like, meaningful friendships. Like, you're at an age where you can appreciate it, you know, what you like, what you don't like. Right. So. Okay, so fourth grade. Yeah. We were in kindergarten together. Okay. So. Oh, man, we have so much to unpack. This is bananas. Okay, let's talk about. Oh, go ahead.
Devin Lombardi [00:07:44]:
No, I was. I mean, and also, you and I were, like, the only ones still playing with dolls and Barbies because we're the last. We have the last birthdays of our friends.
Cassie Kellner [00:07:55]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:07:55]:
So, like, you and I meshed because of our, like, immaturity when everyone else was, you know, over it. You and I were not over it. We were still playing with our dolls.
Cassie Kellner [00:08:06]:
And we, like, make fun of each other now, but we were playing with dolls for way too long.
Devin Lombardi [00:08:11]:
A long time. I mean, I was closetly playing with my dolls up until, like, junior high when I got caught playing with my dolls. And I was so mortified. I was like, oh, people aren't playing with their stuffed animals anymore. Oh, okay. Me either. Hello. Yeah, but, like, you and I for sure connected and played. Like, we played.
Cassie Kellner [00:08:35]:
We did. We did. We did. We totally did. Okay. You. We look back, fourth grade. This is wild. I mean, you're 41. I'll be 41 in a few days. Why do you think that our friendship, it was a slotted to unpack. So why do you think our friendship made it this long? That's a long time. This is a long journey of our lives. Well.
Devin Lombardi [00:09:09]:
Like, you and I, from a very young age, went through a lot of, like, traumatic. I mean, to go deep. We went through a lot of traumatic experiences together that a lot of friendships, they just don't go through what you and I Went through.
Cassie Kellner [00:09:28]:
Yep.
Devin Lombardi [00:09:29]:
And so, like, our whole group of friends surrounded each other, but like. Yeah, you and I went through some pretty traumatic stuff. And so we spent a lot of our friendship talking about our trauma together.
Cassie Kellner [00:09:49]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:09:52]:
And then, you know, I don't.
Cassie Kellner [00:09:56]:
It.
Devin Lombardi [00:09:56]:
I don't know if it's a small town thing. I don't know, you know, if it's a Colusa thing, but like, when you spend your whole life, preschool to high school with the same group of people, there is no two, three, four high schools. There are no multiple elementary schools. You know, you're with those people.
Cassie Kellner [00:10:18]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:10:18]:
So I think you establish something tighter than people who, you know, who don't have that bigger, bigger towns, bigger, More opportunities, you know.
Cassie Kellner [00:10:30]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:10:31]:
Like, there was just one soccer rec league. There was just one softball rec league that, you know, there wasn't. There was one dance studio. Whatever it was, there was one. And so you did it with the same people. And we lived in a time where the connections could be stronger because we could walk anywhere to see each other. Our parents didn't have to drive super far to bring us anywhere. Like, the opportunity to be together was stronger. We had birthday parties and sleepovers and there wasn't all this fear. It was just a different time.
Cassie Kellner [00:11:09]:
Yeah, totally.
Devin Lombardi [00:11:09]:
And I, I think, I think that helped our friendship. But like, most, most importantly, the, the, the shared trauma, like, yeah, hands down.
Cassie Kellner [00:11:18]:
Do we want to get into it? We don't have to get into it, but we can talk about what it is.
Devin Lombardi [00:11:23]:
Oh, sure. Yeah. You go first.
Cassie Kellner [00:11:25]:
Okay. So mine was. My parents separated when I was in the fourth grade, and it was pretty traumatic for me. And I think that's why I leaned so heavily too, on those friendships at that time. That's why fourth grade really stands out to me on, on leaning in on. And, and this is what I mean by the power of female friendship. Like, you know, you're right, Devin. We grew up in a town of 5,000 people and it was very small, very tight knit. Our parents went to school there. Our parents had the same. Some, some of the teachers, if they hadn't hired, had the same teachers that we had, you know, and so I leaned in hard when my parents separated in fourth grade because it was such a shock to me at such a young age to have the divide that I had. And, and quite honestly, some of the abandonment that I felt from that. And so that was a massive shift in, in my life in fourth grade.
Devin Lombardi [00:12:40]:
Yeah. And then the summer before eighth grade year, my brother was murdered. And, you know, you knew my brother. Our whole group knew my brother. So it was. It was a really traumatic experience for the whole community. And, you know, before they found him, you know, there was the search party, and I searched for my brother with you and your mom. And, like, you're, you know, like, you look back on that, and you're like, oh, my God, who goes through that? Who goes through that? And your mom wouldn't let the news cameras film us. She made that. She made them film our feet, like, because they were hounding me.
Cassie Kellner [00:13:24]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:13:24]:
And, like, no one goes through that. It's just. I mean, people do, and. But from a small town, that. That. That just doesn't happen.
Cassie Kellner [00:13:36]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:13:37]:
And so I relied greatly on all of you, and you guys protected me. You surrounded me. You protected me. You didn't want anybody, like, mess with me. And I desperately searched for. To replace that. Sibling connection.
Cassie Kellner [00:13:59]:
Yes.
Devin Lombardi [00:14:00]:
You know, and I didn't learn this until therapy, which you and I'll get into later, I am sure. But, like, I searched for siblings because it had been ripped away from me, and I already had a close connection with you girls. So that was it. You became my entire world, and I clung to you desperately. And so the bond just went. It was already here, and it went. And I. I just latched on, and you guys let me latch on in a very protective way.
Cassie Kellner [00:14:34]:
Yes. So, yeah, I think that was also another massive shift. And when we say, you guys, there's a whole group of women out there. They're probably listening to this right now. Like, why didn't you invite all of us? Right. Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:14:49]:
This is gonna be. This is gonna be a big deal. There's gonna be a lot of hurt feelings. We're gonna have to.
Cassie Kellner [00:14:57]:
No, there's not. They're gonna. They're gonna understand it.
Devin Lombardi [00:15:01]:
Ashley has FOMO right now. So bad. Lauren's crying. Tears of guru happiness.
Cassie Kellner [00:15:13]:
They are. We have a core group of girlfriends who are also, you know, our best friends and really, really a part of our story. And I think you're. You're right, Devin. I mean, we've talked about this forever at this point.
Devin Lombardi [00:15:34]:
Forever. I mean, it's like, it's always been a topic. I mean, we. Like your. Your parents and your dad especially, has always been a topic. Like. Yeah, what happened to my family has always been a topic because when. When you're developing, especially as a woman, your. Your hormones are changing, and then you're looking at things differently, and then you have to process it with the people who went through it with you.
Cassie Kellner [00:15:58]:
Yes.
Devin Lombardi [00:15:59]:
Because now you're looking at it differently. And so it's like we've always processed our trauma together so it's kept us stronger together.
Cassie Kellner [00:16:09]:
Yeah, yeah, but it, but you know, okay, that was fourth grade. We were like nine, 10. Then all of this happened in your life where we're like 12, 13. And then we went right into high school. Right. And so then high school is a wild ride, especially when you're in such a small town. And. And this had happened to you individually, but like we were. I'm going to use this word and then this is going to take us somewhere else. We were your tribe and like protective of you, but you were also really protective of us. Like it was kind of this collective force that we had. And then I think years later we've. We talked about this more recently. I would say in the last year or so there's something called trauma bonded. And we had like. Well, you had a moment of like, what are you saying? Are you saying we're trauma bonded? What? What? And I was like, yes. And you were like, what? And it was like an. Another thing that like we had to process. I mean, Devin, what we have and our group of friends, this. This power of female friendship, in my opinion, it's rare. Like, female friendship is not rare, don't get me wrong. But the, the longevity in which we've friends from, you know, kindergarten until now. And I'm not just saying like fair weather friends, I'm saying like, like in it.
Devin Lombardi [00:17:58]:
No, like, like we've gotten in some doozies of fights. I mean, even physical and people like.
Cassie Kellner [00:18:13]:
In a physical fight.
Devin Lombardi [00:18:14]:
Wow, that sounds like a really interesting friendship.
Cassie Kellner [00:18:16]:
Like.
Devin Lombardi [00:18:19]:
I mean, but, but we, we just. We have like. We've gotten into a lot of really bad stuff together, you know, our whole group, you and I, but the fact that we can come back.
Cassie Kellner [00:18:40]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:18:41]:
And make everything not just okay, but better. Learning from that and then making it better is a testament to how special it is. What. For what we have. Because I think a lot of friends, a lot of, you know, especially women would just be like, we're not friends anymore if they went through, you know, some of the garbage that we've been through. It's just like.
Cassie Kellner [00:19:06]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:19:07]:
But we've all worked at it and we've.
Cassie Kellner [00:19:11]:
Right.
Devin Lombardi [00:19:11]:
Like the friendships have shifted. We've all gone through moments of like, well, now I'm closer to so and so. Of course, I'm not really talking to so and so right now. So now I'm closer to so and so. You know, but I Love the way that we can work through things, even if there. If some time needs to be spent processing or working through whatever. Like that, for me, is what makes a friendship the strongest, is when you can self reflect on your own behavior and your friend can as well. And then you can both come back together and say, whoops. Like, that sucked.
Cassie Kellner [00:19:50]:
Yeah, sorry.
Devin Lombardi [00:19:52]:
Apologizing. Sorry. Using the word and meaning it and having action behind it. You have to have the word sorry in friendships to make it last.
Cassie Kellner [00:20:03]:
Should we talk about our pivotal moment in our friendship?
Devin Lombardi [00:20:09]:
Yeah. Well, that was the biggest one for you and I. Yeah. Like when we were younger, there were moments of like, ignoring, like, you know, ignoring each other, you know, punishing with silence, you know.
Cassie Kellner [00:20:22]:
Children, though, like.
Devin Lombardi [00:20:23]:
Yeah, yeah. But like, when we were adults, there were a lot of, like, it was just a lot of changes that we were going through. I was going through postpartum depression. I had my first daughter and then I got through that. But I was relying heavily on you because you lived down the street from me and we were spending a lot of time together in stressful times, and I think we built up a lot of resentment. And then all of the resentencing and the parole hearing for Eric's murderers were coming up, and then that was around the same time that you were getting married. Right. So I wasn't really. I wasn't able to focus on your wedding because I was going through all this stuff. And then you got pregnant, but I was still going through it. I had. I'd moved. And it was just so much. In those three to four years. Two, two, three years. It was so much, Cass. Like, I look back, I'm like, so, yeah, we had to. I don't remember who. I don't remember. I don't remember the point. But you and I were like, yeah, he stuff.
Cassie Kellner [00:21:52]:
Ow. We had, you know, our friendship. I've always been incredibly protective over you. Like, people would joke, like, we'd be out at like a bar or something like. Or what are you, her bodyguard? How many times have we, like, heard this? I've always been really protective over you. And it was like my 12 year old brain when all of this trauma happened where it was like, this is my friend, my sister, you know, my, my, my everything. And I. It is my job to protect her.
Devin Lombardi [00:22:34]:
Yeah. But.
Cassie Kellner [00:22:35]:
And I.
Devin Lombardi [00:22:36]:
But I think that that also must. Well, it had to have been really confusing for you because it's like, here I am with all of my heaviness. Right. And you're like, I have to take it I have to take it. I have to be there for Devin.
Cassie Kellner [00:22:54]:
Oh.
Devin Lombardi [00:22:54]:
Devin's going through something again where it's like, well, you had stuff going on that you were supposed to be really happy for, and here I am. Well, I need you, Cass. I need you. So I think for you, it was like you broke free and you were mad at me, and, you know, you were mad at me, and in turn, I was like, well, she's being a rotten friend, so I'm mad at her.
Cassie Kellner [00:23:21]:
Well, okay. Also, I was moving from California to Connecticut at the time, and I was seven months pregnant.
Devin Lombardi [00:23:29]:
Yep.
Cassie Kellner [00:23:30]:
And I was leaving my world. I mean, I grew up in Northern California, and my husband and I had decided we were going to move here. He was going into the anesthesia program, and I was having big, big, huge life moments, but so were you at the same time. And I didn't know how to support, and you didn't know how to support, and it exploded. And as it will.
Devin Lombardi [00:23:56]:
As it would with anyone.
Cassie Kellner [00:23:58]:
Anyone.
Devin Lombardi [00:23:58]:
Just. It was a recipe for disaster, for friendship disaster.
Cassie Kellner [00:24:03]:
Yeah, it really was. And we took a break, if you will. And it was probably one of the most bizarre times. Months.
Devin Lombardi [00:24:14]:
It was.
Cassie Kellner [00:24:15]:
Yeah, it was months. It was months. I had moved here, and I was creating a new life of. Of New England, and I never lived here, and my husband had started this program, and I. What? I didn't have my family or my best friends or. You know, I had this massive shift in my life. I was also. Let's get real. Wildly hormonal. I mean, I was, like, ready to.
Devin Lombardi [00:24:44]:
Yeah, it was. Yeah. Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:24:47]:
And so we. We took a break. Even our friends were like, we don't like that. Like, what's happening? What are you guys doing? And we were. You know, and I think that it was. I don't know. You could feel differently, Dove, but I think it was, like, a healthy break. It was very bizarre. But there wasn't. Like, there was no mean.
Devin Lombardi [00:25:08]:
Not. Not on my end, bro. I was upset, but I was in a really. I was in a bad place. You know, like, you. I can reflect on that and say, like, I did not handle that situation in a healthy way because I was so. I was just not in a good place.
Cassie Kellner [00:25:25]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:25:26]:
Like, if that were to happen to you and I now, without all the drama that was occurring back then, it would just be so different.
Cassie Kellner [00:25:34]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:25:35]:
But, no, I would. Oh, man. No, I was never.
Cassie Kellner [00:25:38]:
What I. I guess what I meant then was we didn't lash out at each other during that time.
Devin Lombardi [00:25:43]:
Like, it was very quiet.
Cassie Kellner [00:25:44]:
Time we processed it. No, no, no. Yeah, that's what I mean, Patty.
Devin Lombardi [00:25:48]:
Where I was calling you names and texting you dirty things like. No, but we were adults.
Cassie Kellner [00:25:53]:
Yes, we were. We were, but there was a lot going on behind the scenes.
Devin Lombardi [00:25:58]:
Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:25:59]:
And so should we talk about the work that we've. And how. And the funniness of the work? Yeah, we're connected. Wait, what were you gonna say?
Devin Lombardi [00:26:11]:
Well, so when did. Have you. You had already seen our. Our. Our master therapist. Had you already seen her?
Cassie Kellner [00:26:19]:
Yes.
Devin Lombardi [00:26:20]:
Yes. So that's like. That's the. I mean, truly, that's what changed for you and I. Yeah. So I remember exactly where I was in my house when you finally called me.
Cassie Kellner [00:26:34]:
You.
Devin Lombardi [00:26:34]:
Because you reached out to me.
Cassie Kellner [00:26:36]:
I remember where I was too.
Devin Lombardi [00:26:38]:
And I. And I'm like, hello. And you're like, hello. Silence. Wow. Hi. You're like, yeah, hi. Are we ever gonna talk, by the way?
Cassie Kellner [00:27:02]:
This was six years ago. Six years ago. Isn't that wild?
Devin Lombardi [00:27:08]:
Yeah, it is wild.
Cassie Kellner [00:27:11]:
So I just had Graham, my first baby, and there was. There. We had complications at the end of our pregnancy, too, that I was really, really dealing with, and all turned out well and great and wonderful, thank God. But so I was like, going, and so I had my baby. I was in Connecticut, and you were there, and we still. We still text and things during that time, though, because you knew what was going on in my world with my pregnancy stuff. So, like, we. There was a lot of text.
Devin Lombardi [00:27:55]:
Yeah. In our group thread.
Cassie Kellner [00:27:56]:
Yes. And so let's talk about our therapist. We share a therapist.
Devin Lombardi [00:28:08]:
Well, I saw her first.
Cassie Kellner [00:28:09]:
Yes, you did.
Devin Lombardi [00:28:10]:
I recommend her to everyone because I love her so much. She has done wonders in my life, and I have spent a lot of time processing friends, individual friends, group of friends, friendships, how I am in friendships.
Cassie Kellner [00:28:28]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:28:28]:
Like a lot of come to Jesus moments.
Cassie Kellner [00:28:31]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:28:31]:
With Sarah.
Cassie Kellner [00:28:32]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:28:32]:
And then, like, I had at one point recommended her to you and you started your relationship. So we're both receiving, even though we're different individuals and our therapy isn't, I'm sure, exactly the same, but, like, yeah, she is who she is, and. And, you know, we both realized a lot about ourselves during our break.
Cassie Kellner [00:28:55]:
Yeah, I. I did a lot of work prior to moving and. And then I took a break from therapy for a little bit because I had so much going on and I'd moved and all the things, and I just want it because, like, therapy, I think sometimes, most times, maybe not anymore, but has, like, this stigma. And I have to say it's not, it's not for everyone. Like, let's get real.
Devin Lombardi [00:29:24]:
I mean, I wish it was, but Me too.
Cassie Kellner [00:29:27]:
But you, you actually, you, you have to do the work.
Devin Lombardi [00:29:34]:
Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:29:35]:
And you and I have done a lot of work and I'm not saying with each other, like we've, we've done a lot of work in the last six years, I think with each other, but we've done a lot of work on ourselves that had nothing to do with you or me. It was deep rooted work.
Devin Lombardi [00:29:53]:
Yeah, absolutely.
Cassie Kellner [00:29:55]:
And I think what happened in turn was self reflection. I talk about this all the time in my consulting is self reflection and those aha. Moments where you go like, oh man, I am so wrong here. And I, I didn't grow up like that. Like, that wasn't an innate thing for me to come out and say, oh, yeah, no, no, no, I'm wrong, let me fix this. And it, that's like a deep, deep rooted, likely insecurity I had as a young adult and young person. And I probably could unpack that somehow, but I would. It was rare for me to admit for fault. I felt like I was the right. If I was the loudest in the room or if I was the, if I had the most energy or then I could, I could like mask it all of whatever it was. And I worked through in my therapy with Sarah, who's an angel, what that all means, and unpacked it and did all the work. And I think you did so much of your work and your trauma work and, you know. Right. And. And then it came to a place of like self reflection on both parts and on. In that phone call, we had the deepest, most real and intense conversation we've ever had in our entire friendship, which says a lot.
Devin Lombardi [00:31:36]:
Yeah, you, you were able to tell me, like, Dev, you put too much pressure on me. I felt really stuck. I had my own stuff going on, but I felt like you were looking for me to be there for you. And you, like, literally it was too much, Dev. And I was like, you shut me out. You gave me the silent treatment. You shut me out. You made me feel like I was like, what did I do? What did I do? How am I supposed to know what I did? You know, like up in my head playing mind games and we both sat there and like, this is how you, we both did the. This is how you made me feel. And then we also said, hey, this is what I did to you.
Cassie Kellner [00:32:28]:
Yes.
Devin Lombardi [00:32:29]:
And like it was really important that we did that. And I don't think, I don't know if we could have, if we would have been able to do it without. Well, number one, Sarah. But without the time that we took apart.
Cassie Kellner [00:32:42]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:32:45]:
But it hits on a key point of self reflection and like just it. I'm not a bad person or a bad friend because I relied so heavily on you guys.
Cassie Kellner [00:33:03]:
Right.
Devin Lombardi [00:33:04]:
I'm not a bad friend for that. It's a result of experiences of my life that shaped my, shaped me the way that I was. You know what I mean? You were not a bad friend or a bad person for, for, you know, handling things the way that you did. And I think people like, they just shortchange themselves or they shortchange other people in relationships and it's like, well, wait a minute. If you actually do some work and take the time to, to look at yourself, look at the experiences they've been and just talk about it like you can work it out. You don't have to cancel friendships. You don't have to walk away, you know. Well, there's instances where you do need to walk away. But I'm just saying, like when you're having differences in friendships, like what we did was it, you know, it's really cheesy, but it was really beautiful. Like it was a beautiful thing that we were able to do that together and we set some boundaries moving forward, which is another huge. So self reflection in friendship is huge to making a friendship sustainable as well as like setting boundaries. You don't have to accept things from your friends. Like, you don't have to accept them. And it's okay to say, listen, you can't give me the cold shoulder. It makes me feel really insecure and second guessing myself. I can't stand it. And it's okay to say, you can't put so much pressure on me. I've got stuff going on in my life too. Like I can't be your end all, be all friend.
Cassie Kellner [00:34:48]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:34:49]:
If I, if I hurt your feelings, you have to tell me right away. Don't give me the silent treatment over it.
Cassie Kellner [00:34:56]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:34:56]:
If I say something that offends you, be like, whoa, bro, cross the line. Like that's what we said to each other.
Cassie Kellner [00:35:04]:
Yeah. And it worked.
Devin Lombardi [00:35:06]:
And it worked.
Cassie Kellner [00:35:07]:
And because we followed through. There's so many things here, Dev. We, it worked. We followed through. We did the work prior, we did the work post, post situation, you know, like we, we did all the things because, and this is, this is the most important part is like because this, we both felt and saw that this friendship is worth it.
Devin Lombardi [00:35:35]:
Yeah. It matters.
Cassie Kellner [00:35:36]:
And. And not because. Because we're trauma bonded. Not because of that. Because we actively choose in our 40s to be friends.
Devin Lombardi [00:35:49]:
Yeah. Yes. You have to. You have to choose it. You know, friendship, connection. Relationship and connection to other. To other females, to other friends. Like at the end of a day, it's a choice. And I choose my friends over any of the small mishaps that have occurred between all of us. And it's worth it to keep you guys in my life rather than. I just can't. I can't imagine. I can't imagine not having my friends. I can't imagine not having you in my life or calling it quits. When problems can be solved. Like they can be solved.
Cassie Kellner [00:36:40]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:36:40]:
If both people want to solve it. It can't be one sided. It's got to be. It's got to be both.
Cassie Kellner [00:36:46]:
Yeah. I think we've proved that. We were on a trip recently in Nashville with our husbands, by the way. Our husbands are very good friends. Yeah, like, very, very good friends. And they did not know each other prior. And so, like, I'm so grateful in that. Your husband married me and my husband. He was our officiant. We. You were my maid of honor. I was yours.
Devin Lombardi [00:37:19]:
There's like, there's no doubt, Dave, if you guys would have been married first or even met at our wedding, Dave would have been right by Tony.
Cassie Kellner [00:37:29]:
Yes. No doubt, no doubt. You got married before us on my husband's birthday. Like, it's all just like before we even met, you know, I know. The whole thing is just crazy anyway. I just feel like we. So we went to Nashville. There's four of us on this trip. And I don't know if I told you before or on the Nashville trip, but I was like, you. And I mean this, like, from the bottom of my heart. And you get. You get uncomfortable with these situations. So good luck. You prepare yourself.
Devin Lombardi [00:38:01]:
Like, I remember what's coming, but I.
Cassie Kellner [00:38:05]:
Said, you know, you're my soulmate.
Devin Lombardi [00:38:07]:
Oh, yeah, listen, everyone listening.
Cassie Kellner [00:38:14]:
She's laughing because she's uncomfortable. That's the only reason why she's laughing. Oh, my gosh. And I genuinely feel that way. And I remember having this conversation. I think it was on the phone because God forbid I say this to you to your face, you would have just fallen over. You. You are, you know, And I think this is why I want to talk so much about the power of female friendships. We've been through some. And in 41 years, that's some serious deep rooted stuff. And not everyone has that because you meet different female friends in different seasons of your life. You know, you meet them when your children in. In high school, in college, in the workplace, as neighbors, through your meet friends. Right.
Devin Lombardi [00:39:11]:
Yeah, There's. There's different levels of friendship.
Cassie Kellner [00:39:14]:
Yes. And I. But I think at the end of the day, when I said, you are my soulmate, you and this friendship, it doesn't take away at. In any case of my marriage, of the. The relationship and the friendship I have with my husband. But, no, the relationship that I have with my husband is very different than the relationship that have with you. And it is a true bond. It's a true relationship where sometimes I can get off a therapy session and be like, bro, yeah, you're never gonna believe what I just processed.
Devin Lombardi [00:39:55]:
How many calls. Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:39:57]:
How many?
Devin Lombardi [00:39:59]:
I. I just am leaving, Sarah. I just wanted to talk to you about just some stuff. It was intense.
Cassie Kellner [00:40:07]:
Intense, tense. And.
Devin Lombardi [00:40:09]:
Whereas if we did that with our. If we did that with our husbands, they'd be like, I mean, that's. I mean, what do you want me to say? Good.
Cassie Kellner [00:40:23]:
Or they would just, like, listen. And then we even. No matter how he would react, whether it was like, wow, you know, and really took it in, I'd be like, you're not processing the way that I want you to process. I'm gonna call them.
Devin Lombardi [00:40:38]:
Well, I mean, that's. Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:40:40]:
That is the power of female friendships. This is why it's so important. I. You know, and this is why I wanted to end this month with this conversation and telling this story. 1. Because I think it should be told, and I think it's really rare, and I think it is a really beautiful thing that we have created, you and I, but also this group of women that we have in our lives that we've known since pretty much birth, you know, we've gone through all of these different seasons together. And while, yes, there is trauma in there, everyone has some sort of story to tell. I think there's power in the connection that females have with one another to lean on one another, to understand one another on a deeper level, and to.
Devin Lombardi [00:41:29]:
Laugh with each other. Like, laughter. Like, one important component of friendship is compatibility of sense of humor. Like, you can't. You can't take yourself too seriously. Like, the inside jokes that we have from childhood that still make us laugh, that everyone else would just be like, you're laughing over the words ketchup and mustard and can I get a hot dog? Like, you know what I mean? Like, and then. And making sure that, like, your. Your sense of humor is compatible. Like you're not gonna offend someone. Be like, you know, like our senses of humor are so compatible. It's strengthened our friendship because no one's getting offended. No one's.
Cassie Kellner [00:42:18]:
Yes.
Devin Lombardi [00:42:19]:
You know, we're coming from a light hearted place. A place of, you know, laughter, happiness.
Cassie Kellner [00:42:27]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:42:27]:
Like.
Cassie Kellner [00:42:28]:
Yes.
Devin Lombardi [00:42:30]:
Like, it's so important to me.
Cassie Kellner [00:42:33]:
Me too. It really is. Because like, if I meet, you know, other women where I'm like, oh, oh.
Devin Lombardi [00:42:41]:
We are sensor, sensor.
Cassie Kellner [00:42:42]:
Like we're just like, oh, I don't know that we're gonna connect on this level. Well, I think you're a wonderful person.
Devin Lombardi [00:42:49]:
Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:42:50]:
At this stage in the game, like, you gotta be strategic about, you know, picking these friendships because you only get so much. And, and as being a mother and a wife and a business owner and all the things, like I want to be intentional.
Devin Lombardi [00:43:07]:
Yes.
Cassie Kellner [00:43:08]:
Of what I'm doing and who I'm picking and what that looks like. And we've been through so much and there's so much power in the friendship that we have. And while people listening to this cannot rewind and go and find the fourth grade best friend, you know, I, I have also, as have you, created this powerful force of female friendships around us. Now we don't, we, we're 3,000 miles apart. We are not in each other's day to day. We don't get to go have coffee together. Yeah, we, we don't get to do those things. But we still have such an incredible bond because we put in the work into this friendship. When you call me, I'm not like, oh, I have this conversation or we're going to be on the phone forever. Like, you know, there, there's none of that. It is this free flowing kind of sisterhood that we have and I'm so incredibly grateful for that. But this can also come. Well, yes, the things that we've discussed can't be created. I mean, we've, we've gone through.
Devin Lombardi [00:44:25]:
Thank God.
Cassie Kellner [00:44:26]:
Yeah, exactly. I mean, really, we, we've gone through so much together as small girls, adolescents, college. Oh my gosh, Young adulthood, dating, finding our husbands, getting married, having babies, navigating parenting. Parenting. Being the jobs. What is the mom you want to be? Massive career shifts. I mean, when I said I wanted to start this podcast, you were behind it, like truly, like, you know, all of the different seasons and chapters in our lives and, and you can still, I firmly believe this, find power in female friendships. Even now in your life, you know, you have to.
Devin Lombardi [00:45:14]:
Yeah. You have to understand how to do it though, like, you have to understand, you know, people listening. And I, I feel, I do feel for them. I think about it all the time because it does sound like we're bragging about our friendship and we have a right to do that. Number one, we have a right to brag about, about the work that we have put in to make our friendship last. So, you know, if you feel like we're bragging, it's because we are. But, but we have a right to. We, we did the work to hold our friendship together.
Cassie Kellner [00:45:46]:
Yes.
Devin Lombardi [00:45:48]:
And I just don't know if some people have been afforded that opportunity to, to create a bond or to find that person or, or people for a lot of different reasons, they just, they just never get it. They never find it. Or, or yet. We'll use the word yet. They haven't found it yet. But yeah, I truly don't think it's, I don't ever think it's too late to find compatible friends.
Cassie Kellner [00:46:17]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:46:17]:
And like, you touched on this just a second ago. Like, you might not have childhood friends. It's okay. You might not have high school friends. It's okay. Maybe your deep friendships started in college. Well, like, reflect on that. Why did you find people who were in the same field as you? Was it in classes? Did you have the same views that you found out about? Like, were you, did you join the same sorority? Did you know? Like, once you find people that are meeting, checking all those boxes of what a friendship, a real friendship and connection is, then hold on to it and fight for it.
Cassie Kellner [00:47:06]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:47:06]:
And if you don't find it until you're in a job, like you become a teacher and then you're like, you find that there's, oh, you love your, the other first grade teacher and they become your friend. Like, great, then that's when it happened for you.
Cassie Kellner [00:47:19]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:47:20]:
It's never too late to form connection with, with like minded people who can support you and lift you up and laugh with you and cry with you and put in as much as you are. Like, it's never too late.
Cassie Kellner [00:47:35]:
Yeah. Also, I, I need this to be very clear. We are very different people. We are not the same person. Like, we have a lot of commonalities, but we, and there's a lot of overlap, but like, we are very, very different in life. Right. And, and again, there's a lot of overlap, but like, this is just a really funny one. You are a millennial with so many boomer tendencies, I can't even.
Devin Lombardi [00:48:11]:
My God, I'm, I'm So annoyed with how much you know about tech. It's just like, get over yourself. I am gonna sit peacefully in my non tech life. I text. I text Anita this morning. Your mouse isn't working. I don't know what to. I don't know how to turn your mouse on. And she left me a little note that says, turn the mouse on, Devin. She drew a picture for me.
Cassie Kellner [00:48:41]:
Devin. Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:48:43]:
It's a major difference between us. You know everything about everything and I know nothing about everything.
Cassie Kellner [00:48:51]:
It is bananas. We are. Okay, I have to tell. So I text you, and in our group chat, you were in the. You're in the group chat, obviously. But, like, I text the group, oh, my gosh, I got the skylight calendar. And it. It is a game changer, like, for my family. And Lauren respond. Everybody responds like, oh, my gosh, it's so exciting. Tell me, tell me, me. I sent a photo, blah, blah. And you were like, wait, oh, it's a calendar. I was wondering. I didn't realize you wanted a skylight in your kitchen. And I was like.
Devin Lombardi [00:49:27]:
I'm like, what are you talking about, Devin? So I still use for all.
Cassie Kellner [00:49:34]:
You don't say it.
Devin Lombardi [00:49:37]:
Calendar users. I still carry a paper cat calendar in my purse where I write everything down.
Cassie Kellner [00:49:43]:
See this?
Devin Lombardi [00:49:44]:
I don't have a Google calendar.
Cassie Kellner [00:49:45]:
I have actual physical anxiety right now in my chest that you're using a paper calendar. This is. This is what I mean. This is what I mean when I say we are so different. I am so digital. It's disgusting, actually. And you live that boomer life and, like, we can be so real and authentic and make fun of each other and roll our eyes and, you know, laugh and, like, this is it. This is. This is it.
Devin Lombardi [00:50:17]:
Yeah. You can't. You can try, of course you can try to be sensitive in friendships, but it probably won't get to a deep level if you're going to constantly be offended by everything.
Cassie Kellner [00:50:28]:
No, no, no.
Devin Lombardi [00:50:29]:
Like, yeah, yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:50:33]:
There's no way.
Devin Lombardi [00:50:34]:
It's.
Cassie Kellner [00:50:34]:
One of the.
Devin Lombardi [00:50:35]:
One of the aspects is you can't be too serious in friendships.
Cassie Kellner [00:50:41]:
Yeah.
Devin Lombardi [00:50:42]:
You've gotta. You've gotta laugh. And it's okay to make fun of each other. It's okay to take it to that level. Just means you're getting deeper and more comfortable with each other.
Cassie Kellner [00:50:52]:
I just have a story and we can cut this, but this will be really good for the ortho community to laugh. Can we talk about your tongue tie?
Devin Lombardi [00:51:01]:
Oh, yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:51:03]:
So Devin recently went to the dentist. That's it.
Devin Lombardi [00:51:08]:
That's as far as I can stick it out, everyone.
Cassie Kellner [00:51:10]:
And they recommended that she get a. Her tongue clipped, right? And she calls me and she's like, cassie, what do I do? Like, And I'm like, devin, first of all, I don't know. I don't know if you should do this. And you're yelling at me. You're like, what do you mean? You need to know this. And I'm like, this is literally your field. I don't know if you should do this at 40. I don't know any 40 year olds who've had their tongue clipped. Like, it's not like my infant when Graham had all of his clips. Like, I don't know, Devin. And you were. And then you go, okay, well, wait, you have to say it about the Chihuahua.
Devin Lombardi [00:51:46]:
Oh, well, yeah, I've got this image in my mind of that hairless chihuahua where I can't even do it. My tongue doesn't go that far now where if I get my tongue clipped, it's just gonna roll out of my mouth because it'll finally be free and I'll. I'll walk around with my tongue out of my mouth, out of the side of my mouth. And then you were like, ew, you better not drool every time you talk.
Cassie Kellner [00:52:14]:
And I was like, what, I'm gonna drool?
Devin Lombardi [00:52:17]:
You're like, yeah, bro, your tongue is just gonna fall out and you're gonna have blood coming down when you talk to people. And I was like, oh, my God. Well, they didn't tell me that.
Cassie Kellner [00:52:28]:
Like, you're not.
Devin Lombardi [00:52:30]:
No, I'm not.
Cassie Kellner [00:52:32]:
Oh, Devin, this is what I mean.
Devin Lombardi [00:52:34]:
Like, and then I'm pretty sure you were like, yeah, Tony's been making out with a taco tongue for the past 15 years. He's just making out with a taco tonight.
Cassie Kellner [00:52:50]:
Calling your tongue a taco tongue. And you were like, what? And we couldn't breathe. Like, I was in. I was in the parking lot of the grocery store and I couldn't get out because I was laughing so hard. My eyes are watering right now.
Devin Lombardi [00:53:03]:
Yeah, we were wheezing.
Cassie Kellner [00:53:04]:
Oh, man, the wheeze was real. But this is what I mean about authentic and real and funny and just, you know, it's just so damn good. And there's so much power here in the female friendships. And I'm so thankful and grateful for you for being that person. And we have a whole group of these people. I want to make that very clear. You and I have had this deep rooted connection for such a long time. And yes, There's a story there, but there's so much power in. In what we've created and how hard we work at this friendship as well. This far away. Okay, we're gonna do rapid fire at the end of this. Are you ready?
Devin Lombardi [00:53:56]:
I am.
Cassie Kellner [00:53:59]:
Okay. I actually haven't even really looked at these, but I sent them to you. Okay, here we go. Ready? We are going to do rapid fire friendship sync, and we're going to count to three and we're going to answer at the same exact time. Okay. You ready? Okay.
Devin Lombardi [00:54:16]:
Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:54:16]:
Number one, best rapper. Ready? One, two, three. Eminem.
Devin Lombardi [00:54:22]:
Little Wayne.
Cassie Kellner [00:54:23]:
What? Oh, that makes sense for you. That makes sense. Yeah. That checks out. Eminev. Wow. Okay, ready? Oh, man. Number two, best condiment. Ready? One, two, three.
Devin Lombardi [00:54:42]:
Ranch.
Cassie Kellner [00:54:42]:
Ranch.
Devin Lombardi [00:54:45]:
Okay. Funny story. So you probably aren't gonna think this is as funny.
Cassie Kellner [00:54:51]:
Yes, we do.
Devin Lombardi [00:54:53]:
Calusa, California has the best ranch in the ranch dressing. We have to be clear, in the United States of America. Ranch, ranch dressing. We're gonna say in the world, yeah. There's no better ranch than Caloosa, California. Shout out so many, so many stops. When we were in Nashville, we were talking about just being funny. We need to have a podcast where we talk about the various ranch dressings. You know, it's like a travel podcast where we've traveled in sampled ranch. And the Uber driver was listening and nodding his head and just, just being, you know, listening. He's like, wait a minute. He said something like, are you guys talking about, like, farms? And we're like, no, ranch dressing. He's like, what the hell? It was, it was so funny.
Cassie Kellner [00:55:46]:
We died. He was actually in the conversation the whole time. And he was also talking about ranch, but he was talking about actual like farming ranch animals.
Devin Lombardi [00:55:56]:
Yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:55:57]:
And we were talking about ranch dressing because that's how obsessed we are. And listen, that. And I bought you ranch socks.
Devin Lombardi [00:56:07]:
Socks. I wore them to Juju's jogathon because they were orange. Got a lot of compliments.
Cassie Kellner [00:56:15]:
We should say that too, actually. That our daughters, your youngest, my youngest are 10 days apart and we both had 10 pound babies during COVID We didn't even talk about that.
Devin Lombardi [00:56:28]:
We. Yeah, there's a law we weren't able to cover.
Cassie Kellner [00:56:32]:
God, why? Okay, ready? Number three. Go to comfort food. One, two, three.
Devin Lombardi [00:56:41]:
Mexican food.
Cassie Kellner [00:56:41]:
Tacos.
Devin Lombardi [00:56:45]:
Same. Do you remember how disappointed you were when I got like that cauliflower taco and you ordered like five berea tacos and you're like, you're having two vegetable tacos when we're at this amazing taco restaurant.
Cassie Kellner [00:56:59]:
I just don't understand. I was so mad. But then you were. Ate some of mine and I was like. I knew this was gonna happen.
Devin Lombardi [00:57:11]:
All right, shout out to me. Ranchito.
Cassie Kellner [00:57:14]:
Oh, Devin. Betty special. Okay, number four, favorite guilty pleasure TV show. Three, two, one.
Devin Lombardi [00:57:29]:
Golden Girls.
Cassie Kellner [00:57:30]:
Housewives.
Devin Lombardi [00:57:35]:
That is wildly annoying. Oh, my gosh.
Cassie Kellner [00:57:43]:
I love Golden Girls. You know this, but Real Housewives, you know this about me?
Devin Lombardi [00:57:52]:
Yeah, it's like one of the things I'm ashamed of.
Cassie Kellner [00:57:54]:
I also thought you were gonna say chopped.
Devin Lombardi [00:57:58]:
Chopped is definitely up there. But Golden Girls is just.
Cassie Kellner [00:58:04]:
I mean, over chopped now.
Devin Lombardi [00:58:08]:
Okay, well, I mean, guilt, like what I watch in secret that nobody really knows. Yeah, chopped for sure.
Cassie Kellner [00:58:15]:
Everyone knows that in secret.
Devin Lombardi [00:58:19]:
Because it's. I don't know. It's so.
Cassie Kellner [00:58:22]:
It's too reality for you.
Devin Lombardi [00:58:24]:
It's. Yeah, I don't. That's like as reality as I get.
Cassie Kellner [00:58:28]:
I know. It's so intense. Annoying. And I am the reality. It's embarrassing. Okay.
Devin Lombardi [00:58:35]:
Oh.
Cassie Kellner [00:58:37]:
If we were a celebrity duo, who would we be?
Devin Lombardi [00:58:41]:
Dorothy's door. Dorothy Sworneck and Sophia Petrillo.
Cassie Kellner [00:58:50]:
For those who don't know, that's Golden Girls and I. Dorothy.
Devin Lombardi [00:58:57]:
Hell yeah.
Cassie Kellner [00:58:57]:
Oh, my God, that's so mean.
Devin Lombardi [00:59:00]:
Your height, she's so aggressive. She's so aggressive. And Sophia's so sharp witted and sharp tongued and I mean, it's totally true.
Cassie Kellner [00:59:13]:
She's got, like, brittle bone syndrome like you.
Devin Lombardi [00:59:17]:
She's so frail and cold. Carries around her little geriatric bamboo purse.
Cassie Kellner [00:59:24]:
Yes. Oh. I mean, I don't have, like, a really good one, but I don't know why, but Romy and Michelle's high school reunion popped into my head.
Devin Lombardi [00:59:38]:
Oh, my gosh. That's a good one, too.
Cassie Kellner [00:59:41]:
We're, like, dancing in the middle and, you know, like, telling them we invented post its and. Come on, post.
Devin Lombardi [00:59:49]:
Post it.
Cassie Kellner [00:59:50]:
Post it. Its. Okay, last one. One word that describes the other person. Three, two, one.
Devin Lombardi [01:00:11]:
Fierce.
Cassie Kellner [01:00:11]:
Loyal. Ooh, thanks.
Devin Lombardi [01:00:16]:
Okay, tell me why you chose that.
Cassie Kellner [01:00:19]:
You are undeniably the most loyal person I've ever met in my entire life. Like, you go to the ends of the earth to make sure that your friends know how much you love them and what you will do for them. Without a doubt. It makes me feel emotional, but you'll be uncomfortable.
Devin Lombardi [01:00:42]:
Please don't cry. It's, like, wildly unnecessary.
Cassie Kellner [01:00:48]:
Why'd you pick fierce?
Devin Lombardi [01:00:51]:
I picked fierce because it was pretty all encompassing. I think fierce can mean driven because you're. You're. You're incredibly driven. But it Also can. It means intense. You do everything with intensity. Like, when you're driven to do something, you're gonna do it full force. You. Nothing can stop you. You are fiercely confident in yourself and your capabilities. You're a fierce friend. You're a fierce mother. You know, like, you're a fierce wife. Like everything. It's not. It's. It means strong. It means brave. It means courageous. It means determined and driven. It's like it's an umbrella word with so much underneath it that makes it who you are.
Cassie Kellner [01:01:48]:
I love that. Thank you. I'll take it. Thanks. Devin Lombardi, thank you so much for doing this with me. I. I am so grateful for you. I'm thankful for you. I'm thankful for our friendship, and I really mean this from the bottom of my heart. You are my sister, soulmate, and I really, really, really mean that. And I'm really lucky that you are in my kindergarten class and happened to grow up in Colusa, California, and that we went through all of. Of these seasons together in our life. People don't fully understand what we went through and can experience it. Maybe Sarah. Maybe Sarah understands.
Devin Lombardi [01:02:39]:
Yeah. But make sure you send this to Sarah so she can be like, ah, girls, that is not what I told you at all.
Cassie Kellner [01:02:49]:
I'm. I'm just really, really grateful for you. So thank you so much for doing this with me.
Devin Lombardi [01:02:55]:
Yeah, this was a lot of fun. I think I wear a lot of hats, right? We're wives, we're moms. But. And I'm. Obviously, I love those hats, and I'm grateful for them. I love them with every fiber of my being, but I also have enough fibers in my being to absolutely love my friendship hat. It is right up there for me. And I know everybody prioritizes things differently and to each their own, but I can't do life without you and my friends. You guys are a top priority for me, and I'm grateful that I have that mentality because friendships have made my life what it is my husband and my kids have as well, but it's different. My friendships are right up there for me. And I truly wish everybody, whether it's one deep friend, multiple deep friends like you and I are privileged to have, I wish everybody the blessing of a tribe. I just do. No matter when they find it in life, I do. Because my life wouldn't be my life without my tribe. And I'm glad that I got to come on here and talk about it with the queen of my tribe.
Cassie Kellner [01:04:13]:
Devin, you're the best. I love you. Thank you, Lauren.
Devin Lombardi [01:04:18]:
I love you. Cassie.
Cassie Kellner [01:04:23]:
Thank you for joining me on The Bloom Effect, where we keep it real, keep it growing, and always keep it team first. If today's episode sparked something for you, an idea, a shift, or just a reminder that you're not alone, take a step second and share it with your team or a fellow ortho leader. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a convo. And if you're loving the show, leave a review. It helps more practices find us and join the movement. And if you're ready to bring this kind of energy into your practice, visit DiscoverEverbloom.com to learn more about working together. Until next time, keep leading with heart, keep building with intention, and keep blooming right where you're planted.
