Up until I had children, I liked to ignore the fact that there was such a thing as a 5 a.m. When I had zero period band in high school, my poor dad would have to go in my room several times to attempt to wake me up to get ready for school. In college, my usually easygoing roommate threatened to toss my really annoying Tigger-themed alarm clock out the window after several mornings of me sleeping through it’s aggravating refrain. I don’t do mornings.
Fast forward a few years. My son is now in high school, and like his mother before him, is in zero period marching band. This means we drag ourselves out of bed before the sun rises to get ready for the day ahead. And while I do not have a typical commute, as I work in the city we reside, I can spend a good 45 minutes to over an hour to go a total of just under five miles to take our carpool to the middle and high schools in our city. I don’t do mornings. But I have to.
Coffee has been for me my nectar and ambrosia on these busy mornings. I find that a good cup of coffee really does make the morning grind (pun intended) less miserable, even as I’m trying to push through traffic on already congested streets even more impacted by current construction going on in our area. It is one of the few things I’ll splurge a few extra dollars on when making our bi-monthly Costco run. My hatred of early mornings, and love of coffee is why we have this “caffeination station” in our kitchen. The husband hates the Keurig, so we typically use the Mr. Coffee maker for the family pot, but the Keurig is good for my second (or third) cup of the morning as I’m going about the day, or the pre-dinner pick me up after work. And this sunny tile by Emily is a reminder to slow down a bit and have a good day.
Funny enough, in the busyness of the morning, I do find the most to be thankful for. A good cup of coffee, talk radio, and many blessings. The kids have wonderful opportunities through programs offered at our schools. And in this season of my life, as I’m caring for this next generation, I’m thankful for my own parents and all they did to support me. Especially getting up before the crack of dawn to make sure I got to zero period band on time. I guess it’s payback in the best way. To be able to encourage my children, even as I drag my tired self to the car, is indeed a blessing. And life is an adventure meant to be shared.
The Cranky Camper 