C is for Coffee #atozchallenge

This post is part of my first year doing the A to Z Challenge and I happen to be writing under the theme Gratitude: The Things That Keep Me Alive. This is a relevant theme for me as I am struggling with postpartum depression, and also have diagnosed anxiety and bipolar II (just to let you know what's going on with me-it might be pertinent as you read the post below). Thank you for stopping by and reading my post!

C is for coffee because coffee has always been an important element of the relationship I have with the hubster and even the relationships I have with my family and family friends. Coffee is quite a character and thankfully it's a soothing, delicious character (in my experience). 

When I think of coffee I think of late nights and early mornings; cozy days at home and cramped days on the road. Whether I'm feeling great or feeling terrible, coffee is there and helps, somehow, nearly every freakin' time. It's the closest thing I have to a miracle drug.

The hubs and I have sipped our way through our fair share of sugary travesties but for the most part relish the rich, dark bite of a black cup of coffee or a "plain" Americano, I even go for the super concentrated doppio! (translation: two shots of pure espresso).

He may like his at a temperature that spares his tongue's first layer of cells but I like my coffee at hellishly warm temperatures (seems like I get this from my father, we swear it tastes better that way) and while we both might have a latte every once in a while, we're usually "just plain, please."

But the flavor is of little consequence when compared to the act of "getting coffee" or "making coffee." The ritual is something ingrained in my family and I love combing through my memories and recalling drive-thru coffee orders and coffee shop camp outs and coffee ground littered counters during homemade missions.

Thinking of coffees bought at zoos or at drive-thrus provide special memories, even when it's not a great experience! Like when the hubs ordered a cup of regular joe and received a full cup of hot delicious brew but I ordered decaf and got a semi-filled, lukewarm cup of barf (I was cussing like a sailor, lemme tell you!), brings me happiness. Unity. Assurance. Coffee there will always be!

Coffee makes me happy and makes my family and my husband happy and that is something to be grateful for and happy about. With my conditions I have to be conscientious of the hour and my anxiety levels before choosing between caffeinated or decaf, but it's a small price to pay in my coffee communion. Coffee is love.

Sip on, dear reader, sip on!





Yes. Seriously. Coffee. I mean, look, this is a picture of the side of my fridge:

I drew this and sent it in the mail with some foil hearts splashing around in the envelope to surprise the hubster. He said it was a lovely surprise but quite interesting picking up tiny foil hearts while his coworkers weren't looking! Hahaha If the cartoon looks familiar, it was fashioned after "Bob's Burgers." FYI ;o)