For the Love of Coffee

Yesterday at bible study, we were asked to share three of our all time FAVORITES. As I thought of what I was going to bring, I KNEW that coffee was going to be one of them. It just can’t not be apart of any favorite list of mine. (Although Nick couldn’t believe I didn’t choose to bring HIM in.) As I was sharing my love/obsession of coffee, I remembered that I wrote a blog about my love story with coffee way back in the day. (The name of my blog was even called ‘come grab a latte’, for goodness sake.) So I went and found it and thought that it would be fun to share it today, especially since it’s Friday Favorites day! And since this was written pre-Nick and Caleb, I’ll add on to it. 🙂

This was written August 12, 2010…

You may have noticed by the name of my blog, I seem to have a bit of attachment to coffee. Let’s both drink a latte and discuss. This probably all started when I used to visit my grandparent’s house when I was little and they had coffee time everyday at 3 pm. My wonderful Grandad decided that I should be able to drink coffee too and started to slip me some (because what mom really wants their child drinking coffee). And it’s pretty much been love ever since.  

Every Wednesday my Grandad would pick me up from elementary school (for piano lessons which I took for 6 years and refused to learn anything) and head to his house for some coffee and chocolate pudding. (Can you see why I refused to quit piano even though I obviously had no desire to play?) Coffee time with Grandad quickly became one of my all-time favorite things. As I grew older and drinking coffee seemed a little bit more appropriate, that is when I began to explore cappucinos with my friends usually courtesy of the gas station. I knew that I loved coffee, but I also knew that I had no idea how to even prepare my own cup because my precious Grandad always did that for me.  

As I went off to college, my love continued and that is the first time I lived in the same town as a Starbucks. I’m pretty sure angels probably sang a hallelujah chorus as they built that Starbucks so close to my apartment building. I quickly gave up my gas station cappucinos and began my commitment to the real thing. However, being a college student and trying to maintain my love affair with coffee at such a high price, I knew that something needed to be done. Luckily by this point, I had friends that shared the same love and explained that I indeed was in it enough to use my own coffee pot. This was a tiny little contraption that my mom had bought for the sole intention of being able to brew coffee for when she would visit. I was quickly discouraged but then I realized that my wonderful Nana had also offered me a fancier coffeepot that brewed right in to two travel coffee mugs. Between the two of these, I knew that I would be okay. I began to purchase my own coffee and re-learned how to brew it (since a chore growing up was to brew my mom’s coffee) and was on my way. It got to the point where my great friend Andrea would pick me up for school and there would be 2 travel mugs of coffee ready for us to go. Gotta love friends that share the love.  

At my college graduation, I knew what needed to happen. People began to ask me what I would like for my next move into the world and I quickly requested a coffee pot. My aunt that ended up purchasing me one thought I was completely crazy, but followed through by buying me an absolutely fantastic one. Favorite college graduation present ever. This coffee pot has now moved with me to Fort Worth and brewed coffee for me every morning and random other times of the day since. Entering grad school definitely increased my love and dependence on coffee. My coffee pot began to experience being brewed from anywhere to 6 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon to 2 in the morning. My love for coffee became crucial to graduating from grad school.  

People tend to tease me about my love (or obsession as they may call it) for coffee. This may be because of my insistence of never going a road trip without Starbucks, the instant happiness I feel when coffee is mentioned, my strong desire to drink coffee black just to be hardcore, Starbucks baristas recognizing me and knowing my drink, or the fact that I’m just plain addicted.  

No matter how you look at it, coffee just makes everything better: life decisions, sweet time with friends, dessert, reading a good book, spending some precious time with the Lord, driving in the car, waking up in the morning…

Let’s be honest, I could go on forever. But I won’t. I know that not everyone may share my love (which I cannot understand for the life of me) but I will respect that… as long as you respect the love. I don’t judge you for your strange Diet Coke addictions. 

So obviously I have been in love for a long time. So then I met my future husband (although I of course didn’t know it at the time) and he did NOT drink coffee. Like at all. Our first ‘hang out’ (NOT a date because he did not pay) was at Starbucks. And he ordered a smoothie. Umm. So as I saw that we were getting more serious, I made it my mission in life to make him like coffee. Just think of all the important causes that I could have used all that energy towards. But apparently I’m just that crazy and determined when it comes to my drink of choice. And if you meet Nick now, he drinks coffee! Only iced, but coffee nonetheless. I mean we even ended up getting engaged at that same Starbucks. I would call that a victory.

So just consider coffee a love language of mine. If you ask me to meet for coffee or ask if you can bring me coffee, my heart feels all of the warm fuzzy feelings. It is indeed my happy place.