Based on the way my coffee treated me, I should have ended it, I should have been prepared for last week to suck a little, but I didn't see it coming. My oldest baby was going to be 10, which means I was celebrating a decade of me being a mom. This was the week of me and Lily. This was also the week that Lily and Bryson were star of the week. I needed coffee for last week.
Monday morning started off like anything other. A hundred things on my plate and trying to fumble through making coffee while finding sides for lunch. How do I go to the store and purchase stuff for lunches every weekend but there is never anything other than saltines and dried cranberries for lunches? I hated myself for not doing these two chores the night before. I hate myself every single morning for this reason, but not quite enough to muster up the energy to do it each night. That morning, I didn't end up pushing start on the coffee until the girls were out the door for the bus with Lawrence. It's French Vanilla flavored coffee in the Dunkin Donuts bag, and I'm surprised that Lawrence bought it, he hates the smell of coffee (one of my excuses for not making it at night), and this brand is the strongest smelling. After about 5 minutes I hear a singeing noise and see that there is no pot under the coffee filter. It has a plug feature for that, but the filter has filled full and is brimming over the top in every direction. I mopped up a bit of coffee, sighing with relief that the house is off the market and perfection wasn't in the cards. I should have just quit there, spent $2.50 on the way to work and called it a day.
Nope.
I get the pot under in time, and salvaged the rest of coffee. I poured my cup tippy top full and added some milk. No sticky creamer thank goodness. I finished getting Bryson ready, turned on Curious George to keep him still, and headed upstairs to get myself ready.
I had already showered but that was about it. I washed my hands and reach back to dry them, when my left hand swiped the tippy top cup of too hot coffee and over it spilled. It went everywhere. E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. In every drawer and every cupboard and up under everything, in the jewelry holder, soaked every piece of laundry on the ground and every floor mat, around every piece of jewelry, in every toothbrush holder, and in every make up bag. Everywhere. I can't emphasize the everywhereness of it enough. This one cup of coffee seemingly multiplied into gallon after gallon, soaking everything in it's wake.
An hour later my hair and makeup were left undone, most of the visible coffee was wiped up (I would find more for days), I had a load of coffee laundry going, and out the door my star and I went, late for school.
French vanilla...the smell never goes away. A week and a half later, I sit at my desk at work, and I can still smell coffee, every where I go, every minute of the day. Maybe because it's on my toothbrush, hairbrush, and part of my eyeliner.
My cleaning lady came on Tuesday of this week, I was so happy the smell would finally be gone, but alas…it's still going strong every time I plug in the flat iron.
Tuesday, Lily turned 10, and the day was awesome. We ice skated, I decorated her door all cool, Matt and Heather came over, her presents were appreciated and grown up. It was a very good day. More on that another time, but suffice to say, I thought my coffee woes were done.
Friday we had a slumber party for seven little girls. After sweating to death throwing together an around the house scavenger hunt, (E-GADS!) I made a cup of coffee to get ready for the night ahead. Seven little girls are a LOT louder and more excited than five little girls a year younger were last year. What a difference 2 people and 1 year made! I poured in the water planning to share with any moms dropping off girls who might want some. Unfortunately there was only a little bit of coffee left in the Dunkin Donuts bag, not nearly enough for the amount of water I'd poured in. It didn't stop me (or Shawna), we drank our coffee flavored water like it would fuel us for days.
But. Oh. My. Gosh. you guys!
The girls were up until 2am. I got up at 6:30am with Bryson and around 7:30 it occurred to me, THERE WAS NO COFFEE FOR TODAY. Lawrence and Addie left shortly after for her soccer game and I was not wise enough to realize that I should have run out quick to get coffee before they went. And by not wise, I mean, I was running non-stop from the second I got up to get uniforms laid out and the coach's shirt clean and figure out if we were the home or away team and water bottles filled up and after game snacks ready, and hair in a pony…WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUT BUYING COFFEE.
One of the things I really am starting to like in this mothering for a decade is that I don't have to pretend I have my shit together. I mean I couldn't even pretend that if I wanted to, so it's more than convenient that I don't have to.
So I sent out an SOS. To the moms of the daughters I "let" stay up until the wee hours.
I need coffee. I had a ten year old slumber party with NO COFFEE for the morning for myself and I am DYING OF TIRED over here.
I looked at my coffee water left from the night before. I reheated some. It was so watery and sad. I knew it wouldn't do any good, but I was desperate. The SOS moms said they could bring some, but pick up wasn't until 10am, a whooping hour and a half away. I poured some milk into my coffee water and put it in the microwave. I took a big gulp and then looked into my cup.
A small dark object with wings floated into view.
A fruit fly.
In my coffee water.
After 4 hours of sleep.
And I actually contemplated picking it out and going forward.
Instead, I dumped my coffee. The betrayal. After all we went through, it was over.
But you know what? Those SOS moms, they were fierce with love for me. They showed up early. With coffee. Three of them. And I drank all three cups!
I was full as they reminded me of my community, that even in silly post slumber party coffee pity, all I have to do is reach out, admit I need something because I was thinking only of scavenger hunts and hard forgotten about my deep need for coffee. I have a community of people who think I'm wonderful, despite my lack. Who appreciate the night off I just gave them. Who will show up early because they understand that this is a mama emergency. With each sip of my delivered coffee, I thanked God for those ladies.
Coffee and I made up, we are having a better week this week, and I see only good things in our future. I also smell them. All. The. Time.
Thanks friends!
