Oh sweet coffee! How I love you so!

It has been a rather chaotic schedule this week, competely out of routine. Those with schedule/routine dependent children understand how challenging the change in routine alone can be. Then add the changes. Whew! I don't remember ever being this tired when my second son was an infant, never slept, and I was still working full time! I'm just quite simply...E X H A U S T E D. Hopefully my change in coffee will help decrease the erosion of my stomach lining, since the coffee is being ingested in very large quantities. I'm talking drinking enough coffee in 2.5 Days that is normally a 14 Day schedule. Since I demand flavored creamer, this is creating a serious problem on my belly and hips, and my stock supply. I'm now out and I haven't even finished my one 16oz Cup of coffee. It doesn't have the required amount of creamer. I'm tasting a lot more coffee than I do sweetness. I don't add sugar to my coffee. It is only sweetened by my creamer. Then, I like my coffee light. Strong, sweet and light. Right now, *tears*, it's just strong. Oh, but I am still drinking it. With every sip I say a little prayer for my flavored creamers than we will meet again.

A major splurge that I do every other month or so is by going to Starbucks and I order...drum roll please...*giggles* yes, I have had many barristas question my sanity..."Yes, may I please have a quad venti Caramel Frappucino®. Yes, that is with 4 additional shots of espresso. Yes, blended please." I have yet been told of a more expensive coffee splurge. That special drink that I love so much (see, it's strong, sweet and light - not light on calories) costs me just under $9.00 with tax. At least this quarter. With our economy and inflation, the cost could go up next quarter. I don't care either. I will still buy my beautiful, wonderfully delicious beverage that is almost as good as reading a book by firelight on a cold winter's night. Know what would make that scene absolutely perfect? Drinking that coffee while reading a book by firelight on a cold winter's night.

It is rather interesting how I've come to this point in my life. As granny said to me once, "It's good to see dear that you are growing up. Would you like a cup of coffee with me?" You see, granny was a coffee drinker. She could drink it all day long, from dawn to dusk. Granny is my husband's grandmother. Everything about me simply amazed her and the fact that I was not a coffee drinker...well, that was a shock she just couldn't overcome. Then I had our second child. I was working full time and little man just would not sleep. My job was stressful and I had combined duties. Essentially 4 Positions - yes, I had 4 Job titles for one job. Looking back now, many years later, it was like I was working four jobs! That alone is exhausting and then add zero sleep to function. One morning, at the age of 30, enroute to take my son to daycare I chose to detour to the Starbucks around the corner. That morning was the start of my addiction. I started off slow, OK not slow but I wasn't drinking so many shots at first. As my stress grew, my coffee requests grew. I ordered more shots. I bought more coffee each day (one for breakfast, one at lunch, and there were days that I did a brunch run and an after lunch run). It has taken me a lot of time to work myself down from quite so much caffeine. My stomach lining was already ruined by my pregnancy and my coffee addiction did not help the situation. Guess what, I still refuse to stop drinking my coffee. I did agree to cut down and I have. I now use a much cheaper brand of coffee grounds and typically only drink one 16oz Coffee a day. That is quite an accomplishment considering where I was five years ago. I can also drink it hot instead of always "frozen". Oh sweet coffee! How I love you so!