C is for Coffee and That's Good Enough for Me!

C: Coffee

Yeah, that's right. Coffee. It's my homeschool necessity and I'm not even apologizing.  Before you start getting all Jugdy Mcjudgy, follow me for just a moment and experience an ideal homeschool morning in my house...

(The air around you grows blurry and your whole world fuzzes for just a moment as you enter my mind.  Don't worry, I'll let you back out again in a minute.)

It's late morning (nothing starts early around here, not even ideal homeschool mornings) and I've just finished dressing and getting ready in the master bathroom.  I am ready to face the world.  Or at least the kids.  I stumble out into the living room and my youngest has already cleaned the living room.  He grins at me from the computer where he's well into his math lesson.  Humming under my breath, I make my way into the kitchen where my fifteen year old is just finishing the last swipe of the kitchen counter.  He grins at me as he hands me my favorite mug from the cupboard.  I turn on the Keurig, choose the extra bold K-cup, and slide my mug into place.  As it brews, I gather the kids into the living room, press play on the CD player and we begin listening to The Bible Experience.  My coffee finished, I grab my mug and curl up in my favorite chair while we listen to Samuel L. Jackson read Scripture.  By the time I'm on my second cup of coffee, the tone of the day has been set and we are well on our way to an enjoyable and profitable homeschool experience.  

(A sharp and ear piercing shriek interrupts the beautiful moment.  The scene changes.)

It's late morning and I stumble out of my room in my oh so attractive fuzzy pink bathrobe.  My red striped toe socks peek out from beneath the bright purple PJ pants. I want nothing more than to crawl back into bed and pretend I have no kids.  I stumble out into the living room and my youngest is nowhere to be found.  There are blankets on the floor, game pieces spread across the coffee table, and an empty jug of milk next to the computer.  Hollering for every child of mine to get out here RIGHT NOW, I make my way into the kitchen where it looks like an army of evil elves have thrown the party of the year.  Threatening the future activities of everyone in the house under eighteen, I collapse into my favorite chair and wait until I can at least see the Keurig again.  When the chaos has reached acceptable level, I scrub out a dirty mug and shove it under the coffee machine.  By the time I'm on my second cup of coffee, I have begun to feel slightly human and we are well on our way to some kind of homeschool experience.

(The air around you grows blurry once again and your whole world loses color and chaos as you leave the realms of my mind.  You're welcome.)

Both of these experiences have occurred in my home. I won't tell you which one occurs more often, I'm sure you can figure it out on your own.  Good day or bad, there's just something about curling my hands around a hot cup of coffee or sucking in that first slurp of iced coffee that makes me a better homeschool mom.  If drinking a glass of wine while cooking makes me feel like Julia Child, having a cup of coffee while homeschooling makes me feel like Diana Waring.

I know it's all in my head. I realize this makes me mental.  I'm okay with that. Really.

Coffee. It does a body good.