I started drinking coffee in college, and the habit built over the years. I remember running out of coffee one day in medical school, and thinking, no big deal– I’ll just go to class without it. And… that day was memorable because I could NOT focus on anything. I might as well have just slept in, because I got nothing out of that un-caffeinated morning. Coffee was a delicious, and necessary, part of my day.

I also remember in residency, as I was working late hours on a presentation and repeatedly going to get refills while working at my local coffee shop, the barista telling me that I “should really drink more water,” as she handed over my triple shot extra large latte. Maybe she was wise beyond her years, but at the moment I thought that water was used to make espresso, so I was probably getting plenty. Now, I’m happy to report that my hydration status has definitely improved over the years.

When we moved to Portland, we dove in to a vibrant coffee culture. So many local coffee shops, with delicious new options- and all of them were so pretty! The baristas here were making foam art on the top of every drink, making it almost sad to ruin it.

My husband and I even went to a home barista class! That was really fun– we have an espresso maker at home, and for a while made our own lattes, mochas and flat whites.

Then, life got busy– between work, kids, and all the other stuff that creeps in to take precious espresso-making time, we stopped making our home lattes as frequently. That, and the grinder was so loud it would wake the kids up. Everyone knows that is not ok.

Luckily, this is not a story of how we then gave all our money to Starbucks or another expensive coffee shop. It is, for better or for worse, a more humbling story.

We have all the stuff, as you can see. But on most days now, [head hangs low] we drink instant coffee. And…. [head lower] I put fiber in mine… because #IHaveEnoughToDealWithAlreadyThankYouVeryMuch. [Head up and high fives all around]

Sometimes when I’m feeling fancy I’ll still grind up fresh coffee beans for the French Press, but I haven’t made an espresso in a while.

Now that I’m home more, maybe I’ll refresh my skills.