When I burst into the coffee shop with four energetic, red-cheeked boys last Sunday, I must have looked rather wind-blown and bedraggled…for the matronly woman behind the counter asked, “Do yo need a good cup of a coffee?”. This question was a bit different from the standard, “Are you ready to place an order?”.

“Yes, please”, I replied, “Black decaf. And four doughnuts with sprinkles along with four glasses of water”. She looked at me with a bit of chagrin: “Decaf? Don’t you need some caffeine to keep up with that bunch?” I grabbed my sunglasses away from one son, yanked the coat collar on another son who was busy blowing steamy breath on the sparkling clean pastry glass case in order to leave a flourishing signature…and answered, “They are my caffeine.”

We had just been for a long walk on the town levy, freezing cold though it was. Seth was in Cincinnati and Eden was off on an outing with friends…and I, smarter than I used to be…knew that home alone with the boys meant one thing: motion. Keep them busy, wear them out, and put them to bed early. Thus, our day was spent walking beside the river, breathing great gulps of chilly air…me, sometimes scolding, sometimes, laughing…the boys, as always, dreaming up competitions…sticks for bats, trash for Frisbees, discarded water bottles for soccer balls…all of us drunk on winter sunshine and crazy wind.

Once upon a time, Seth and I would stumble into the door after church services on Sunday, throw some reheated leftovers on the table for our handful of hungry kids…then watch them with scrutinizing anticipation…waiting for that last swallow…which meant, NAP TIME AT LAST! All seven us would be down for the count all afternoon…trying to catch up from exhausting days and fretful nights. Somehow those days have come and gone…and now, Seth and I can only look longing at our comfy couch…while we summon our energy sources to meet the youthful enthusiasm that surrounds us. What once was the “ Family Sleep and Snuggle Afternoon” has morphed into the “Must Have Plan For Kids To Burn Energy And How Did This Become A Fitness Plan For Adults?” type of afternoon. And, mostly, we love it.

And I do love my boys, though they have stolen my Sunday afternoon nap time  And they are my caffeine…they wake me up, make me crazy, give me the jitters, keep me alert when I’m weary, and fill me to the brim with warmth (does temper count?).

This message prompted some interesting conversation….