Coffee and I have had an on and off again relationship. Back when I was a nerdy high school student, I would drink coffee because it helped my teeth feel better with my braces. But as soon as those came off, I stopped drinking it.

Even in college I never drank coffee. I can’t exactly tell you why either, probably because I was one who never really burned the midnight oil on my homework. Which is possibly the other reason I didn’t get straight A’s despite the nagging from my mom.

It wasn’t until I met my wife that coffee and I started our relationship back up again. When my wife and I started dating, we were on a first name basis at our local coffee shop baristas. I worked nights while my then girlfriend taught elementary school during the day. Meeting at the coffee shop was sometimes the only way that the two of us would get any way of spending time together.

At the time, coffee was not something that I would choose to drink on a daily basis. I would only drink it when my wife and I were on our “dates” or when I needed a hot cup of something to drink. But the more time I would spend with my wife, the more coffee I would drink. Suddenly, I was that guy who couldn’t start his day without a cup. It fueled the rest of my day whether I was headed to work or to work out in the yard.
Suddenly, when I became a parent, coffee became less of a want and more of a need. I started to enjoy coffee. I began to enjoy the few minutes that I would get standing in our kitchen, pouring me a cup, and sipping those first few sips of coffee, before putting the cup down and coming back with the coffee was cold. It was the one thing that I started to enjoy and no matter how bad the night might have gone with our infant.

Coffee became my escape. It was the one constant in my life that gave me the confidence to take on whatever the challenges were coming my way during the day. Coffee fueled my life, whether it was changing diapers, running around at the park, taking phone calls, or running errands.

Coffee was so much my fuel that a few of my former colleagues joked with me that I should start my own coffeehouse. Part of the reason was that I was the only person that could make the coffee at work that people wanted to drink. The thought has crossed my mind a few times as I stay at home with our youngest as I look for a new career move in my life. But sitting here, sipping my coffee, during naptime, I wonder why I would want to spend $5 on a coffee (no room or cream or sugar, I like my coffee black). Being laid-off and looking for a job, we are on a budget, heading to the local coffeehouse is an expense we can cut out.

When I found Folgers® Coffeehouse Blend, I couldn’t help be ecstatic. This stay-at-home-dad could have coffeehouse-style coffee, every day, without the added expense, and without the trouble of going to the coffeehouse (because let’s be honest, loading up the toddler, driving the 5 minutes, waiting in line with said toddler, getting your coffee, loading up toddler who spills said coffee order all over you is A LOT of work).

But despite all of the work that I put in as a parent, I can thank coffee for the many great relationships that I have in my life, my wife, my kids, and hopefully my next dream job.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of J. M. Smucker Company. I received compensation for this post; however, all opinions stated are my own.