There comes a time when you are asked to do something for someone and your instant reaction is an immediate YES. Other times, an immediate NO WAY will suffice. When Tim asked me to be a guest blogger for Cabin Fever, it fell to the immediate YES side. My love for coffee and especially Cabin Fever runs very deep. I asked him what he’d like me to write about as “Decision Maker” isn’t a title I carry well and his first (and only response) was, “Coffee and orphans?!” **WAIT, WHAT?!
Honestly, those two go together MUCH more than people might first think! It only took me a moment to know exactly what to share.
See, Cabin Fever to me is so much more than a small town coffee shop where you frequent for your extra pick-me-up in the morning (or afternoon, possibly evening depending on your stress and addiction level). Cabin Fever to me is a place that has seen my joys, my sorrows, pain, and excitement. It’s been a place that has held so many conversations between friends, family, acquaintances both new and old. I’m sure the walls, if they could speak, could share so very much for all of us.
Adam and I have had date nights here. We have nearly always stopped in for a coffee before taking off for a trip of any kind and it’s certainly the place we long to visit while away. Our kids have favorite drinks as do we. We love to watch the falling snow from the front windows in a warm quiet chair. I’m getting lost as I type just thinking about it! Oh right…How on earth do “coffee and orphans” go together exactly?
You see, my husband Adam and I have eight kiddos. Many of you might already know that, some may not. You can read more about our story here. Some of our kids have been adopted, at this point I forget which ones. The adoption road (no matter which path a family chooses) is a path of many many things. Unexpected, joy-filled, draining, HARD, deeply fulfilling, overwhelming, amazing, confusing just to name a few of the roller coaster emotions in even one days time. I. NEED. COFFEE. Joking, not joking. Many times I think I’m a better parent because I drink coffee. Ha! Sometimes it is a warm cup of peppermint mocha that helps me get a grip on life. Can I get a witness?
For me, the Cabin has become a safe place. Through days and years of all of those roller coaster emotions, I’ve been able to find solitude and quiet times snuggled in a cozy chair in a quiet corner with a book. I find comfort in meeting with a friend to encourage me and tell me I might not be as crazy as I think. Or maybe crazier than I had first thought. Spending time at Cabin has been a saving grace to take a breather from the stresses of life. Even back when Miss Lisa owned it, Cabin held me up while I worked on homework to graduate college while having two little kids at home. I’ve meet with other adoptive moms and spent hours tucked into a booth sharing our hearts with one another while the line at the door filled and emptied through the day. We’ve had meetings, startups, failures, break-ups, hard conversations, parties, raffles and so many countless things both personally and as Cabin Fever and Children’s Lantern’s partnership has richly deepened.
Not only does our little town coffee shop daily sooth the souls of many walking through its doors with their fresh, warm coffee and sweet pastries, there is an absolute peacefulness to the atmosphere. I have had countless conversations with the many baristas, who sometimes turn “bartender” for me when they ask me about my day. They’ve seen me yawing, late, crying, happy, and wrangling children. When they take care of me, they are taking care of my family too. But yet, there’s more. From owners to baristas, they have also taken caring for orphans to an entire new level.
Did you know they have given up an entire Saturday of earnings to Children’s Lantern? All of the drink proceeds are donated. ALL. OF. THEM. That means, you can come in for a cup of coffee and support helpless kids in our area! If you haven't heard of Children’s Lantern yet, please check it out here. On one particular Saturday of each year, Cabin Fever staff show up for work and they do not get paid to be there. They all come in to serve. *bless* Did you know that even the baristas refuse to keep the tips from that entire day? They turn those over to us. Every penny. All of it. It’s given to help support, encourage, house, clothe, feed, blanket, educate, and love-on the people, families, and children in our 6 county area. Those funds may even have the chance to help someone in our tri-state area or even the world depending on Children’s Lantern’s greatest need at the time.
When Cabin loves on me with its great service and my favorite peppermint mocha, they serve my family, they may even care for the orphans we work with at Children’s Lantern. When the baristas have no problem asking a customer to buy one of the Annual Raffle Tickets, they serve children. They host Children’s Lantern Day at Cabin Fever annually and so much more. Many times, the baristas, management and owners serve much much more than coffee.
The love for orphans, coffee and especially Cabin Fever runs deep.
Cabin, Coffee & Children's Lantern
