A man and his mug

The Spouse is a coffee lover. In fact, I would say that his need for coffee in the mornings immediately follows his need for oxygen. It’s an essential part of his day, almost a sacramental part of his mornings. So, in our nearly eight years of marriage, I have learned to respect his coffee rituals. While I share his love for a morning jolt of java, I know not to attempt to prepare the coffee pot at night because it must be done a particular way, and I shall not disrupt that rhythm. I know which brands are acceptable, which flavors are favored, and which mugs are best suited for enhancing the taste of the first early morning cup.

All of this is why I have been shocked to discover him consistently using this mug for the past few months:

Normally he would favor this one:

But, the Tully’s mug wasn’t hand-painted by the Preschooler in shades of mint green and coral with the inscription, “I {heart} Dad.”

That, my friends, is tangible evidence of a heart that has been forever changed by fatherhood.

You don’t mess with a man’s mug… unless that man is your Daddy.