Well, Now It's a Tradition

I'm convinced the best traditions in life start without you even being aware it's happening.  They creep up slowly.  Starting off with a thought of let's do that again and ending with an unwritten of course we'll do that again.  The best traditions are those in which pretty soon they leave you thinking, "Hmmmm, this right here?  This is it."

Sometime last fall, on a Saturday morning, I texted my friend Brittany with a, "You want coffee?  I'll bring."  She responded with a, "Yes."

Then what happened was...pretty soon nearly every Saturday morning, while her husband Steve toils away at the thing called work, Brittany and I toil away at the thing called coffee.

Usually the dress code is jammies or if I've been good, I'm wearing my sweaty running clothes.  And our hairs are all a wreck and we have mascara goop in our eyes and we simply do not care.  Because what we do is this.  We sit in the living room.  We talk.  We laugh.  We drink coffee.  We watch her two girls play.  And sometimes what happens is, it turns into lunchtime.  Because there is nothing wrong with coffee lasting past morning. 

Did you ever do that thing when you were kid where you picture what your life will be like when you're grown up?  I sure did and I must say Saturday morning coffee with Brittany and her girls is one of the times when I think to myself, this is the vision of what I'd hoped grown up would look like.  

Friends who are real.  So real that life throwing curve balls can't hold a candle to the pact.  Friends so real they stick with you through the times when you make bad decisions.  Friends who forgive.  Friends who laugh with you and at you because we all need to be kept in-check from time to time.  Friends who you don't have to shower before you go see.  Amen.    

All the while, kids playing under foot.  Banging pots and pans.  Wearing a tutu over jammies.    

Cartoons rolling in the background, keeping the scene going.  But not going so much there still isn't time to stop and do some modeling. 

Saturday morning coffee with Brittany and her girls has officially become a tradition.  So much so that one Saturday when I couldn't make it, Brittany looked at Stella and said, "It's time for lunch.  What do you want?"

And Stella answered, "It can't be lunch time.  Amy hasn't been here yet."  

I can only hope that Brittany and I not only watch Stella and Harper play and strike model poses but that we are also being a model for them.  A model that friendship is important and daily grind duties can wait.  They can wait until after Saturday morning coffee time.   

Most of all, I hope we are an example that real friendship means your hair can be all a mess, you can be wearing your sweats, and you can say anything.  Because we all need that in our lives.  

We also all need to start wearing a tutu over our jammies.  It really spices the look up.  Who's with me?