Starting With Tuesdays

This is a blog inspired by five ladies who meet on Tuesdays for coffee. We have different upbringing, similar upbringing, completely different struggles, similar struggles, boys, girls, twins and one of each. We live in a rural county where "Redneck" is an acceptable lifestyle rather than the punch line of a joke.

When we started, I thought it would be fun "Mommy Time", not realizing how therapeutic and necessary it was to my survival as a wife and mother. We live in a world where women compete for men, jobs, social status and fit figures. There is a cliche that women cannot coexist without drama . . . wells that may be true and probably is true, even with us. But the drama that we share is real life: joy, heartache, tears, laughter, sweat pants and coffee.

There is one overwhelming component of our friendship that weaves us tighter than any possible human bond. The Spirit of Christ dwelling in us that inspires us to be and become, reverent wives, good mommies, serving hands and loyal friends. If the last sentence does not interest you or even make sense to you, don't turn us off.

Though we have this undeserving grace, do not presume what you read will always be pretty, nice or even politically correct. We may lean left or right. We laugh about things we shouldn't. We complain although blessed and cry at the sight of another's heartache. We are passionate, emotional, vulnerable, complex, strong, devoted, sincere, judgmental, accepting, bitchy(well that would be I), humble, selfish, compassionate, funny, busy, loving, caring women . . . created as a work of art by the Artist of all artists-who probably more than once has wanted to remove some of the brush strokes we have added. We're flawed, forgiven friends.

I, Ellen(who does not have a spirit quite as gentle as her counterparts, but is working on it) will be the author of this blog with my coffee cohorts guesting as contributing writers, all of us amateur, as will be evident. Sometimes I will share what I walked away with from a Tuesday chat, funny "sound" bytes, opinions about husbands, relationships and of course kids: raising, protecting, nurturing, disciplining and laughing with them.

Our only expectation in our friendship? .........Be real.

Don't be offended by what we say on Tuesday we may completely change our perspective by Wednesday, we're women.

The next five days' posts will introduce you to me(Ellen), Veronica, Monica, Abigail and Susan- the girls who meet on Tuesdays and "Spill" over coffee!!