My sweet, organized, neat friend came to visit with her littles the other day. And I let her.

Technically we were supposed to meet & grab lunch but my crew was not going to last out in public any longer. So I suggested coming over to my 3 ring circus. I mean my house.

(Turns out those are MY monkeys & that is MY circus after all)

Our kids had the best time playing. We had the best time catching up & watching them.

I even let them come inside after we had been to the chicken coop. Hand washing is very important.

We had an impromptu lunch of whatever we could scrounge up. Which actually turned out so yummy! I was starving. I actually sat & ate. We held hands & prayed before lunch (she’s such a good influence)

While the kids squeezed in a few more minutes of barbies & cartoons, she and I drank too many bottled cokes and ate too much pizza.

She noticed that I got a table cloth. I was motivated after talking with her one day to try to find a table cloth for my dining room table.

And she remembered.

Did I mention she is neat? And coordinated. And put together.

I struggle.

I don’t iron. I don’t coordinate perfect place settings & my home does not look like anything close to something you might see in Southern Living.

We all know I rock the farmhouse/double wide/trailer/RV/country cottage thing. And I love it.

I love my chickens & ducks & cows & puppies & kittens. And my cherry tomato plant growing in a sand bucket on the front porch. I’m excited about the watermelon vine we just transplanted.

But I sometimes yearn for neat & tidy & pretty & peaceful. So I go to my moms on Sunday’s after church & get my fill.

My sweet friend made my day better. I loved seeing her & her kids. I love that we now I have pictures of our kids riding together in a Frozen Jeep. And that they learned quickly how to take turns.

I’m thankful for relaxing in her presence & knowing that I can let her see & experience the mess.

She claims it’s messy at her house. Maybe so. But either way I didn’t pretend everything was perfect & it was perfectly ok.

I will treasure this snapshot of a glass bottled coke on my sweet table cloth. Just like I treasure our messy, imperfect & lovely afternoon together.