MOPS

I feel like I am back in the land of the living after taking a week or so off. And that was a week I will not be eager to repeat any time soon, although I am sure I will someday.

Of the 7 nights during that week, I was up for 4 of them either being sick myself or helping a sick child. And let me tell you - I would much rather be sick myself than watch one of my little trio be sick. They were all very brave for me though....

After being in La La Land for a week, I felt much better on Friday, and we went to MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schooler).

I was so glad that we went. I always am. Sometimes it is difficult to get us all out the door and to the church on time, but once we are there, it is simply an amazing experience!

MOPS is such a wonderfully uplifting 4 hours. We are all moms, mostly married, some single. Some are first time moms and some are old pros like me. There are moms in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s! It is Christian based but not "preachy", if you know what I mean.

MOPS is meant to meet every mother where she is spiritually.

MOPS is meant to get moms together to share their experiences with each other.

Women have a tendency to not always be willing to share life experiences with each other. I am not talking about the every day, trivial things. (We are good at that!) I am talking about the big ones like what it feels like to go through a miscarriage, how to deal with a marriage that is suffering because everyone in the family is exhausted, and things like that.

In MOPS, we are all able to help and encourage each other because more likely than not, one of us has been there, done that.

Sometimes moms don't feel like they do anything worth sharing because they are just moms.

Can you believe that?

Mothers of Pre-Schoolers are in the trenches of life, and those trenches are filled with poop and puke and tears as well as hugs and kisses and smiles!

We have to be "on" all of the time whether we are helping a sick child in the middle of the night or being up bright and early the very next day taking care of two well children ready and raring to go in addition to that sick child.

There are no sick days for moms.

We have to be able to explain the world to our kids in words that they will understand and then explain it again to someone who is two years older who has bigger, tougher questions. And then maybe we even have to explain it again to someone who is two years older than that who is asking questions about death and life and sadness and broken hearts.

There are daily pop quizzes....and sometimes we don't know the answers.

And we have to admit that to ourselves and our kids.

And that's OK because that's life.

But it is sure nice to know that there are other moms in the trenches too!