Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for my MOPS group. What's MOPS? Mother's of Pre~Schoolers. It's a national organization that has groups all over the US. I just love mine and so I encourage you to check out your community to see if there is one in your area.

I started attending MOPS about six years ago. I started going because my best friend Stephanie encouraged me to visit with her. I must say that when I first started attending the group, I was a new mom and so unsure of myself. I went and really enjoyed myself and so I continued to go. Then Stephanie moved to FL and I was alone, but I continued to go even though I felt so awkward because I didn't really know anyone and a lot of the ladies had all been in the same circles or "clicks" you could say so I often times felt out of place. It went on like that for a few years but I kept on going and I slowly but surely got to know a few people. I'm so shy and hate speaking in front of people so to continue going when I didn't really know anyone was a big deal. A very big deal for me. I just sat there and took it all in. Not really putting myself out there. I enjoyed going but at that point decided to stop going. I felt, even after going for a few years, like I still wasn't part of the group.

Just as I had decided to stop going, our leader stepped down and the group dynamic as a whole changed. God worked in the heart of an awesome and funny girl (I say girl because we are about the same age and I don't feel old ,so.....) and impressed it upon her heart that she needed to step up into that leadership role. AND I am soo glad she did. When I realized that we were getting a new leader I decided to give it one more year just to see if things would change. To see if the ideas of the MOPS group would change. To see what our leader could bring to the table. New and fresh ideas. Well, the whole group changed. The attitude of the group changed. And when I say that, I mean the people. When our first leader left, all of the original people left too and we had new people starting to attend. It was nice because I felt like I was starting over and getting the chance to be apart of something new. I knew how those new ladies were feeling....awkward and out of place, but God definitely put the right person in that leadership role.

Let me just tell you, the last few years have just been awesome! I have really gotten to know some of these great and funny ladies and every time I go I leave blessed, inspired, encouraged and ready to go back the next time.

As a mom, we all face struggles. Let's face it, no one is perfect and no one has perfect kids. Life gets too busy sometimes and it's just nice to sit down for a few hours and hear what other moms are facing and dealing with and going through. We laugh, we cry, we give our different perspectives, we pray for one another, we encourage one another and it's such an awesome reminder that all moms face the same situations and that we are not alone in this "Life on Planet Mom".

I love my kids and I love who they are. I love how they are growing and I love that being a mom is the hardest gift ever. I say gift because being able to be a mom is a gift. It is a blessing and I'm so thankful that God has allowed ME to be the mom of my kids.