MOPS

Tonight I met with my MOPS group for our end of the year banquet. MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers, so with that being said, we are all moms. I was really looking forward to getting out of the house tonight, it was a rough day. Drew took the girls for a walk/ride on their scooters earlier and on their trip they ran into an elderly lady we know in the neighborhood. She had asked how we were doing and how Ella was, obviously she hadn't heard the news. Ivy came home really upset and crying about Ella. While they were gone I had watched a sad video about a mom who's son was born with many facial deformities and she told of her troubles and heartaches of an innocent life in a cruel world. I was emotional, as I shared her pain to a small degree.  My sister was over during the day and she said Ivy had told her that she wanted "Ella to come back RIGHT NOW!!"  Ivy was upset and I was upset and Drew and I talked about how much some things just suck!

As one mom signed the words to a couple of songs for the group tonight, I looked around the room and realized that we all have our own stories. I would have never known her future as a sign language interpreter was cut short due to a malpractice, I thought she did a beautiful job. And I thought of the friend who was having problems in her marriage, and the gal who was desperate for a night out of the house because her husband was out of town, and the few happy to make it to an evening event because they work all day, and the ones who came after meetings or left early for other reasons, and those who were just walking in the door because of bed time routines at home. I thought of the moms in the room who put forth all the time and effort to make tonight and every MOPS event possible, every day moms like myself, who all have their own stories, their own day to day struggles, and their own reason for coming together on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Until this past year I didn't realize just how special of  a group these ladies really were. During the saddest time in my life I found I had around me a tremendous support group of moms who over the years have laughed with me, joked with me, shared play dates, dinner outings, and until recently cried with me. In the birth and death of my daughter I was showered with love, and food, and cards, and emails, and food, and phone calls, and gift certificates, and more food. Food, yes lots of yummy and delicious food! I discovered a couple of moms who had experienced pain that no mom should ever experience. I saw the heart of this group who know the love that a mother has for their child. Above all I found that in my time of sorrow there is no place I would rather be when I decide to put a smile on my face and head out the door after a rough night. A perfect ending to a long day with these ladies consists of  hours of laughing and eating and sharing stories and recipes, and tips on children and husbands and life and all the while getting to know each other a little more, a little deeper, a little bit at a time.

You ladies will never know just how much you mean to me, truly, and I am eternally grateful for your presence in my life.  I have you all to look forward to every first and third Wednesday of every month. Thanks for everything, I am truly blessed!