A group of women that understands me and doesn’t think I’m crazy. A Friday morning every other week free of children. Hours filled with intimate talks and educational speakers. Friendships that are real. Endless mommy dating. I’ll take it!

Another massive God send of friendship that came after the birth of the twins was in the form of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). For no good reason I decided to join MOPS. A friend  raved about it and I thought why not? At 4 months pregnant with twins I attended my first MOPS meeting. I didn’t know what to expect and was worried that I may not fit in. But the second I walked into that meeting room I was embraced. MOPS as a whole and the women involved, have done so much for me in the last three years of my mommy journey.

These amazing women gave me the support I needed to get on my feet after my baby twins were born. They not only provided me with encouragement and loving words but also home cooked meals for my family and I for the first two months after arriving home. I’ll never forget busing my crew of three to my first meeting with the twins. They were 4 weeks old and for that meeting and the meetings to follow I didn’t see my sweet twins at all, even though they were in the same room with me. They were whisked away by the loving arms of my fellow MOPS. I was able to eat hot meals and drink hot coffee while my babies were cared for which in turn gave me precious time to care for myself.

The stories shared by members and the educational talks given by guest speakers are truly inspiring and provide food for the mind and soul. I’ve learned so much about endless topics through MOPS meetings. Making me a better woman, mommy and wife.

The friends I met through MOPS were my own personal cleaning crew to mop up the spills of life. They encouraged my dreams, listened to my problems and sympathized with my issues of raising little ones. Moving cross-country back to the area where we grew up I wish I had given more evenings and weekends to the woman I met in MOPS back in Texas. I took my time with them for granted, I hadn’t known it would be cut so short. I miss those women and of course use Facebook to keep in touch but wish I could still talk with them in person. But for every season of life there is a new season of friends and here I am finding a local MOPS group just minutes from home. Though only three meetings in, they have already been welcoming and soul nourishing. I even went on a mommy date with a fellow MOPS months before the new MOPS year began. I was set up on a blind date by a Mentor Mom within MOPS and I have been blessed with a friend that has played a great part in me feeling like Illinois is home again.

Moppets also benefited my then 2/3 year old too. It was a loving environment that provided education and play for a little boy amongst other little ones his age. It gave him an outlet instead of being held up in a house with crying twin infants. I am confident Moppets will provide the same type of environment for my growing twins here in Illinois.

If you are the mommy of preschoolers I highly encourage you to seek out your local MOPS group,  or if you have the time and energy, to start one. It’s an amazing community of moms and offers infinite prospects for mommy dating to led to lifelong friendships and inner growth as a woman.