Adventures in Parenting

Being at home with little ones can be a lot of fun…and a big drain on you. Nobody can work a 24/7 schedule without a break as a mother does and remain sane.

I’ve been there. Some days, I had to say, “Get me outta here!”

And that’s exactly what you should do. Before you get so burnt out that you end up giving your children up for adoption or screaming at everyone under 3 feet tall, the way to prevent that is to join a mother’s group.

A few moms in our area started a Mom’s Fellowship. Through word of mouth, we became a group of about 10 moms that got together about twice a month, all toting our little ones and gigantic diaper bags with us to the gatherings. The meetings were simple. We had a potluck lunch, someone shares about a topic of interest, we pray, we chat, we nursed our babies, we laugh. And then we go back to our own homes energized.

Today, all the moms in our Mom’s Fellowship group have long since dumped the diaper bag. But we still get together about monthly, to chat about our changing lives, our challenges with teenagers, and the joys reality of middle-age. This group of moms has been my support, my friends in times of need, and my colleagues in parenting. Sure, we rant about our kids and husbands, but in the end, we are all a part of Mom’s Fellowship because we know that there is no better place to be than be a wife and mother.

There is strength in numbers. When you feel alone, stuck at home with infants and toddlers, you’re tired and frustrated, get another mom on the phone or meet at the park. MOPS, Mothers Of PreSchoolers, is a great group to join. Or you can simply gather a few friends to meet regularly for eating and sharing.

For those extra special times, some women like to get-together for an evening out without the kids or husbands. Some of my friends spend an occasional weekend together at a resort to refresh themselves. I used to feel guilty getting away. But now I realize that without those times for myself, I am like the proverbial dull ax that is ineffective at my job.

There is an email forward going around about the importance of Sisters. As I grow older, I can relate to it more and more. Thanks, girlfriends, for being there.
The Importance of Sisters

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day,
drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother.

As they talked about life, about marriage,
about the responsibilities of life and the
obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked
the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and
turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

“Don’t forget your Sisters,” she advised, swirling
the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass.

“They’ll be more important as you get older. No
matter how much you love your husband, no matter
how much you love the children you may have, you
are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go
places with them now and then; do things with them.

“Remember that ‘Sisters’ means ALL the women…
your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your
other women relatives too.

“You’ll need other women. Women always do.”

What a funny piece of advice the young woman
thought.

‘Haven’t I just gotten married? Haven’t
I just joined the couple-world? I’m now a
married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup!
Surely my husband and the family we may start
will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!’

But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact
with her Sisters and made more women friends
each year. As the years tumbled by, one after
another, she gradually came to understand that
her Mom really knew what she was talking about.

As time and nature work their changes and their
mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays
of her life.

After more than 50 years of living in this world,
here is what I’ve learned:

THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT………

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how
many miles are between you.

A girl friend is never farther away than needing
her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley’s rim, cheering you on, praying
for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf,
and waiting with open arms at the valley’s end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you…Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law,
sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers,
aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family,
all bless our life!

The world wouldn’t be the same without women, and
neither would I.

When we began this adventure called womanhood, we
had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that
lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need
each other.

Every day, we need each other still.