Time Flies.

Today was a day I found myself being very reminiscent of the past few years.  I can't believe another MOPS  year has come and gone. Some very good friends that I've made over the past 5 years have 'graduated' from the group today. 

Wow, it just seems  crazy to think that its been 5 years since that day in September when I first walked into the church and joined the group.   I was never so incredibly nervous in all my life.  I'm normally a very shy person especially walking into a place I don't know with people I don't know, back then I was worse then I am now.  Ironically (or not) being a part of MOPS and more so the steering team has helped me get over that. 

A friend was supposed to join me that day but ended up flaking out on me at the last minute, luckily I didn't realize she flaked out on me until after I was already in the door and signed up for the group.  If I had known that she wasn't going to show there is no way I would have braved that walk into the church on my own.  I would have missed out on knowing some of the most friendly, funny, crazy and awesome women I have ever known.
 I fully believe people are brought into your life when you need them most and believe me I needed them more than they will ever know. 

I am the kind of person who has friends and loves having them.   All through school I had the same best friend pretty much since 1st grade up until the day we graduated. Not saying there weren't others along the way or there weren't years where we were closer than others but we were pretty much a constant in each others lives for a lot of years.   After graduation we did stay in touch for awhile and hung out but then I got married when we were 22 and she didn't.  We were leading very different lives and I can remember the day, driving down the road with her and just knowing that the friendship was over as I had known it.  It wasn't anything specific that happended or was said it was just this feeling that I had, I can't explain it and I never said a word about it.  I just knew and I was right.

So after I had Logan I felt so alone.  Of course I had my family and Ryan but its just not the same.   My sister in law and I were (and are) very close but she lived in Philly at the time so that wasn't the same as having a friend to hang out with  or have lunch with who understood where you were in life, having a child.  Especially your first one.   

I have no idea why it took me so long to find out about MOPS but eventually I did.  My friend and I were originally looking into going to a group that was about 15-20 minutes away but I wasn't sold on that.  I'm wasn't nor am I now a morning person.  I knew I wasn't going to make it there by 9am ever.  So I found the website looked up a local group and low and behold I found a group right in my backyard, almost literally.  At a church that I had totally forgot exsisted but I had passed a bazillion times in my life.

As I was saying, today was our last meeting for the year and inevitably, especially over the next few years, more and more of the original friendships I made that first day in Septemember will be changing.  I will no longer see them twice a month during the school year (sometimes more).   Not only was it sad today when these friends were up there giving their speeches about what MOPS has ment to them but it made me realize I only have 3 more years left with the group.  That might seem like alot but these last 5 have gone by in a blink of the eye.  What's even more sad about that is the fact that my babies are growing up so quickly.  What that 3 years also means is that in that amount of time Cole will be entering the 1st grade.   WOW!!!

 It will be weird when that time comes. The day I 'graduate' from MOPS I will have been a part of the group for 8 years.  That is 8 'years' of walking through those church doors at least two times a  month, usually more because of set up days, steering team meetings and the occassionaly MOPS potluck MNO that we hold at the church.  Wow no wonder I feel so comfortable and at home at that church, I sure do spend alot of time there considering I don't even GO to church!

Another thing that has been awesome because of MOPS is seeing Cole make all of these friendships as well.  As I said Logan was 2 when we started so it was different.  Cole has been there since the day he was born. He was with me there even before he was born so he is incredibly comfortable there as well.  It is so cool to see him now have all of these little friends and even when we aren't with them he will bring them up.  Wanting to show this friend something or wanting to play with that one.   That is what I want for my children, friends that they can say truthfully they've known all their lives.  I can't tell you how great it is to go to opening day for baseball and know every other mother or child there because they are either currently a  MOPS mom or they have been at some point.

So, I know I've said it before, if you are like I was and are looking for that support or to make some new friends please look into joining a local MOPS group.  And if you find one and have the time to dedicate do it, look into joining the steering team. That is were the deep friendships are really made. Its alot of work sometimes but it really is worth it. 

Wow!  ok sorry for that rambling...tomorrow will be an exciting post. I promise!!