MOPS

A few years back a gal from South Africa moved with her family to the States. She moved hemispheres almost the exact same time in her life as my family did. Little did she know that God used her to bless (and keep) me. You see, while I'm sure there were bigger and grander things to be accomplished through uprooting a young family from their home in Africa and moving them thousands of miles away for a few short years than just my MOPS group, the reality is, I believe the whole move was just for me (I do serve the God of the universe who calls me His princess, so I'm allowed to be a bit egocentric at times!). Twice a month, I travel 45 minutes up the highway to a church inside of an office building with a guard at the gate who wouldn't let you in (or out for that matter) if you were the Queen if all your paperwork wasn't in order. I go for the soul purpose of chatting, praying and eating with other moms who, like myself, sometimes feel like the living room walls are literally closing in on you... but it's really just the laundry piling up that adds that effect.

I love these women... and the funny thing is, I can't tell you all their names and I am positive I couldn't spell all the ones I do remember nor do I have the first idea what their husbands/kids/dogs names are... but they are special. They are the unique blend of friends born out of desire and friends born out of necessity... they are those rare people who meet you at just the right time, in just the right place that when you're with them, you can hear the soft humming of the Hallelujah Chorus by the angels in heaven. If you've never had the opportunity to meet people like them, let me know so that I can pray that you will some day, because even if you have to wait half a century for people like them, they're worth the wait... and worth every second of prayer for them in the mean time!

A few weeks ago we gathered for the sole purpose of talking and laughing (and some crying was thrown in there, but that was not my idea... spontaneous overflow of emotions I guess) and painting of mugs. We were supposed to decorate the mug, which would be just for us. Novel concept to have something that was specific and designated for just me... shoes... nope, Em loves those... the restroom... nope, there's always people hanging out in that room of the house because of all the cool toilet bowl brushes and paper and soap and that thing that you can drop stuff into and it makes a grand splash! Anyways, we made mugs. They were supposed to remind us of things we love about being a mom. I could only think of a handful of times when I was just knocked onto my knees in sheer joy (plenty of times in prayer, but not necessarily in joy, gotta be honest) at being Emme's and Cooper's mom.

Em was in the hospital a total of 7 days before we were allowed to bring her home. It was trying for so many reasons, but I loved and still miss the bracelets they gave us that would sing this beautiful little song when they brought her to me. I know it was supposed to be some security measure and if the jewelry didn't sing, I had the wrong kid, but I always got the right one, and she always sang to me. It became habit for me sing back to her that she was all mine. And Cooper, well, Cooper got all the trauma out before he was born, and when we did finally get to hold him, I loved just talking to him about the beautiful garden patio just outside our room and how I was going to take him to the zoo just down the street. Then, he and I had a long, and still unanswered, conversation about whether or not there are zebras in the zoos in Africa. Thus, my mug bears the word "MINE" and the handle has zebra stripes... I'm not sure I would have remembered those moments in a few more months without someone telling me to.

I get to see my girls again tomorrow. We're having an Easter Brunch. I'm supposed to wear a hat, but as all things me, I don't have one and can't find one to borrow. So, you get a picture of half a mug taken in really bad lighting instead... but that's okay because by the time you read this, I'll be sharing crumpets with my girls, laughing about the crazy security guard!