We are the Starry-eyed: Wonder. Hope. Kindness. The MOPS theme for 2016-17 evokes images of a
twinkling, starry night sky. It reminds me of the surprise of a shooting star
and the warm glow of the setting sun as the first stars come out. As I reflected on the theme this summer, I
thought of what connects us as mothers of preschoolers. When was your first moment of mom
wonder? It might have been the first
moment you saw a little blue line on a pregnancy test or maybe at the first
flutter of movement you felt, realizing it was a life inside you. For some, it is the moment when your baby is
first placed in our arms. Maybe your
pregnancy was filled with anxiety due to previous loss. Maybe you didn’t hear angels
sing as that baby was placed in your arms but it was the slow growing burn like
that setting sun. Somehow, this journey
is wonderful despite the heartaches and because of the joys that unite us. Wonder is the root of wonderful and to be
filled with wonder on this journey, we have to pause long enough to notice the
little things. This year, my hope is
that MOPS at CBC helps you pause and absorb the wonderful. We will feed you, watch your children in a
safe environment and invite speakers that teach and encourage us in our walk as
mothers. My hope is that you will take
the practice of pausing home with you and utilize it when life gets wild. It may take lighting a candle, playing some
encouraging music, going for a drive or even locking yourself in the bathroom
for a minute to take a deep breath.
Those stolen moments of quiet time are needed to help the wonder win in
the battle for balance in the preschool years.
Maybe you don’t feel very full of wonder most days. Maybe you would not title your life “It’s a
Wonderful Life”. Maybe you have days
like me that fit better into “My No-Good, Very Bad Day” story. A month ago, I had a day that started out
with my two toddlers crying outside the shower and ended with my being late to
the MOPS steering team meeting. In the
middle was a handoff to my husband at the soccer field in which I explained
there was spilled food on the baby in the carseat, one child didn’t have shoes
on, another child was late to a practice and I didn’t even know which field it
was at, and the other was at his game but didn’t have a water bottle with him.
The truth is, I wasn’t going to share the chaos of that day,
until a friend reminded me that MOPS is a place where we are real. We may not have the same birth story, family
structure and child feeding adventures. We may have different opinions on
babywearing, child discipline and schooling.
But in the end, we all have little children and can unify around the
things that all moms of preschoolers understand….like messes and lost items and
poop. From the first moment you attempt
to decipher the colors and consistencies of newborn poop while comparing to a
chart, we “get” you (more than understanding how a poop can be fluorescent
yellow and look like rice when all the baby has eaten is milk). We know that when your toddler wants to show
you he pooped on his own, he will lead you to the kitchen floor instead of the
bathroom and that there has likely been poop in many places you never dreamed
it could go (the walls, your hair, baby’s socks). We
know the hope your new kindergartner will refrain from demonstrating to
the teacher he can turn any answer or conversation into one with the words
“poop” and “underwear” will not save you from discussing just that at parent-teacher
night.
Basically, at MOPS we believe we are better when
we mom together. This is your
tribe. You belong here and I pray it
gives you hope to know you are not alone on this journey. There is a mentor mom
at your table that can assure you these years can be survived. Make the effort to connect with your group
and you will be blessed with shared wonder, hope and extended kindness.