Friends...

Today was a beautiful day. Oh, it rained, for sure- it rained hard. The sun barely poked through the clouds for a few moments. But it was a beautiful day in my heart. Nothing incredible happened, but I was blessed to spend a few hours of my day with some beautiful women (inside and out) at our playgroup and then at lunch- and it blessed my heart.

I've always been one of those "I can do it alone" types. When I worked on team projects at school, I often felt as if the other students were getting in my way. It's not that they weren't helping, but that I didn't know how to receive help. God has used motherhood to straighten out some of those issues in my life, and I'm sure He will continue to work them out as I continue on my journey.

One way He has opened my eyes to my need for help is through Bible Studies and Playgroups geared toward moms of little ones. These groups have been such a blessing. Sometimes, as a stay-at-home mom, a person can feel overwhelmed and lonely when faced with the challenges that everyday life & child-rearing bring. It is so nice to hear someone vent about their child's egotistical rants, potty training issues and ear infections. (It's not nice to hear it because my kids never do those things- and it's definitely not what I want my friends to go through, but it's nice to hear it because I've been there and felt that! ) Of course, those complaints are always balanced by the cute stories of the same children exploring new places, experiencing new activities and crawling up into our laps to whisper "I love you" just before inciting a tickle fight. One of the great things about playgroups and mom-centered Bible studies is that we can all encourage each other, pray for each other and support each other in ways that only someone living in the same, diaper filled trenches can do.

Let me also add that there are amazing friends without kids who have some kind of strange way of understanding their "mom friends", even though they haven't experienced motherhood yet. They are incredibly important to me and help me to remember that life does not actually revolve around my children, haha! (Sometimes I need that glimpse into reality.) One such friend met me for lunch today. I was so encouraged to watch her interact with Courtney and Matthew while I ran back and forth from the table to the salad bar, the bathroom and the ice cream machine. Friends like that are hard to find, and so special.

*Smile*

I am so blessed to have friends who "get" what I'm going through- the good, the bad and the stinky- and love me anyway. So thank you, ladies, both near and far, who have taught me much about accepting help & advice through the most important and difficult challenge I face each day.