The MOPS Update

So, last year I took a "year off" from coordinating classic mops. One of the things I've learned since then is that when I follow God's leading, it doesn't mean that later he won't lead me right back to where I was! When I first realized I was going to be back into the coordinator role at College Heights this coming year, I was a little embarrassed to share the news. I felt like I kinda made a big deal about leaving in the first place. Because I figured it was forever! And I was sad about it, but excited to go with God wherever he took me. Silly me to think I know what God's got in mind!

It was a good year for me to not be coordinating. Refreshing. Plus, I would have had a mental breakdown, I think, trying to coordinate and build our house, while living with my inlaws. :) I am thankful God had someone there to keep it going during my hiatus. And this time, I am not trying to predict the future! One year at a time. I will continue to rely upon God to enable me to do all he has set out for me.

I wasn't latent, mind you. I was still coordinating Teen MOPS. Teen MOPS has been such a blessing! Rewarding, stretching, growing. There is such a need. Oftentimes, young moms don't see their need, or are too stubborn to address it. No matter what our age, we ALL need to be connected when parenting young children! I pray there is someone in our community with passion, drive, and initiative, willing to lead Teen MOPS. I don't want to see it die. But I can't do it all.

I've also served a full year as a Field Leader for Mops International! From the first general session at my very first Convention in Dallas, before our MOPS group had even started and I had ever been to one MOPS meeting, I knew when I saw the girls walking around in the brightly colored polos that I would someday be one of them. I just didn't think it would be so soon! I absolutely love being a field leader. Although, because we were in the situation we were, building our house, I have not yet lived up to my potential in that role. I feel like I was just getting started this spring, once we were all settled. We did have our first ever community event in Anchorage and Leadership Summit there as well and I am just thrilled to start connecting these leaders and groups together in our vast state, as well as offer support and encouragement to them in their leadership roles.

So, there you have it! We are gearing up for a new MOPS year at College Heights and I find myself at the helm again! With God as my compass, of course. I am so excited! I am excited to be working with new leaders, excited to meet new moms and see who God will send to our group. I am excited to be stretched and grown more and more. I am excited to serve. I know I am at my best when I am serving others, when God is loving moms through me.

The Non-Update Update

Wow! I can't believe it's been so long since I posted! I sort of have this love-hate relationship with Facebook because you can easily and quickly post lots of pictures on there and I know more people are looking at them. But then it makes me less inclined to post on here. I really love how my blog allows me to express myself more fully...it's an outlet I need.

We made it through spring and breakup! The BIG event for our family was going to California and Arizona just after school let out. I would like to share more with you about that trip with pictures included, but just after we got home and I put all my pics and TONS of video on my computer, the hard drive crashed! I should also add that I had erased them from the card, because that's what I do.

Thankfully, we do have an amazingly technologically inclined friend who has found a way to get them off the old hard drive! I am so thankful! But I just haven't gotten them back yet, so you'll have to wait to hear all about our wonderful trip.

The trip was wonderful, but coming home wasn't. After a week in Arizona, waking up to clear, blue skies and sunshine and 95 degrees everyday, we returned to clouds and rain for a week straight. It was a very hard adjustment for me. If it had been more gradual, I think that would have been easier, but I suffered a week of mini-depression, that I will tell you. I remember the day I woke up and opened the curtains to the gray and instead of having the immediate physical and emotional reaction of depression, as I had been, I thought, "this is okay. I can live with this."

So now summer's on! The weather still hasn't been great. I am praying for some nice days. I want to do some camping and hiking. We got our lawn planted and it is starting to grow! I still have a lot of indoor projects that need completed, but I have lost the motivation there. We are itching to get a puppy....