How MOPS Changed My Summer

Since we don't meet during summer, you'd think MOPS would have no impact on a hot, summer day like today but you'd be wrong.  My two kids, ages 1 and 3, and I had a great beach outing today and I think I owe much of that to MOPS....

First, there was the  MOPS mom last summer who kindly invited us to join her weekly beach trips with kids in tow as a means of "getting out of the house" in the summer.  I was thrilled to be asked because at that point I was brand-new to town with a newborn, no friends, and no plan for getting out of my pjs most days--let alone the house!  As the summer slowly passed, I grew envious of her gumption just to plan recurring beach days, never mind making it a reality.  I sadly never joined her.  So before summer left completely, I packed up the kids and I one fateful day and made a stab at our own beach day.

It was just short of complete failure.  I got lost on the way.  When we finally did find a place where water met sand, it cost me $10 to park and there was a dead bird very near our blanket.  It reeked.  It was foggy and cold.  The baby was freezing and my then-2-year-old clearly didn't see the fun in it.  After drudging everyone and everything into the sand, 5 minutes later the 2-year-old very sweetly said, "OK mom, let's go home," to which I begged her to "enjoy" the beach a little longer.  Possibly worst of all, there was no one around to witness my personal tragedy or toss me a sympathetic glance.  I was completely alone and it sucked.

Fast forward to today and I am humbled by how near-"perfect" our little excursion was as we joined a newish MOPS friend.  Sure, my one-year-old ate fistfuls of sand and my thighs were jiggling way too much.  I got sweaty and sticky and (obviously) super sandy trying to wrangle both kids for the few hours we were there.  The car is a disaster, the kids may have sunburns, and the dishes are still in my sink from last night's dinner.  The flip side is that I played in the waves with my crazy kids and we had a blast.  I photo-documented sandy smiles.  And I had sweet mom-company to laugh with, share with, and watch each other's kids as we used the bathroom unencumbered.  Thank you, Jesus, for the blessing of friendship!  And the next time you connect with a MOPS mom, invite them somewhere.  You never know when the invitation alone could make a difference.

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Cari Nystrom is Westgate MOPS' 2013-14 Publicity Coordinator and transplanted to San Jose from New York less than two years ago with her family.  In her free time she a) sleeps and b) blogs (never).  Have a story you'd like to share with us?  Email westgatemops@gmail.com and be featured on our community blog!