Thankful Thursday! -- Finding your #momtribe
Hello, dear friends and readers!
Welcome to the second installment of Thankful Thursdays! As you can see from the title for this post, I decided to go in a slightly different direction this week. I don't always use hashtags, but when I do, they're for something important (and I generally use them ironically... because it makes me smile). Today, I would love to share a new topic of gratitude with you -- gratitude for my #momtribe.
The amazing moms in my community have contributed significantly to my emotional and psychological recovery in this postpartum period. I feel absolutely blessed to be part of our church because the leadership team has geared a significant portion of their ministry toward growing families. The play group for moms with young kids has been a unique gift and a true delight.
I remember the first time I attended play group. A sweet family friend was holding it at her house. I stumbled through the door, at least half-an-hour late, coffee in one hand, car seat in the other, staggering beneath the weight of a heavy diaper bag. I felt tired and frazzled and more than a little embarrassed by my lateness.
None of these details mattered, though, to the women around me. They graciously welcomed me into their conversation, offering to hold the little guy while I finished my coffee. The ensuing hours spent at my first play group glow in my memory. I felt so happy, accepted, and connected with the other moms as they swapped birth stories, theories about childhood development, and funny anecdotes from their lives.
For the first time in my journey as a mom, I realized that I wasn't alone! Even better, I was among friends.
Although my first playgroup experience occurred mere months ago, I want to encourage every new mom (or more seasoned mom who simply needs a supportive friend group) to pursue her own #momtribe. It may be more challenging, depending on where you are, but I guarantee that there are moms nearby who need your gracious presence in their lives. And who knows? Maybe you can build each other up and establish some lifelong friendships along the way.
Thank you, as always, for reading my blog! I would love to hear your stories, as well! Do you have a #momtribe of your own? If so, how did you find them, and what are some ways they have blessed you? Please feel free to comment below or visit the Facebook page for Mama Smith Writes.
Soli Deo Gloria
- Mama Smith
Stock image from Pexels.com
Well, no #momtribe for me, but I did have a pretty sweet #dadtribe when you were a newborn :) Pastor Jim, Doug, Terry from Brooks' Plumbing (before he started Brooks' Plumbing), Skip, Tom, and me. We would meet once a week (I think . . .) at Coco's (before it became the Black Bear Diner and then El Sarape -- this was 25 years ago!) and talk and share about important dad and husband-stuff. Twenty-five years later, I still hang out with Tom and occasionally see Pastor Jim, but that's about it. But to get one, good, long-lasting friendship out of it (Tom, of course) makes me pretty darn thankful.
ReplyDeleteThat's really great! I knew you and Tom have been friends for awhile, but it's good to hear that you had a #dadtribe when I was little. Even though Asher is small right now, it has made such a difference for me -- and for Kris with his friends who are new dads, too. Thank you for sharing! And Tom's friendship is definitely worth being thankful for. :-)
Delete