A Meeting of the Moms

On Mondays, when there's nothing else of import on the morning schedule, we often head off to a playdate that a lady at church has. Her boys and mine get along well and, generally, the mix of others who work themselves in seems to be decent enough. Since the boys love it, I try to do it whenever possible.

Thus, this morning we found ourselves over at said house. The boys took off as soon as they hit the front door and I went to find a seat in the mom room. It was crowded. Way more crowded than usual. Often there are only two or three other moms (and their kids). Today there were 12 all told. That is a big group.

Conversations were flying this way and that way. It was hard to keep track of who was talking about what and with whom. Generally, my tactic in groups like that is to ease back and observe and just generally stay out of it. And I did, mostly, do just that.

But it was hard.

Today's topics of conversation centered around the following:

• Why the moms were so excited that school was almost starting
• How they could never homeschool because they need to miss their kids in order to love them
• How grateful they were that their husbands had vasectomies so they didn't have to ever have more kids
• How great MOPS is

If you read here at all prior to my long hiatus, you'll understand that I had very little to offer on any of these topics other than general sorrow that this was how they viewed things. I realize that for the average person who didn't struggle to have kids, it's probably perfectly normal and fine to feel all of those first three things. But honestly? Even though I'd be liable to have a heart attack were I to miraculously get pregnant at this point, I'd still embrace it. Because really, how amazing would that be?

As for MOPS, well, it's a big group of women. I find that either you're a woman who finds that amazing and refreshing and uplifting or you're one who rapidly realizes that 99% of women never left middle school. I tend to fall into the latter camp.

We'll probably continue to go as we can. Like I said, the boys love it. But oh my word, groups of women are never going to be my thing.