12 finding support
a MOPS story
By Karryn DeHaan MOPS Participant
Karryn has been married to Andy for almost 4 years . They have one son , Jordan , and a dog . She enjoys being a stay-at-home mom , watching football with her husband ( Go Blue !), reading a good book , and drinking a big cup of coffee each morning .
What is MOPS ? MOPS , or Mothers of Preschoolers , is where any mom with kids ages birth to kindergarten can connect with other moms , find encouragement from mentor moms who have “ been there , done that ,” and hear advice from guest speakers . Whether it ’ s simply enjoying a brunch together , finally being able to drink that cup of coffee hot , or having fun creating great crafts — it ’ s an opportunity to develop long – lasting relationships . Moms are blessed with a peace of mind knowing their little ones are being cared for by certified volunteers in a fun , safe , and nurturing environment . But for me , MOPS is much more than just this .
When I joined MOPS , my son was only two months old . I was tired and stressed out . My husband and I were in the middle of a long – term unemployment situation that had started only a couple of months after we found out we were pregnant . Before that , we had gone through 18 months of infertility which involved many tests , uncertainty if we could even become pregnant , and surgery . To say that the two years before I joined MOPS had been hard , would be a huge understatement . I needed a place where I could go and be refreshed — a place where I could hear from other moms that I wasn ’ t a crazy person , my son wasn ’ t a crazy baby , and that I would survive .
I eagerly anticipated each meeting . I was able to take something away from each speaker , whether it was general information about kids , encouragement from the Bible , or even just laughter . The craft weeks allowed me time to create something fun and chat with the other women . By January , my husband , in the loving way only husbands can , would frequently ask , “ Is it a MOPS week yet ?” He could see just how much I enjoyed it and how much it calmed me .
My group was a huge support to me . They would ask every meeting how I was doing , how my son was doing , if my husband had found a job , and if we needed anything . They offered job leads , bought us diaper wipes , passed along baby clothes , and prayed for us . We were able to get together outside of MOPS as well , which gave us more time to talk and grow together .