a moms' night out bonus

It was really more like a bonus night out for mom. After a full day of cropping and a pit stop at Caribou, I met my friend (and fellow blogger) Jan at Faith Covenant Church to hear author Karen Hossink speak on the pains of motherhood. Little did I know, there would be prizes involved.

A whole slew of them! After giving away several treats, our hostess for the evening pulled out a Ficus & Fig handbag. I'd first discovered the adorable shop last year and leaned over to tell Jan about it. (Something along the lines of: "That place is SO COOL.") To which she responded: "You're going to win it."

And about as quickly as she'd said it, I DID!!!!!!!!

How cool is that?!!

Karen's talk was extremely encouraging as she spoke to the heart of frustration and irritability that plagues most of us at one time or another. (Patience has never been one of my strong suits.) She spoke of God using motherhood as a means to stretch and grow us, reminding us that we are never alone in the journey. If you are struggling right now for joy and peace in motherhood, be sure to check out her books and her blog. If you are looking for encouragement and would like to connect with other moms of young children, be sure to check out MOPS. (Click HERE to find a group in your area.)

After the talk last night, we had the opportunity to visit over treats and coffee at the church. Jan brought up the need for a MOPS-like group for moms of tweens/teens and I wholeheartedly agreed. Wouldn't it be cool to come together with other moms to discuss things such as:

• What works or doesn't work for you in regards to discipline?
• Healthy boundaries and limits (the delicate balance between letting go and keeping them safe)
• What kind of support and encouragement do you offer your tween/teen as they are given more responsibility for their own education?
• How do we best plan for our child's future?
• The pressures associated with the quest for popularity.

I promised Jan to be the first to join her group ;) All kidding aside, I think I'll be doing a little research into resources for moms of tweens/teens. If you have something to offer, I'd love to hear from you!