MOPS Convention Wrap-Up

WOW!
We are so excited to share the blessings we shared these past three days we are literally writing this email in the car back to Panama City! So with much love, Team Convention 2009 including Madeline, Marin, Jenn and Jen want to share our story, our Wows, our Next Time I would and Random thoughts with you. Many of you lifted us up in prayer for safe journey and open hearts to receive the message we were intended to receive and we are all thankful for those prayers. Please continue to lift us up that we are able to share our excitement and our stories with you so you may be touched as we were.

Our Story
Bright and very early on Thursday morning four of your mommas loaded up their personal suitcases without diapers, bottles or fruit snacks and set off on a grand voyage. We arrived in Nashville mid-afternoon on Thursday, got our registrations squared away and visited the MOPS Resource Fair full of 80 moms-related exhibitors. WOW --- there is a serious market for moms and products to meet our needs. We enjoyed sharing stories over meals together, praying for open hearts to receive His message and even got in a little shopping at a REAL mall! We’re on our way home now and we can’t wait to hug our families and share the news with you. We encourage you to ask any of us about what we learned and about anything that is weighing on your hearts about Convention topics.

The following are some of each of our individual thoughts on the things that WOWed us, the Next Time I Would and Random Thoughts.

Our WOWs:
1. Jen had amazing bonding time with the other amazing MOPS mommas that embarked on the journey
2. Jen learned so many great things that can help me become a better mom and wife.
3. Jen thought Praising God for His blessing with 4,000+ other moms is amazing!
4. Jen was totally digging The Free Stuff!
5. Ken Davis Rocked the house --- Marin, Maddie and Jenn agree – I laughed until I cried!
6. Maddie, Jenn, and Marin agree the Music and Worship provided by Matthew West, Matt Redman and Christy Nockles was amazing and completely uplifiting.
7. Maddie received a much needed dose of time spent closer to God and being around others who had the same values
8. Maddie RAVED about the Speaking My Man’s Language workshop
9. Marin thought MOPS President Emeritus, Elisa Morgan, was a great and inspirational speaker
10. Marin enjoyed the Coach Mom Workshop – practical insights and tools for implementation
11. Jenn really enjoyed the Nurturing Emotional Safety in Kids and hopes to bring it to fruition in her own life

The Next Time I Would:
1. Jen wants to bring more Moms
2. Maddie and Marin agree to do more research on speakers and workshops
3. Marin and Jenn would research things to do outside the conference – like shows at the Grand Ole Opry (right around the corner)

Random Thoughts:
1. Jen thought the workshop choices appeal to everyone. I learned how to laugh more with my family, how to hear God’s voice, how to Parent with Grace and the Five Languages of Apology.
2. Jenn thought Tim and the kids really enjoyed some good quality time with each other but she sure did miss them!

If you at all feel called to share in the adventure any MOPS mom can – you DO NOT have to be a member of the Steering Team to share in this joyous occasion! We all want you to seriously consider joining us at Convention next year. Convention 2010 will be held August 5-7th at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN.

Live, Laugh, Love,

Jen, Madeline, Marin and Jenn (as pictured below)

The girls (minus Jenn acting as photographer) on the first day at the MOPS Resource Fair

Maddie gave birth to quadruplets at the Resource Fair --- she didn't even look pregnant!

Walkin' Mommas

This year Madeline has signed up to walk in the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and is hoping you’ll walk with her. There are a lot of breast cancer events out there, but Making Strides speaks to me because funds raised enable the American Cancer Society to help people stay well and get well from breast cancer, find cures, and empower people to fight back today. With your help, we can save lives.

A note from Madeline....

If you’d like to join me at Making Strides, please visit Madeline's personal page. If you won’t be in town, I hope you’ll still support my efforts by making a donation of any amount you can spare.

Click here to visit Madeline Fulton's personal page.

Click here to view the team page for Walkin' Mommas

Click here to view the company page for Hiland Park MOPS

Meeting this Thursday Sep 24th!

The planets will align when you
Meet Us at MOPS
On Thursday, September 24 for
Bridging the Continental Divide: Bridging Planet Me and Planet Mom
The meetings starts at 9 am,
With childcare opening at 8:45 am.

Get ready for another great meeting with yummy food and icebreakers. We will kick off our DVD curriculum with our DVD lesson in Bridging Planet Me and Planet Mom with time to discuss it with our tablemates as we all get to know each other better!

Please remember...
• The Caliente Comets will be providing brunch this week.
• To bring your ideas for your tables Breast Cancer Walk charity basket we will be making on October 8th. Table leaders will need to tell Leah so we make sure we have enough craft material.
• To bring your extra baskets for the October 8th craft and give them to Kellie this morning.

If you can't attend the meeting or need anything, please contact your table leader...

Our First Meeting

Today was a lot of fun and what a blessing it was to have so many wonderful women in the same place at the same time with the same heart. As mothers it is hard to take time for ourselves and we are so glad you took the time to spend it with us.

We had a busy morning from eating some wonderful space food to chatting with our new tablemates to learning about each others favorite things and deciding on our tablenames to showing our crafty side by decorating our table boxes!

We're off to a great start -- here are a few pictures to remind you how fun and beautiful you all are! Have a blessed weekend and we'll see you at the playdate on Tuesday or at our next meeting on the 24th!

Our Curriculum

During this upcoming MOPS year, we will explore how to thrive in relationships Together on Planet Mom. God created us for relationship! It’s one of the defining parts of being human. However, when you become a mom, all your relationships change. It’s like you have landed on a different planet—Planet Mom—and the relationships on Planet Mom don’t look like the ones on your previous planet. Your relationship with yourself is different—you are a mom! Your relationship with your husband, girlfriends, extended family, community and God have all changed. Many of these changes are positive, some are not. Even positive change requires adjustments on your part.

The foundation of being Together on Planet Mom is that God is with us and we are created for relationship with him and each other. We are created to “do life” together. This is definitely true for us as moms. The more we draw together in community, the better we are able to thrive as women and moms

The theme book for 2009-10 is Life on Planet Mom: A Down to Earth Guide to Your Changing Relationships by Lisa T. Bergren. This book is part of the MOPS International Membership benefit. All moms will want to be equipped with this resource as together we learn to navigate the relationships on Planet Mom.

Let the countdown begin…..

Planet Mom Fun Days

This year on Planet Mom we have many fun activities to encounter. Building and sustaining relationships with various people in your life is what this year is all about so, let's make it happen! We hope to see you at all or many of the Fun Days listed below. Any questions, please email us at hilandparkmops@gmail.com

Mom's Night Out

September 29th - Dinner at Mori's @ 6:30
1818 W 23rd Street, Panama City, Florida 215-7300

October 13th - Progressive Dinner starting @ 6pm
All 3 locations in Lynn Haven TBA

November 17th - LBD (little black dress) Party

The Boatyard @ 7pm
Benefit for the fight against Breast Cancer

December 8th - Cookie Exchange at Pam's House @ 6:30

January 19th - Game Night/ Fondue Party at Tonia's House @ 6:30

February 22nd - Dinner at Olive Garden @ 6:30
2397 Highway 77

March 16th - Progessive Dinner starting @ 6pm
All 3 locations TBA

April 12th - Pottery Painting and Potluck at The Pottery Bar @ 6:30
521 Beckrich Rd, Panama City Beach 249-3800

May 6th - Dinner and Movie Night at Pier Park @ 6pm
Location and Movie TBD

Playdates

September 22nd - Pump it Up 10-11:30 am
239 W 15th Street 522-5867

$6 per bouncing child - bring socks

October 27th - Pumpkin Painting Lynn Haven Recreational Center @ 10am
off Hwy 390 at end of Hilltop Lane

November 16th - Playdate at Amy'sHouse @ 10am

December 1st - Table get Together
details to be decided by individual table

January 12th - Toddle Bowling at Rock-It-Lanes @10am
513 Beckrich Rd, Panama City Beach 249-2695

Feburary 4th - Playdate at the Fire Station in the Cove @ 9:30

March 17th - Table get Together
details to be decided by individual table

April 6th - Strawberry Picking at Sweatmore Ranch in Youngstown @ 9:30
11712 Veal Rd 722-4819

May 19th- Lunch n Play at Chick-Fil-A on 23rd Street @ 10:30

This is a tentative schedule. If there are any missing details, they will be determined at a later date. Some dates, times or events may change. All details will be confirmed in MOPS meetings and e-mails.

You are encouraged have Table gatherings outside of these group gatherings.

09-10 Meeting Dates

We meet at Hiland Park Baptist Church, at 2611 Hwy 231, in Panama City, FL.

Our MOPS meetings for this year will be from 9-11:30am on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month. Our 09-10 meeting dates are listed below -- our discussion topics will be added to the calendar in a few weeks. Mark your calendars - we'll see you there!

September 10th ~ 3-2-1 Blast Off!: Welcome to MOPS!

September 24th ~ Bridging the Continental Divide: Bridging Planet Me & Planet Mom

October 8th ~ Beam Me Up Scotty: Take Care of You!

October 22nd ~ Alien Adventure: Growing with Extended Family

November 12th ~ Your Atmosphere: Protecting what is Important to You

December 10th ~ Whole World in His Hands: Make & Take Christmas Crafts

January 14th ~ Network of Stars: Building a Community of Friends

January 28th ~ In a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Traveling Tips and Mom Panel

February 11th ~ Yo Globa-Mama: Loving and Giving in Service

February 25th ~ Searching for Life on Other Planets: Reaching into Our Community

March 11th ~ Houston, We have a Problem: Navigating Unsafe Relationships

March 25th ~ We’re NOT Aliens: The Special Role of a Mom

April 22nd ~ Green Planet: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

May 13th ~ To Infinity and Beyond: Living Together with God

May 27th ~ Over the Moon: A Landing Celebration!

Coupon Trading

Are you getting formula checks you can't use? Have Pampers coupons but prefer Huggies? Bring your unwanted, unused coupons to MOPS and donate them to our coupon trading box. In return, browse through other people's donations to see if there are coupons you can use. You can find the coupon box on the hospitality table. All coupons are welcome: grocery, baby, household, health & beauty, dining, etc. Now start saving some money!

What is MOPS?

MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. MOPS exists to encourage, equip and develop every mother of preschooler (birth through kindergarten) to realize her potential as a woman, mother, and leader. These women come from different backgrounds and lifestyles; yet have similar needs and a shared desire to be the best mothers they can be! MOPS recognizes that the years from infancy through kindergarten are foundational in a mother-child relationship and are filled with unique needs.

What is MOPS about?

• Celebrating motherhood
• Meeting your needs
• Making connections
• Experiencing God’s love through trusted resources and relationships.

Who is it for?

• Urban, suburban and rural moms
• Stay-at-home and working moms
• Teens, single and married moms

What does it do?

• Offers support for those experiencing the same things
• Provides a chance to meet new friends
• Gives an opportunity to discover and cultivate leadership skills

MOPS is an international organization that began in 1973 with a group of 8 moms who had the desire to meet together for support and encouragement. Since that time, MOPS has grown, expanded, and developed into a ministry that reaches across the country and around the world. There are now nearly 4,000 MOPS groups worldwide! For more information about MOPS and MOPS International, please visit their website at http://www.mops.org/.

What is MOPPETS?

MOPPETS is the childcare program for your children (ages newborn through kindergarten) to attend while you attend MOPS. Your children are precious to us at Hiland Park Baptist Church, and we count it a joy to care for them. They will enjoy a loving, clean, safe environment.

Children will be separated by ages in order to provide the safest environment, as well as one that best meets their needs. Hiland PArk provides childcare workers to oversee each of these classes. The ages may be adjusted, depending on the number of children registered in each class, in order to keep class sizes appropriate and manageable. The classes are:

Lambs, for our littlest ones (birth to ~8 mos)
Turtles, for our crawlers & cruisers (~8 mos to 1 1/2yrs)
Ducks, for our walkers (1 1/2-2 yrs)
Bunnies, for our new 2's (2 years)
Seahorses, for our 2-3 year olds
Dolphins, for our 3-4 year olds (must be potty trained)

Children in the Dolphins class must be completely potty-trained (no pull ups). There are no diaper changing facilities in this room.

Each class will have age appropriate activities. Activities may include: arts & crafts, indoor or outdoor playtime, snacks, Bible stories, music, videos and toys.

We encourage mothers to leave their children in MOPPETS, where they will be well cared for; however, if you feel more comfortable keeping your infant (0-6 mos) with you, you are welcome to do so. We appreciate your cooperation in making our meeting successful and fulfilling to the MOPS purpose.

We look forward to meeting your children and to the opportunity to care for them. We pray that they will be blessed by their time in MOPPETS.

Welcome to MOPS!

We all know that mothering is HARD work. It is both challenging and rewarding, but it can also be very draining. Life is filled with seasons of change, & mothering is no different. At MOPS, you will find a lot of other women who are facing the same challenges that you face. Get ready to make lots of new friends, develop your talents, and expand your horizons. We’ve got a lot of exciting topics planned for discussion that will help each of us become better moms, & better leaders in our churches and communities.

We welcome any suggestions or ideas you might have to make this the best MOPS group possible. Our vision here at Hiland Park MOPS is to provide the encouragement, nurturing & support that you need as a mother to preschoolers. We have a terrific year planned, with out of this world meetings from September through May.

In this busy season of our lives, it’s so easy to feel insignificant, unrecognized & unimportant. As mothers of preschoolers, what we do each day sometimes seems so routine and mundane. We often question who we are as women & mothers, what our purpose is and if we really make a difference. We believe you will discover the answers to these questions and more as you become actively involved in MOPS. We hope that you’ll come to realize that each of us has been uniquely chosen to be the mother of our children, and what we are doing truly does make a difference.