Mom Group

Remember when I was part of that Mommy Group?

What a disaster!

Have you ever heard of MeetUp? It's a website full of different groups to join. You can find some in your area depending on your interests. I don't remember how I ended up finding it - but the summer we moved into our house, I found one for my area and joined. 

I wanted to find people to get to know and for Brinnley to have some playmates. We knew we would be staying in our house for awhile and I wanted to get grounded. I remember reading the "rules" and was a little confused that I would have to pay $10 to be a part of the group and then be required to "host" a certain amount of times during the year. They give you a grace period for the money and so I figured I would try it out and see if I met anyone I liked enough to stay put. 

Evidently, the group was pretty well established and most of the ladies knew each other. I am not a very outgoing person so when I went to a few of the meetups, it was very uncomfortable. Brinnley wasn't old enough to be on her own or even very mobile at the time and the other kids there, were. I ended up hating it and was not going to pay money for a group where it just wasn't right.

I ended up RSVPing to a meetup at a ladies house and thought, "What the heck?" It was down the road from us and it was very casual, just coffee and muffins. 

At the meetup, it was all chatting and getting to know each other. I didn't click with anyone and actually was quite annoyed with a few of the ladies and how much they "used" the system of welfare to their advantage - at least according to their story. I didn't relate to anyone so it was hard to keep the conversation going. Most of the moms were stay at home and had different views on raising their children. 

I remember going outside for the kids to play and I sat next to a girl named, Erika. She had 2 boys and was very quiet as well. I figured she was about my age but when it came up, it ended up being that she is barely older than my baby sister! I couldn't believe it and was intrigued with her story of how she got to Nampa and how she met her husband, who is my age. We instantly clicked and exchanged numbers hoping to meet up again. 

We met quite a few times, outside the group. She is a sweetheart and we really got to know each other through various hangouts.

Both of us left that MeetUp group - citing irreconcilable differences. :)

Here is a flashback picture from that summer of 2013 When we went to the Balloon Festival in Boise for a girls night!

Fast forward and we are still friends. She has babysat for us and we have hung out a ton. Her husband and Aaron have hit it off, although we don't hang out all of us that much, but it is nice to have a friend in town - did I mention she lives like 2 miles away from us?! 

Anyway - she set up a brand new MeetUp Mommy Group for our area! She is expecting her 3rd, yes 3rd child - and is staying at home while her hubby works hard. She put together a mom group because she has faced the same challenges as myself - very few mommy friends to relate to and enjoy spending time together. The group has been set up for about a month or so but I just recently joined. It's harder for me to get together sometimes because I am working until 5:30 now because of coaching, but I signed up to host a gathering in 2 weeks at my house and another one with just a walk on the greenbelt. It should help to break the ice :) So far, there are about 18 moms on the group - if someone is inactive for a month, then they get deleted - it's fair because the point of the group is to have people to meet, hang out with, and relate to. I haven't met anyone except for obviously Erika (who is thankfully coming to my events!) and her friend, Lesly, who I have met at Erika's boys' birthday parties throughout the last year and a half. 

I can't wait and hope to meet some more lovely moms that can become some great friends! :)