Gratitude: Arlington Moms...

Today, I made four onesies.

Only one of them was for my own kid.

Ask me how much I love that.

Honestly, I can't remember when my sweet friend, Cindy, invited me to our Arlington church's mom event to make onesies.  My guess is about five months ago.  Because I was still very pregnant.  

The mom group wanted to make onesies to give to new moms at the church.  Such a cute idea.  

We made trees since the church theme is "deepening our roots."  

During a very brief two hours this morning, we ate some yummy snacks, shared some life updates and hand crafted 13 precious little onesies.  

I am certain more will be completed over the next several events.  

It makes me smile knowing new moms will get these sweet little gifts.  And every time they see it in the drawer or pull it out of the dryer, they will remember the church who loves them and desires for them to deepen their roots in Christ.  

Can you picture that brand new, exhausted mom who hasn't had a shower or a full meal in two days?  Bone tired.  A tired she never knew existed.  Why was this so hard?  Why hadn't anyone told her how impossible this would be?  And how is it possible such a tiny human could possibly create so much laundry?  

Then she pulls out the cute onesie with the tree on it.  A lady at her church made this.  With her own hands.  How sweet of her.  

And maybe, that little onesie, helps to remind her she is loved.  She is prayed for.  And she will survive just like the woman who stitched the tree.

I know.  Y'all are thinking I have gone a little over the edge with the drama.  But I've been that mom.  Holding a miracle baby and feeling like the price I paid to have her might just have been my marriage, my sanity and my hopes of a long, hot shower.  

So had all the ladies who got together this morning.  

They, like me, had other moms to help them through it.  Remind them they are loved.  They are prayed for.  And yes, you will survive.

Now they gather to help pass that love on to others.

And hopefully, one day, so will the new moms who receive the onesies we made.

I am grateful our Arlington church loves people so well.  Not just new moms and certainly not just new moms who enter their church doors.  They love moms who don't speak English.  Moms whose children are grown.  Moms who live in apartments.  Moms who live in shelters.  Single moms.  Working moms. Moms on welfare.  Moms who are in job training.  Moms who have lost jobs.  Moms who are juggling multiple jobs.  Foster moms.  Infertile moms.  Young moms.  Old moms.  

The real question is, what am I doing to love on those same moms in my new community?  

Thankfully, the sweet ladies in Arlington taught me a thing or two about how to love.  And now it's my turn to pass that love on just as they loved on me.