Meeting Recap - March 14th, 2013

Our first meeting in March featured a great guest speaker; but you won't want to miss this stuff first!

• MOPS Registration is online RIGHT NOW!  If you will be needing childcare for your kids this fall don't wait - register now (click here).  After you register you will be contacted regarding childcare placement.  Fees for next year will be $100 without childcare and $130 with childcare.  You can pay half each semester. 
• MOPS Family Fun Day and Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday, March 23rd, 4-6:30pm at the Dunlora Clubhouse.  Barbeque and drinks will be provided; please bring 2 side dishes/desserts to share.  Please let your table leader know asap if you plan on attending.
• Our next meeting is the much anticipated SPA Day!  Massages start at 9:15am so you can start the pampering early!  Breakfast will be provided by our wonderful Mentoring Moms!
• Congrats to Liz H. on the birth of Peter and to Rebecca on the birth of little Annie!

Our door prize winners were: Karen L. (pedicure set), Kelly P., Felicia W., Jen S., Cara B., and Elizabeth K. (MOPS t-shirts). Congrats ladies!

Angela Hines

Our guest speaker was Angela Hines, a homeschooling mom of 3 boys, and Coordinator of a MOPS group in Northern Virginia.  Angela spoke to us about the problem of anger.  She told us how attending an anger workshop at church helped her recognize how anger was affecting her family, marriage, and other relationships.  She told us how our society excuses anger, giving us an "out" because it is "okay" to respond in anger. 

To deal with our anger, Angela says the first step is to recognize your anger and what is triggering it; it could be unmet expectations, stress, or depression.  Next, Angela says we need to pray and ask God's help. Thirdly, we need to let go of our expectations for ourselves, our husbands, children, etc.  Fourthly, as moms we need to have time for ourselves where we can relax and decompress. And lastly, we need to be willing to seek help from others when needed.  Help can be in the form of counselors, books, friends, and most of all from God by prayer, reading the scriptures, listening to praise music, etc. 

Some resources Angela recommends are, "She's Gonna Blow" by Julie Barnhill, "A Woman's Answer to Anger" by Annie Chapman, and "Defuse: A Mom's Survival Guide for More Love, Less Anger" by Karol Ladd.

Many thanks to Angela for blessing us with her informative talk!