Who's in Your Circle?

Yesterday was co-op day. It's kind of weird, because we've had co-op on Wednesdays for so many years. When the change to Tuesday was made for this year, it was GREAT! Like, I can't even tell you how much I love having co-op on a day other than church day! But it does throw my week for a loop, as I now am always feeling like I'm off by a day. But whatever.

I suppose I have just been overly sentimental lately thinking about this whole co-op thing, since my oldest is now graduated. (That fact also is weird, because I'm not usually an overly sentimental, cry-y kind of person. But lately, oh my geeze Louise, it's been crazy bad!)

We started participating in co-op about 7 or 8 years ago. Things were so very different. I had a toddler, a 4 year old, and 2 kiddos who wanted some friends. It was a struggle to get there each week, I'm not gonna lie. Baby girl ALWAYS missed her nap, which made the day SO. VERY. LONG. I had health issues that I didn't even realize at the time, but those issues made me exhausted every co-op day nonetheless. We stuck it out for 2 years, and then I needed a BREAK!

After those 2 years, we started back to co-op and have been going ever since. It's gotten so much better in terms of enjoyment! Baby girl doesn't need a nap anymore (though I still do!). Everybody dresses themselves and can find their own shoes - HAPPY DAY! I no longer need to pack a diaper bag or even their lunches, because they pack their own! Everyone can find their own classrooms, which means I only need to be responsible for me. The fact that I don't have to think ahead for 4 other tiny people has been huge! One of my kids doesn't even go to co-op anymore because of being in college, and another drives himself so he can go to work afterwards.

Things change. Our kids grow up. They don't need us to do everything for them anymore. Which is a blessing, but also kinda sad at the same time. The days, at the time, seem to last FOREVER, but the years truly are very short. (Insert sappy moment - ENJOY YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE! Blah, blah, blah...)

Some things I have found comforting, though, are the things that haven't changed at co-op. The mom friends that I made 8 years ago (actually before that...) are still there. I get to see the same sweet faces that I've seen every week for years. Some of these moms started homeschooling at the same time as I, and we are now in the process of graduating kids together. We've been through A LOT in all our homeschooling years! And I love that, what we started together, we are finishing together. They are my community of friends.

There have been many moms who God has allowed to come into my life and then move on again a few years later. Some of them are still very dear friends who I love. And there are new ones who have recently come into my circle of friends that I feel so blessed to know. But I have been especially thankful for the ones God has allowed to be with me for our entire homeschooling journey.

Sometimes it's hard to make mom friends. We get busy with our kids, our house, our stuff. Sometimes the moms we meet have kids different ages from ours, so things just don't click right away. Some of us crazy homeschooling families live way out in the country away from other homeschool people (ahem, that would be us...), so it's really hard to see friends. But I want to encourage you in this... YOU NEED FRIENDS! God created us for community. We were made to need people. And if you plan to be on this homeschool journey for any length of time, you need to surround yourself with a few other moms who will be there for you, talk you through some tough times, pray with you, celebrate the wins with you, and just walk with you through this journey. I am so very, very thankful for the friends God has placed in my life.

How do you find time for friends? Who are the people in your circle? I'd love to hear about them!