…i guess i should let you all know that i will be “out” for a while…SO no more  blog updates for a little while!

Once Piper gets here (come on already!) and is settled into her new surroundings, i will be back @ MOPs & back to blogging! Til then-

much love!

you would think i have actually LEFT our Planet…with all the NOT blogging i haven’t been doing.

however- i don’t actually have an excuse. slacker? pregnant? busy? those all sound un-good. oh, well…

…the past several MOPs meetings i have attended have been WONDERFUL! i totally feel like this year @ MOPs has found its “groove”.

Suzy Thrasher was great! Inspiring! The Christmas Meeting was super fun! Thank you Iris for my first Gingerbread House! Angie Green- you are a tremendous help and breath of fresh air! The “connection” i think we are all feeling as Moms is really right on!

I would like to invite you all this Glorious Christmas Season to take part in a POLL! This will be fun! When you answer, you will be entered into a drawing for a special

“Happy New Year Surprise Gift”!!!

Ok, I am not lost, well maybe a little. I have been on Planet “Pregnant Mom” for several months now, and it is catching up with me. SO- I will not even try to catch up on the past TWO meetings we have had except to say that both Linda Sweeney & Robin Hoover are BLESSINGS! God is using them in a mighty way individually & within bigger circles. If you can and want to- there is still time to join a Bible-study group with Linda & Robin Hoover has a HUGE list of books that “line-up” with what the Bible teaches that are wonderful resourses on parenting, etc…! (List to follow when I get it!!!)

AND if that weren’t enough excitement- we are compiling recipes to share! YUM! Here is one from Iris Storey- she had this at a Baby Shower for her daughter (who is having twin girls!):

www.recipegoldmine.com/celeb/amy-grants-banana-nut-bread.html

Iris said it was served like little finger sandwiches with strawberry (fresh) cream cheese in the middle! WOW!!!

Another great link that I LOVE is:

www.kraftfoods.com

Wonderful site and recipes! Easy, too!

More stuff:

Katrina is still looking for a stroller & Liz is on the look-out for DVD’s (movies & educational)

And- the next meeting is NOVEMBER 5th @ 9:30am

*COMING NEXT TIME:

A contest! Check for details soon!!!

Hope you had a wonderful week! For those of you who were able to join us for this past week’s meeting- we hope you enjoyed our speaker (I SURE DID!). Jason Miley (jasonmiley@roswellstreet.com) came to share with us about PLACE Ministries. It is amazing to know that God created us SO uniquely & for HIS ultimate purpose & Glory! This ministry is such a great tool in helping us understand how that all comes together.

If you have any questions about PLACE & how & when to sign up for the classes, click Jason’s name above and send him an email. He will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Also, before I forget- Liz asked me to post this link for all you bargain shoppers out there (*MYSELF included! YAY!) http://thebargainwatcher.com

I hope to see you all at the next meeting! Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!

NEXT MEETING

October 1, 2009

9:30-11:30am

AMAZING food!!! Oh, my goodness- the GRITS! Superb. The new location- wonderful! The women there- WOW! This is going to be a GREAT year at MOPS!!!

Here are some things that are “new” this year for MOPs:

*Swap Shop- a place to “post” items you no longer want/need or maybe request an item that you DO need/want. U can Buy/Sell/Trade or SWAP!

*Low-Stress Snacks- not “Betty Crocker”? NOT to worry!!! If you feel like bringing snacks/yummies to the meetings- GREAT! (We all LOVE to be “taste-testers”) HOWEVER- it is MORE important for YOU to be at the meetings…so-there will always be snacks provided for everyone!

*Pay-By-Semester- YAY! Instead of trying to remember to bring your checkbook or $5 for each meeting, you can now pay by the semester! So pay 2 installments of $45/each (1 for each semester) OR $90 for the MOPs year. It actually SAVES you around $15 this way (that is like 3 meetings FREE)!Who doesn’t like to save $- right!?

And HERE is this years’ “STEERING COMMITTEE”:

Iris Storey- MOPs Planner

Debbie Heiniger- Coordinator

Jill Brinkman- Co-Coordinator

Katrina Kelley- Hospitality

Deena Dickerson- Financial

Laura Moseley- Creative

Liz Pierce- Publicity

Meeting DATES to REMEMBER:

September 17th* THIS WEEK!!!! *See YOU there!

October 1st & 15th

November 5th & 19th

December 3rd

January 7th & 21st

February 4th & 18th

March 4th & 18th

April 1st & 15th

May 6th

*Save the Blog to your “favorites” and you will be able to access it anytime!

MOPS is starting up again.  Join us for a MOPS open house.  We are very excited about the new year.  Come see what it is all about.

This meeting is FREE to everyone!

Membership fees for the 2009-2010 year are $90 (or $45 each semester).  This includes RSBC MOPS dues & MOPS International fees.

*I CAN’T believe the Summer has come & gone so quickly! Come visit & share your Summer adventures, sample yummy snacks & meet the ladies you will share your “preschooling journey” with! We look forward to seeing you there, on Planet MOM!

Please check the Blog this summer for MOPs “get-together” events that may be happening! And come back next year for a wonderful NEW adventure!!!!

God Bless each of you & your sweet Moppets!!!!

ABOUT THIS MINISTRY: Located in the Powder Springs area, Cobb Street Ministries is a safe haven for battered women and children. The ministry helps reduce domestic violence by not only moving women from risky environments, but also by providing education and training to women and to their husbands and children. There are many volunteer opportunities at Cobb Street Ministries for people with open hearts and helping hands!

Projects for Volunteers: both individuals and small groups of 8-10:

General “handy-man” work, including
painting, raking and other outdoor work, cleaning, and making small repairs.
Refurbish a bedroom (group project).
Organize and arrange clothes for their Thrift Store and clothes closet.
Teach GED, Bible studies, parenting, life-skills classes, etc.
Collect needed supplies, such as juice boxes, cereal, cleaning supplies, and laundry supplies
Ministry Volunteer Coordinator:
Carol Paschal
Founder and Director: 770-833-9564
Address/Phone Number:
Austell – volunteers will be given address

(I think Sean Kelley has been working on a website for them, but I don’t know the address)

*Our NEXT meeting is May 7th & we will be talking about fun things to do this Summer on a Budget! I am not sure which table is supposed to bring the food, but why don’t we just all bring our favorite “Summer-time Snack”? Yummy!
*Also, the MOPs “End of the Year Celebration” is MAY 15, 2009 @ 6:30pm (Childcare drop-off @ 6:15pm). Tickets are $10/each and are on sale NOW! It will be a lovely time, you won’t want to miss!!!

*ONE MORE THING- If you are interested in being on the steering team  for MOPs next year, contact Jennifer Lovett!

~Prayer Requests from last meeting~

Alana–husband is still waiting on results from diabetes test
        –dad, Dwight, has melanoma–getting removed on Monday
 
Niema–coworker has stomach cancer…will have surgery but does not wwant chemo
 
Deena–pray all goes well with closing on their house
 
Christie Parker–pray for husband to find a job
 
Leah Hedrick–traveling mercies for Don (husband) traveling home from FL
 
Wendy–pray for girls in Bible Study and for their complete commitment
 

I wanted to give an update about the upcoming “meeting”:

“Join us for our annual MOPS Easter Egg Hunt at Swift-Cantrell Park in Kennesaw on Thursday, April 2 from 9:30-11:30am. There is a special playground for preschoolers to enjoy and we will also have a craft and games for them to participate in. And, of course, an Easter Egg Hunt. Please bring 12 filled eggs to be used in the hunt and a basket for your little one to put them in.”

-Carmen Lumpkin

AND-

A HUGE “Thank you” to Robbie Dickerson for all the GREAT information on how to live DEBT-FREE!!!!

I am so pumped, as I am sure all of you are- for the tips that Robbie shared from Financial Peace University (Dave Ramsey). It really was eye-opening!

ONE MORE THING!!!

*If you are interested in being a part of the MOPs “Steering-Team” for the upcoming year, please talk to Jennifer Lovett about the open positions!*

Elizabeth–Mission trip to Belgium in May
Deena–close on their house; tendonitis in her elbow
Carmen–Bryan’s business to pick up
Wendy–family planning on moving in June to Iowa or Utah
Liz–grace to deal with family
Ginger–traveling mercies for family trip
Jill–father having heart surgery on the 19th; brother having sinus surgery on 17th
Debbie–sister Elizabeth having medical tests; mom fly to NY
Jen JL–friend trying to get pregnant; Keith’s mom Elizabeth diagnosed with breast cancer
          (not a Christain)
          –praise–nephew Bradley back from Iraq
Alana–husband Travis being tested for diabetes
 
–steering team for next year
–Amanda Rypel (works with the youth/missions) — still in hospital and needs healing to be released

Also, if you are like me, you may get home and realize you don’t have your MOPs Newsletter…(but I am SURE none of you forget yours!) *JUST IN CASE- click here for an online addition

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=d6cdhbk_6c2ns5rgr&hl=en

Our next meeting will focus on principals taught by Financial Expert Dave Ramsey