Interview with Mentor Mom Judy Poling

Since the MOPS theme this year is "A Beautiful Mess: Embracing Your Story," we will be featuring the stories of the Castro Valley MOPS community. Here is the story of one of our lovely mentor moms, Judy Poling.

Tell us about yourself and your family.

Wife of Rick Poling for 37 years.   Mother to Ryan/Charissa Poling and Nathan/Aimee Poling.  Grandmother to Caleb 9, Logan 7, Maile 5, Dylan 3 1/2, Landan 3 and Jacob 21 mos.

Tell us about your experience and involvement in MOPS.

I think this is my 7th year in MOPs as a Mentor Mom.

What is your favorite thing about MOPS?

Connecting with young women

What is the wisest mom advice you have ever received?

Will this really matter in 5 or 10 years?

What is your favorite Scripture verse/passage and why?

Philippians 4:20 - "I can do everything through him who gives me strength".  When life gets hard (and it does) this verse helps me to have more of a 'can do' attitude in the midst of the tough stuff reminding me that it's not about me and my abilities, but Christ and Christ alone.

What were your thoughts when you found out you were pregnant with your first child?

Oh my - this isn't easy to admit - but I cried like a baby at the doctor's office.  I had only been married 5 months, we just put a down payment on our first home &  thought I was going in to see the doctor to have a DNC procedure.  Of course after the shock wore off we were excited.

As a new mom, what kinds of things did you do to treat yourself, for fun and to stay relaxed?

I surrounded myself with other moms going through the same age and stage of motherhood.  We didn't have MOPs, but my church family was a great support system.  LOL- not sure I was ever a 'relaxed' mom, but on occassion I did try to take a 'one night a week' evening class to help keep my sanity.

What was your favorite thing about being a mom of preschoolers?

The hugs and kisses & seeing the world through their innocent eyes.

What is your favorite "mommy memory" when your children were preschoolers?

When one of my sons was 5, without my knowledge he emptied his piggy bank of all of his money and gave it to a little boy of a single mom at school so that his new friend could buy a new pair of shoes.

Share about your most memorable family vacation.

We have several - but one memorable camping vacation we had a mouse in our tent in the middle of the night AND our path crossed with a disturbed bee hive on a hike - we all got stung :(.  Plus, the friends we were camping with accidentally set the wooden picnic table at their site on fire.  And Yes, we still enjoy camping as a family!

How has motherhood changed you?

It's taught me how to give complete unconditional love.  The kind of love that our Heavenly Father has for us.  Not based on performance or expectations.

What has been your proudest parenting moment?

Watching our two sons interact with their children.  They are both very loving daddies to their little ones.

What was your biggest challenge as a mother of preschoolers? Did you overcome it? How did you overcome it?

Having a 'strong willed child' had some very difficult moments. 

Hmmmm overcome it - Well, thankfully we didn't kill each other - LOL. 

It wasn't easy, and I don't think I always did the 'right thing', but I tried very hard to be consistent.  I prayed alot, read some books like James Dobson's "The Strong Willed Child" and tried to apply biblical principles.

What was the one most important principle you wanted to teach your child(ren)?

To be a 'Christ follower', not just a 'church goer'.

What is your mom motto or favorite mom quote?

"What would Jesus do?"  It's a life motto for me.

Any last words of wisdom to share?

Enjoy the moment - the years pass by quickly.

Interview with MOPS Mom Christy Mast

Since the MOPS theme this year is "A Beautiful Mess: Embracing Your Story," we will be featuring the stories of the Castro Valley MOPS community. Here is the story of our MOPS coordinator, Christy Mast.

Tell us about yourself and your family.

My name is Christy Mast. I grew up mostly in Georgia and spent my 20s working as a nurse and volunteering in youth ministry. Seven years ago I married Steve, and after a 2 year "honeymoon" in New Zealand, we moved to San Leandro. We have 2 children - Meredith is 3 and Philip is 5 months. We also have a cute little Chihuahua mix named Koa. Our family vacations almost always involve mountains or Disney parks (last summer we even combined the two).

Tell us about your experience and involvement in MOPS.

I joined MOPS just a couple weeks before I was due with my first child, 4 years ago. The following year I was a Discussion Group Leader. The next year I was asked to be Coordinator, and this will be my third year in that role.

What is your favorite thing about MOPS?

MOPPETS! Almost everything I do now involves my kids, so it is nice to have something that is for me.

What is the wisest mom advice you have ever received?

Pick your battles. This saves a lot of strife at our house. When you see my daughter wearing a red dress with hot pink leggings, you will know that was a battle I decided not to fight!

What were your thoughts when you found out you were pregnant with your first child?

This was a long hoped for baby, so I was happy, but the overwhelming emotion was worry. At just 6 weeks along my doctor thought I would have a miscarriage - that was a nerve wracking several days. Of course everything turned out to be fine, but I still find myself worrying about new things at every stage of development. I used to be an ER nurse, so those memories feed my worries.

What did you learn about being a mom from your own mom?

My mom was a big encouragement when I was approaching my due date and thinking about childbirth. She would say, "your body was made to do this." While labor and delivery was certainly difficult, everything went well and I wasn't anxious about the process.

How has motherhood changed you?

I stay home a lot more and shower a lot less.

What is your biggest challenge as a mom? Have you overcome it? How did you overcome it?

Time management! Without an employer to keep me accountable for my time, I can often get sidetracked from doing the things I really need to be doing. I have some days when I am more productive than others, but it is definitely an ongoing struggle. I find that if I get lots of things checked off my "to do" list one day, then the next day you can probably find me on the couch! I need to focus on moderation - completing a reasonable amount of tasks each day and not wearing myself out.

What is the one most important principle you want to teach your child(ren)?

Grace. I want to ooze grace - walking that fine line between setting and enforcing boundaries and also letting them know they are deeply loved no matter what.

A Beautiful Mess

MOPS begins tomorrow!  All registered moms have been sent an email with all the information you will need to get your kids to MOPPETS and you to your table group.  If you did not receive this email, or if you have not registered and would like more information about how to get on our waiting list, please email Christy at cmast@cvmops.org.  Moms not needing childcare can join right away, but please let us know you plan to come!

This year our theme is A Beautiful Mess: Embrace Your Story.  Moms live in messes.  The toys, crumbs and spit-up are their natural surroundings.  Moms often feel like a mess.  They are exhausted, under-showered and hormonal.  Their past and present circumstances and decisions can leave them feeling inadequate for God's love and purposes.  Like they are the mess in question.

A Beautiful Mess reminds moms that beauty can come out of their difficult spots.  The grime of mothering young children brings the beauty of motherhood. The bruises of life can bring God’s redemption. Embrace Your Story reminds moms that their past, present and future can be used for good. God knows where each of us has been, where we are today and has set in motion where we are headed.

But what does it mean to Embrace Your Story? EMBRACE, to put your arms around and hold tight, to give a big bear hug, that says, you are mine.  All mine.  I take you just as you are.  A beautiful mess.  And it's YOUR story.  You know it like no one else does.  You are the expert.  No one can deny your life's experiences, your feelings, the You of who you are.  They are unique.  No one else has lived it or ever will.  And it is a STORY, it has a beginning, a middle and an end.  But you find yourself today in the middle.  You can examine the beginnings, understand them, embrace them.  You can see how the early chapters impact where the story is today.  And you can plan for the next chapters.  You are the main character in it.  Co-authoring your moves with THE AUTHOR of life.  The Artist of all creation created you and you are indeed A MASTERPIECE.

For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  Ephesians 2:10

 

Sulphur Creek on 8/27

We will have the last MOPS Playdate of the summer, tomorrow August 27 from 11am to 12:30pm at Sulphur Creek! Bring a picnic lunch and come visit the animals. Also, if you haven't registered for MOPS yet, bring along your form (download it here) and I'll make sure you are signed up.

Sulphur Creek Nature Center
1801 D Street, Hayward

Park Hours 10:00 am to 5:00 pm , Daily
Discovery Center 10:00 am to 4:30 pm, Daily

 

Sulphur Creek Nature Center is a wildlife education and rehabilitation facility whose mission is to promote the conservation of local environmental resources by fostering an appreciation and understanding of the animals in the world around us, and encouraging peaceful coexistence between people and native wildlife by serving as a community resource for wildlife issues.  Learn about the reptiles, amphibians, fish, and arthropods on display in the Discovery Center at Sulphur Creek. Birds and mammals of the area can be viewed in enclosures outside our buildings.

 

Directions to Sulphur Creek Nature Center

From Oakland/ San Francisco/ San Leandro or Fremont/ San Jose on 880:
Exit  ”A” Street. Proceed east 1.3 miles to Mission Blvd. turn right on Mission Blvd. left on “D” Street. Proceed 1.1 miles to the park, destination is on the right.

From Oakland/ San Leandro on 580:
Exit South 238/Hayward.   Follow Foothill Blvd. to the second City Center Drive (after Centennial Hall), turn left.    Make a right onto Second Street, and a left onto "D" Street, proceed 0.8 miles to park.

From Livermore/Pleasanton on 580:
Exit Castro Valley, left at light, left on Grove Way, left on Center Street, right on B Street, left on 7th Street, left on "D" Street, proceed 2 blocks to park.

On public Transportation:
AC Transit line #95 departs Hayward BART station and has a bus stop at Sulphur Creek's driveway. Call AC Transit at 511 for route departure and arrival times.

MOPS Early Registration in May

Early registration for MOPS 2013/2014 is tomorrow!  Register soon to secure your spot in Castro Valley MOPS for the fall.

Options for early registration:

*Pay $22 to join MOPS International during May (regular price is $24)

or

*Add another $63 to pay your CV MOPS dues for the full year - that's a total of $85 for an awesome year!  This price is available during May only.

Registration costs and dues in the fall:

*$24 to join MOPS International
and
*$77 dues for the year
or
*$28 dues per trimester

The option to pay per meeting dues will no longer be available.

Download and print the 2013 MOPS emergency form and bring it with you tomorrow to save your kids a place in MOPPETS!  We will begin a waiting list again once our MOPPETS program is full, so don't wait to register.  If you are unable to be at MOPS tomorrow, you can mail your form and check - email Christy at cmast@cvmops.org to get an address to send your registration to.  The early registration prices are effective for May only.

Scholarships are available - ask Christy, Julia, or Lena for a confidential scholarship form.

We look forward to having you join us for the 2013/2014 year!!!

Discipline by Design

Next Tuesday, March 26, Mentor Mom Esther will be sharing with us about "Discipline by Design."  Come hear how you can personalize your approach to parenting by considering the unique personality traits of your children.  The book that this advice is based on is now available as a free download, and here is the link:

Discipline to the Design of the Child

Hope to see you on Tuesday at MOPS!

Spa and Shopping Day Tomorrow!

Spa and Shopping Day tomorrow at MOPS!

We have a limited number of time slots available for massages and hairstyling, so come on time and sign-up for your spot before they are all gone. The sign-up table is in the back where we normally have the freebie table. (So don't bring freebies to give away tomorrow either - you can start bringing those again at our next meeting).

If you want, you can also bring some money to shop with as we have several women with home businesses who will be sharing their items with us.  Also be sure to visit our manicure/pedicure station - feel free to bring your favorite color nail polish if you want to relax and give yourself a manicure.   Genevieve will be leading us in a craft to make hair fascinators with pretty silk flowers and feathers.  We will also have some massage chairs, magazines, and a chocolate fountain - yum!

See you in the morning!