When Jules Weidman moved to rural Michigan, a family friend encouraged her to visit a new MOPS group, which happened to meet right across the street from her home. Her past experience at MOPS had been great, but there was something different about her new MOPS experience — the moms made an effort to get involved beyond the meeting.
When her group almost had to stop meeting, Jules was one of the moms to step up and join the Leadership Team. She knew moms needed MOPS, but had no idea how much their community would need MOPS in the coming months.
Jules’ close friend, the Coordinator for the group, stepped down when her young son was diagnosed with cancer. The women rallied around the family, spearheading a fundraiser selling bracelets (it went global!) to help support the family’s expenses. They stepped in with meals and calls and childcare and, most importantly, by being present. They knew this was more than just a few meals for a family; it was standing alongside their friend and fellow mom as she faced her most difficult moments.
Less than a month after standing with their friend at her son’s graveside, another MOPS mom in their group faced gut-wrenching tragedy with the loss of her infant daughter. Her death was sudden, but the MOPS group jumped in to help in every way they could: They cried with their grieving friend. They helped with funeral expenses. They provided food and took trips to Walmart. They stood with her at her daughter’s funeral.![](http://www.mops.org/images/cms_images/gathering-together-1.jpg" /></p>
<p class="BasicParagraph">Jules’ voice changes when she talks about how this changed their group — cementing them together through moments big and small. The moms at Caro Area MOPS group lean on each other more. They stand in the gap for their sisters, and they have each other’s backs. During one MOPS year, they laughed together, cried together, and stood together next to two small gravesites. They are learning what it means to be brave. <i>Together</i>.</p>
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This originally appeared inHello, DarlingSpring 2015. If you didn’t get a copy and would like your own, you cansubscribeto getHello, Darlingin your mailbox every season. If you subscribe, forward your receipt tomagazines@mops.organd we’ll shoot a copy of the current issue in the mail to you for free … just because we like you.
