Friends are a Blessing

As I sit here typing, I am listening to Briggs play so nicely with his new friend from school who came over for an afternoon playdate.  The girls were invited over to play with some of their friends this afternoon, leaving the house free for the boys to enjoy.  We have relished some beautifully nice August weather by playing with neighborhood friends, hanging out with friends at sporting events, going swimming with friends, hosting play dates with friends.  As the school year starts and the kids get settled, I am continually thankful for the friendships, both new and old, that fill my life and the lives of my kids.

When the kids were younger, play dates were hard.  Supervising and organizing and cleaning up messes and ensuring everyone was playing nicely together required a lot of time and energy.  Sometimes it just wasn't worth it.

Visiting with other moms during those early playdates was always the goal, but often it was not the reality.  The constant needs and supervision made uninterrupted time to talk very limited.  And sometimes the energy required to begin and foster a new friendship with another mom was a little daunting.

Once kids and their schedules entered the equation, maintaining old friendships was also tricky.  Scheduling times to get together with non-local friends was difficult and opportunities to get together with them was often far less than I desired.

But times change.  Kids grow up.  Priorities shift.  Play dates now become a great way to keep my kids entertained and happy.  They enjoy finding friends to play with at playgrounds and parks and sporting events and school activities.  They can go off to play without constant supervision or concern. 

With the increased ease of my kids' friendships, visiting with other moms and making new mom friends requires less as well.  Visiting on the deck or chatting as kids are dropped off or meeting up for spontaneous outings is easier.  Having the time to get to know one another at school pick up and sporting events and kids activities increases with less immediate child needs.  And as the kids go off together to play, relationships with our kids' friends' parents deepen as well.

All of my kids have found themselves with such sweet friends.  Friends from school.  Friends from church.  Friends from activities.  Friends from the neighborhood.  And many of the kids' friends' families have become our good friends as well.  

I am so thankful for the friends that God has brought into our lives.  We are meant to live together in community and relationship with others.  As Covid eases into the background and time opens up, we are relishing these opportunities to grow in our friendships.

Life is just better with friends!