...it really does take a village to raise a child. Now that I'm a mom I'm really starting to understand what that means. My new friend Amber and I have been discussing this a little bit, which has caused me to contemplate the idea even more. When I am around my neighbors and friends whose parents all live in the same towns or 15 minutes away from them, I realize that I am a bit of an outcast since my family is 4 hours away.

For example, when Toby and I get a last minute invite to see a movie we have to either A) say no or B) one of us go see it while the other stays home (which is totally not fun). Most of my friends just call their parents and say "Hey we're going to a movie tonight, are you around to watch my kid(s)?" Or another example is when James is screaming hysterically, my Mom can't just pop over to my house and teach me the right way to comfort him.

While relying on each other and learning to rely on our friends and neighbors can be a very good thing, there is something about having family come up beside you and help you raise your children that is both comforting and important. Perhaps this is why we rely so heavily upon our brothers and sisters in Christ. What a blessing to have surrogate grandparents and parents who check on us every week to make sure we are ok. How amazing it is to have sisters in our church who are walking the same path, trying to raise their children without extended family so that we must stick together and encourage one another.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. If you are one of these people that I mentioned who are part of that village helping us raise our child, I admonish you for your faithfulness and kindness. You're indispensable!