The nights our little village has the local farmer’s market and music in the park are like summer magic.
I find myself writing about these nights often because they are somewhat of a dream come true for me.

We moved to our small town about 8 years ago now, and for 4.5 years we knew basically no one. Not even our neighbors.

We worked and went to church outside of our town, much like everyone else here, and there was no real gathering place outside of the local bars which wasn’t really our scene.

But then we finally had our first long awaited baby and around that same time a little coffee shop opened up on our tiny Main Street. With one quick message sent out on the next door app, a Moms Group was formed and over the next 4.5 years I have had the utmost privilege of watching and helping it flourish and connect nearly every mama in our village with young children.

A total God thing because if I’m being honest…moms groups weren’t really something I was into despite me being the founder of one.
I struggled with community before this. I struggled with self confidence after quite honestly a lifetime of trying to fit into friend groups where I just never really fit all the way in. Friendships with other women were really hard for me. I have about 3 friends from childhood/teenage years I hear from every once in awhile. The number of friends I made in college…is one. Church friendships were also for some reason really hard for me.

But motherhood friendships have been something entirely different. They’ve become the friendships I’ve prayed for my whole life. The women in this village have become my extended family. They’re the people I get to text in the middle of the night while nursing my baby for the 10th time. They’re the women who show up on each other’s front steps with hot meals, or an extra slice of cake, or a bag of kids clothes, or an encouraging note taped to my front door when my family falls sick for what feels like the millionth time.

And on the nights we gather for the farmers market and lay our blankets (or rugs) out at music in the park, they are the village pillars that stand watch together as our babies and kids run through the grass playing tag while the sounds of banjos and fiddles play in the background.

They are the laughter at the end of the day. They are the shoulder to lean on in a hard year or moment. They are the encouragement to keep growing as a Mom and as a human. They are friends. They are sisters. They are family.

When the seeds for our mom village were planted 4.5 years ago, I had no idea what was about to grow. Or if anyone would even show up to that first coffee meetup.

And now I can’t imagine life without this village.

A trendy thing to say in motherhood culture today is, “Where is the village I was told would show up!? Where is my village!?”

Sometimes…all your village needs is an invitation. A seed planted. An open door. A readiness to say “will you be part of my village? I’m willing to be part of yours”

One thing I’ve learned as a mother is that we’re better together. (Knowing the mamas who live in this community has also allowed me a front seat to their creativity, passions, ideas, strengths, and love. When we team up to combine all these things with each other, we’re unstoppable.)

I have also learned that most of us start out really lonely.
I hear that so often. And society doubles down on it, that motherhood is lonely.

But a simple coffee invitation on a whim has changed the world for me. It has also impacted my kids, who are growing up knowing what it looks like and feels like to be loved within the arms of a community of moms who love and support each other.

And I’ll never stop being grateful for that.

If you’re a mom who feels lonely and without a village today…as hard as it may seem, I want to encourage you to just reach out and invite someone in. Chances are, there are moms all around you just waiting to be invited.