I didn’t realize how sleep deprived I was until I tried to have an actual conversation with another adult this week. A friend asked when my baby was born, and my mind was blank! All I could think of was that Cooper was 7 weeks old. So I answered stupidly, “He’s seven weeks…” {my brain finally started to register that she was wanting to know what day in particular he was born} “…So………November…twenty…seventh,” I tacked on. Whew!

What mom forgets her son’s birthday? A mom who isn’t sleeping, that’s who.

I’m discovering that even though it’s a TON of work, I need to burst out of the Baby Bubble every once in a while. And by Baby Bubble, I’m referring to my current lifestyle of {almost} never leaving home, changing diapers, nursing, potty training, soothing an infant, occupying a toddler, desperately trying to establish a good sleep routine, and doing enough housework to get by. Right now my life seems to be one continuous load of laundry!

Our little family actually made it out the door in time to attend our church’s special worship service with Open Door Baptist Mission’s church planters on Wednesday night. Getting to the service on time was quite an accomplishment, but I was ever so thankful for the time spent with friends.

Open Door Baptist Mission is Pastor Ryan’s mission board, based out of Morningside Baptist Church in Greenville, SC. For the second time, Crossroad Baptist hosted ODBM’s Church Planter’s Retreat.

We were happy to visit again with Larry Hobbes, pastor of Maple Hills Church. We first met Pastor Hobbes in 2009 at Arch Ministries‘ National Church Planting Conference when we were looking for a church plant to partner with. {Read more about our 2009 survey trip out West here: part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4.}

We reconnected with Harry and Lynn Dodd at the conference too. The Dodds serve churches, organizations, families and individuals through Aaron & Hur Ministries–a financial management ministry affiliated with Arch Ministries. Harry and Lynn stayed with us in our condo, back in 2009 when they held a financial seminar at our church. {Click here to read about the amazing way God financially provided for us during the week of that seminar. God is good.}

It was refreshing to see Pastor Greg Wright again! He was my pastor for one year when I taught at Westside Christian School in St. George, Utah after graduating from college. That was one of the most exciting and pivotal years in my life! God placed me at Westside Baptist Church, under Pastor Greg’s ministry, where I began to mature in more ways that I could probably articulate. What a greenhouse it was–so conducive to the flourishing of my spirit and personhood.

In our conversation this past Wednesday, God again used Pastor Greg to speak truth into my life that I’ve been meditating on ever since. Mentors are one of God’s many good gifts to us along our journey of life. Pastor Greg’s influence in my life always edifies, and I came away from the night joyful at God’s goodness.

I’m so glad we made the effort to burst out of our Baby Bubble.  But, if I stare at you blankly or have trouble replying to your question, please know that my sleep deprived “mom brain” just doesn’t have all the brain cells it used to!