A Mile High Mamas Welcome
A couple of years ago, a friend invited me to join her playgroup at Bellview Park. It was a glorious sunny day, the kind you relish as you watch your 1-year-old test out her wobbly legs like a baby bird taking flight.
As the mothers talked freely, the children played. They splashed in the stream, giggled on the train, squealed at the animals in the petting zoo and rolled in the grass. It was one of those times when everything just seemed right.
Until I met Daniel. Actually, it was my sweet daughter Hadley who instigated the introduction. She had wobbled over to a corner of the park about 30 feet away from our perch and had innocently plopped down beside this little boy. He was tow-headed, bespectacled and I will never forget his bottomless smiles. I will also never forget his accompanying oxygen tank.
I struck up a conversation with his mother. Daniel was just a couple months older than Hadley but half her size and severely handicapped. But this child emanated a light like I have never seen as he guilelessly watched the children play around him.
In those brief moments that we spoke, I had such a strong connection with this woman as she longingly looked over at our circle of friends. A voice screamed inside of me, “INVITE THEM OVER! She is in desperate need of companionship!”
But I did not.
I had my reasons, albeit superficial ones. After all, I did not know this woman, she did not know me. And besides, it was not even my playgroup; I was already crashing it. How would it appear if I invited a complete stranger over?
That woman has probably long forgotten that day.
I have not.
It made me do some serious self-examination regarding how we as women can be so amazingly supportive, thoughtful and loving. And yet also occasionally be judgmental, catty and cliquish.
Mile High Mamas has been created to banish these divisions and to create an online community that cares. A place that focuses on commonality, respects differences and where we can just laugh and be ourselves. Oh, and also be numbered among those who understand the importance of having really great shoes.
Because isnÂ’t that what being a Mile High Mama is all about….
i am so happy to see that you gals are up and running… full speed ahead.
i love what you have stated here regarding why mile high mamas was created and what your focus is. except for the shoes. i know i’m in the minority and i may not even be a normal woman, but i could care less about shoes (whoa! did i write that). please don’t hold it against me.
anyways, good luck with the site. i’ll be visiting often cuz i like you gals and i live in colorado!
YAY!! This welcome post says it all.
I feel welcome already
Thank you, Amber, for inviting me to join this magnificent cast of mamas (and daddy)!
Congrats on your launch!
This is going to be so much fun. Thank you, Amber!
I hope you flogged yourself several times for that. The site looks great! I wanna have a baby and move to Denver now…
Yes, thanks Amber! I appreciate being part of the fun!
That was me, Aimee, by the way!
Good luck to you all with the site… Gonna link ya, even tho’ technically I’m JUST a momma…;)
congrats!
Hey, congratulations Amber. Love the look of the site and I am looking forward to reading more.
Very nice post and something I think about continually.
I’m moving to Denver just to join this blog and meet you all!
Congrats! The site is great!
So glad you’re up and running! I’ll be visiting here often.
Wonderful! And congratulations!
Congratulations! The site looks lovely and is sure to be a big hit!
What a GREAT first post, Amber!
Love what you gals have done with the place;)
Congrats on the new site! I will add it to my links list and take the time to read the rest of this. For now, I bounced over here from your other site to give you a photo contest idea. “Best Got-Into-Mommy’s-Makeup Photo.” You’d get a lot of good ones for that, and I’ll be the first to submit mine!
You want to see a good marker face picture? I’ll have to post mine again. It was nightmarish. It’s just too bad I didn’t get a picture of the time my daughter literally covered both arms to the elbow in purple marker.
This is a beautiful post. Thank you for reminding us all that we have to stop comparing and be more accepting and supportive of one another. Looks like this will be a great place to visit.
Good job on getting this up and running. I think that it will be a lot of fun. We’ve all got tips and things that work for us as mom’s that perhaps might just work for others as well. It looks great…and even though I haven’t checked out the breast-feeding link yet, I’m sure that it is just fine too.
Thanks for all the great comments! Let’s get this thing rolling!!
I was beginning to wonder if I was the only blogger in Denver—watching others have fun local gatherings, etc.
Congratulations, and thank for visiting Lifenut.
Congratulations on the new site. I love the name even though I’m a flatlander at sea level — and with this post, it has a second meaning, I believe….