Being a mom brings with it another dream: finding your soul-mommy. What is a soul mommy, you ask? Simple. A soul mommy is another mother who completes you in all things motherhood. She is strong where you are weak, can finish your thoughts, leads her house in all the ways you do. There can be a secret silent language between the two of you. She is the one you would trust to not only watch your children, but even nurse them if the situation called for it. She is the one you call to vent, to chat, to laugh, to drink wine with. She will not judge you but only look at you with a knowing eye and completely understand.
Just as there is with your soulmate, an instant "knowing" or spark can occur when meeting your soul mommy. Normally you will have a child (or children) close in age. You will share similar, if not the same, beliefs in raising your family. The research that you are spending all hours of the night conducting is the same that she is up questioning. Not only will you fit with her, but your children will mysteriously fit as well.
It is a rare occurrence when your child has a friend who she not only loves but gets along with every time she's around. Nothing more than slight whining occurs. Sharing happens naturally. Laughing is on the agenda throughout the hours spent together. It is wonderful.
I was blessed to meet my soul mommy when my daughter was only 7 months old. We met at a playdate, instantly saw fireworks, and we never looked back. (good thing our husbands liked one another too!) I had the honor of living just minutes away from her for 14 months. We saw each other just about every day, and still felt the need to dial each other's number the few hours we were apart.
Then it was time to move. I have moved from best friends before. It sucks. I actually had to move away from the greatest group of mommy friends I have ever known when Scarlett was just half a year old. I knew that I would still see them frequently, as they lived minutes from my in-laws. Saying good-bye to my soul mommy (who resides on rainbow row in Charleston); however, was a very emotional moment. We said we would visit once a month, as the drive is only 2.5 hours. But you know how that goes... life happens. Gas prices soar. The economy continues to tank. More babies are born. We visit as often as we can afford though, and our connection has not dwindled, but distance has made our hearts sad.
This post came to me as John and I are preparing to throw a farewell party this afternoon for our friends in Savannah who are moving to Sweden in the upcoming weeks. They have been more than just neighbors and friends, but the mommy portion of the partnership had become my go-to mommy friend here in town. She lived within walking distance, shared the same natural lifestyle, and was a stay-at-home mom. I frequented her house as often as did mine. We learned from each other and grew as mothers and women. I am so sad to see her leave, but beyond happy for her that she is taking her family back to where she dreams of being.
Now, my Savannah mommy friend is different than my true soul mommy, but she has become such a wonderful constant in my day-to-day life that I do not know what I will do without her. As I am prepping for this afternoon's party (homemade baked beans have been simmering away, cornbread is baking, and egg-free chocolate chip cookies are already being taste-tested), I am brought back to when we moved away from Charleston. My heart is heavy and sad... and I am missing my soul mommy more than ever.
This post was not suppose to be sad, I promise! It was to inspire you as a mom to seek your soul mommy! Once you have found her, never let her go. Grow old together. Share stories from your past, make memories in the present, and dream of your future mommyhood together. And please remember to have someone take pictures of the tw of you (and not just of your children together!)
The day we met:
A few fun pictures of the girls playing:
