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Speaker 1:
"Hey Mom!"

Speaker 2:
Meeting friends as a mom to me always felt a lot like dating. Like, are they going to like me? Do I ask for their number?

I was always really really nervous but the girls that I met, even though there were several of them that all obviously known each other a while they were just so nice and included me and made me feel really welcomed and just made me want to keep coming back.

Speaker 3:
I have enjoyed getting to know moms that are intentional about being good mom. It's really hard in a society that we live in to find moms that really, really, like, take their time to really just be better people so that their children can grow up with a good mom.

Speaker 4:
At first, I was kind of concerned, it appeared to be a faith based group. And then I'd spoken to some of the girls who I'm in the junior league with and asked them about their experience within The Buggy Bunch. And they assured me since I'm not a religious person, that it was very open, everybody was really awesome. And just being able to get together with people who are going through the same things and it's just been a great group of women that I've been working out with and just doing stuff outside.

Speaker 5:
I just love it for, you know, myself, I made a lot of friends and my kids made a lot of friends and, you know, gives us something to do all the time.

I've never even felt any type of pressure at all to, you know, attend church or attend Bible study, or any, you know, religious beliefs pushed on me or my kids. So I really like that because, you know, no, we don't go to church and eventually you know, that that'll be my kids decision. You know what they want to do? I'll bring them if they like it, but Buggy Bunch has never pushed anything upon us.

Speaker 6:
For me personally, I didn't really have any mommy friends beforehand. So I would just, you know, be sitting around home all day. So it's nice to have adults to talk to who are going through the same thing I am as a mom. And just to relate on that level, especially in this phase in our life is a big deal.

Speaker 7:
"Do your kids like The Buggy Bunch?"

Speaker 6:
Oh, yes, yeah, they've made especially my two year old because I bring her to school most of the time, but she's made so many little friends and it's really helped her, we're working on sharing.

Speaker 8:
I had the opportunity to teach one of the classes, that's an exercise class at the park. And I have a lot of moms that come out to that for the first time because it's a little less intimidating. You know, it's not a Bible study. And sometimes they'll they'll, you know, kind of come in and check it out first. But what I see is I see other moms encouraging them as well. They feel part of a group. And so with that acceptance, people share they open up and when people open up, these moms are getting ministered to, and I'll tell you what, there's nothing better than a mom that truly believes truth about herself. That's gonna turn around and change the world. It changes in her family first, it changes in our community here and then it just continues to spread.

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My life was a mess. I got pregnant at 17 in high school, dropped out, typical 17 year old babies dad didn't stick around, I found someone else that would validate me in the wrong ways, and married them quickly, without love. Had another child. Of course, that turned into divorce. It wasn't a true marriage. And then I was a single mom of two kids in a house by myself, and I found another boyfriend because that's how I was validated. I invited him to move in, in a few months. And he brought drugs into my house, and I realized that I was out of control, and that my two young children were in this house with drugs in it. One day, my son came home from school and he had a Buggy Bunch card. And I didn't know what The Buggy Bunch was, but I looked on their website, and I found a Bible study. And I went to the Bible study, and I went into this room. And there were a few ladies there that acted like they've known me my whole life. And they loved on me and were so excited that I came. I found the strength to get this drug addict out of my house. And I've made the deepest relationships I've probably ever had. The Buggy Bunch taught me that it's not about what you wear when you go to church, you know, how you pray. They taught me that this is a relationship that needs to be nurtured. And and there's love there to be had.

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Speaker 1:

I'm thankful for The Buggy Bunch, because we moved here two weeks before our firstborn was born. His his delivery wasn't easy. And it was a little complicated. But with the transition, there came a couple other challenges besides just the delivery, but just, you know, living in a new place and taking over a new job. And during that time, when I wasn't able to be there, there were people in The Buggy Bunch that were able to come in and reach out to Jamie and give her a call or send her a Facebook message and have someone that could just come and give her a hug during the day and to tell her that, hey, you're, you know, it's okay to feel the way you're feeling. And we know this time is difficult, but, you know, here's some opportunities for you to be involved or, hey, here's just a time where you can just come and sit and watch and be around people that could be experiencing, you know, things that are similar to you.

Speaker 2:

When you're a new parent, you run into a lot of questions or things that your children are doing, and you think that you're the only one experiencing them creates some stress. So when Sarah joined The Buggy Bunch, she met other moms and realized, hey, there's a lot of people facing the situations that we were facing, a lot of the things that we do now as young parents, or with other people that are members of The Buggy Bunch. And that's been a very valuable experience for both us and our children. Another benefit that The Buggy Bunch has had impacting her life and mine as well as is the fact that it's opened our hearts and helped us explore our faith, more so than I ever have in my life. And I know she's revisiting it and it's, it's been wonderful both for our marriage and and I imagine for our children as they grow up.

Speaker 1:

And if it wasn't for the intentionality of The Buggy Bunch and seeking her out and not letting her fall through the cracks, those have been, you know, you know, lifelong friends and people that we're just, you know, we hope to do you know, the rest of life with.

Speaker 2:

The Buggy Bunch's impact on the community here is that it supports families at the highest level. And when you look at what makes a community special is families and the sense of belonging and I believe that's what The Buggy Bunch is fostering in all of its programs. And we have experienced that firsthand.

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Speaker 1:
My greatest struggle as a mom is just think pressures when you're, you know, on Facebook or to be that Pinterest mom and think like "everybody's got it all together all the time" and you know that "everyone has their teeth brushed and hair perfect and out the door." That's not real life. And so when we can go into Buggy Bunch and be real and know, you know, today was a hard morning, you know, just be able to share it with others and have them praying for you and praying for others and that's sometimes you know, I, I need the support of others. But then other days I can meet a lady who is going through something that maybe I've already been through, and I can help her.

Speaker 2:
So to start off with, we did the exercise group which was a mommy and me exercise group, which is an amazing bunch of women and a physical fitness trainer that actually came to the Charles Park area and we got to do a good 30 to an hour workout, which was all different levels: there were me being the pregnant Mommy, and then others that had children ranging from a few weeks to a few years old. So that was an awesome group of women. And I did get to make a few friends out of the class as well that I met. So that one was an awesome event. As well as we've gotten to the diaper closet, which is a monthly thing. So every month we we come in to visit and we set goals so I get to pick out a new thing that I want to work on for the next month and plan which I'm really good at. So I've got my calendar with me and I mark everything down as far as you know when I have all my other classes and events that we try to go to as well. Miss April has been invaluable to me. She actually comes into the restaurant where I work at the Green Marlin and I know they've done some events there through the Buggy Bunch as well. So it's been kind of cool to know that there's a personal connection when when I go to the Buggy Bunch, she's been she's been awesome.

Speaker 3:
See I was pregnant with George my oldest when I found out about the Buggy Bunch through radio, I think it was the radio. And there was a playgroup at a playground like two blocks from where we lived at the time. And so I was like seven, eight months pregnant. So I waddled down to the park and wanted to make some mommy friends, and it ended up they were two families there that went to the same church that we were going to and so that was a nice connection there. I got to know them. Got plugged in with them and the Bible studies has just been a huge encouragement for focus on being a wife, and not just a mom, it's always a good reminder that I'm supposed to be a wife first, and then a mom second. So once I'm in a Bible study, like, it's just my mind gets in the right place. And but when I don't have the Bible study, I seem to forget that aspect of it all. So I really enjoy the Bible studies. It gives you that support group, it's very easy to become isolated as a mom. So it's been a good village to have to raise kids with.

Speaker 4:
And I actually always thought the Buggy Bunch was just for women that had small children. And so I found out that was not the case. And got to know lots of women from all different walks of life, different ages, different stages of parenting. And it was so awesome to glean from other women in the body of Christ. And so we're there to support each other and pray for each other and lift each other up. And give advice when asked for it. And just not only just developing close relationships with women, but helping each other cultivate a relationship with God. So I would say my greatest struggle as a mom is that I was a single parent, so not having the Dad and they're not having his support. And so it's great to be able to come and have some other women, build you up and give you some wisdom of you know, what they've been through too, and being able to help you in that struggle. And letting you know, you're not alone. Even though you're a single parent, you're still not alone. There's lots of people that can rally around you and help provide resources, means.

Speaker 5:
I was able to stay home once our second child was born, and it was wonderful and it was also profoundly lonely, and the buggy bunch offered other mothers who were going through the same thing and mothers who were just a couple steps ahead of me. So they could sort of mentor me through the difficult times with young children.

Speaker 6:
It did yeah, the camping trips were really exciting. It like she said, it was really great that the kids were able to run around and play they the on the first camping trip, they ran around the entire camp circle because all the other families and kids that were there were were also with the Buggy Bunch and so we didn't have to worry that they were out running and playing, you know, and enjoying themselves. And you know, we got to have a group camp out and Bible study and they had children's stories read to them and it was just a really great time.

Speaker 7:
I was in my diaper closet appointment, and we were talking about furthering my education and this Miss April of The Buggy Bunch introduce me to someone at Ocean who they organization with. Her name is Tara. And I am working with her finishing my education, getting my GED and further than going into college, for my medical assistant is very helpful because without Buggy Bunch I would not know where I'd be.

Speaker 8:
So it's very beneficial that the Buggy Bunch offers these free activities. As I already mentioned, the diaper closet, the playgroups, the during the day activities and the date nights for families that struggle or are in a strict budget. And it's just nice to have options that are free for our kids.

Speaker 9:
Kristi going to The Buggy Bunch Women's Studies when we found out that they were doing couple's studies we got pretty excited about that. They did child care, we could go out that just the two of us we could get together with other couples

Speaker 10:
and just the Bible study alone is kind of like a date night. Yeah. We're able to also have date nights built into the Bible study, which is a lot of fun. And not having to worry about, you know, paying more than the date cost and child care. But having that child care provided is pretty amazing.

Speaker 9:
And this Bible study, where we're, we're learning, you know, get closer to God. And the closer you get to God, the closer you're going to get to each other and the better your marriage will be in the closer, closer you'll be.

Speaker 10:
Yeah, I think Buggy Bunch Bible studies are different than a lot of church studies that I have been a part of in the years past, just because of the people and at church a lot of times you come together with ladies you know, they're they're great, but a lot of them have grown up in the church. They know a lot about the Bible, which is awesome but in Buggy Bunch you have people who are new Christians, we have seasoned Christians who have been, you know, in the church for years and years, you have people that don't know God a lot, and I think it's a great witness tool as well, because then, you know, you're getting spiritually fed, but others are getting spiritually fed as well. And it's not just you know, this is all I know, this is what I know. But we are pouring our lives into others too, and helping them grow at the same time.

Speaker 11:
We love the amazing dates. Yeah.

Speaker 12:
Yeah. They've been really amazing.

Speaker 11:
And you would think that, that I would maybe be hesitant about like the questions and the packets that come with it and just want the free childcare but we actually did really enjoy the questions and stuff and they prompted some really good conversation.

Speaker 12:
Absolutely. And you know, that the kids know the other kids in childcare, so that's another great thing. It's, it's not just free childcare. It's, it's a playdate for them and they're having a good time. And we can almost just not even prepare for it. We just are excited to see what the packet has for us. And you know, when you have little children sometimes it's hard to break away. And it's really important for mom and dad to have some time by themselves and out of the house and The Buggy Bunch has supported that.