Raising Tinys

I first met Heidi Hildebrand in Germany where she and her husband were missionaries with the Navigators. I was nine and we played Monopoly. When I was twenty-two, I was driving my 30 year old BMW through Arizona where they had moved and were raising their three children. I stopped by for a quick visit, a sandwich and some car repairs. Mike and Heidi were one of those rare, inspirational couples that you just loved to be around. You couldn’t help but smile being around them. Their love of life, God, each other and those around them were infectious.Four years ago, I attended Heidi’s funeral. As her best friend spoke of her through tears, she recalled a comment Heidi once said to her that has stuck with me. “Wouldn’t it have been great if we could have raised our tinys together.” They had met once their children were school-aged. That comment comes back to me often as I think about the friendships I’ve made in the past 6 years, mostly friends who also have “Tinys”. I met most of these friends at MOPS and the friendships have stuck. I am deeply blessed, enriched and encouraged by them.

Daniel just started school and has left the tiny stage of life. My other friend’s kids are also entering a new phase of life. My friends have decided to be intentional about keeping these friendships going and growing. A couple of them have invited all of our similar aged kids over twice a month for “Basics Club” where these friendships will continue to grow between our kids. Our kids will have other friends whose families love God and who are learning how to love God and each other better as they grow up. When we look back on this time, I hope we say: “Aren’t we lucky we got to raise our Tinys together.”