About Me

I wanted to share with you some background about me, your host. I’m MaryAnne, but my friends call me Mare. I am a SAHM of three boys: Nicholas (9), Stephen (8), and Jacob (5). I have been married to Josef Rowinski for almost 10 years (our anniversary is September 8th), and we live in Victory Mills, NY, which is about 10 miles east of Saratoga Springs, in beautiful upstate NY.

I was one of six children. My mother struggled with many issues while raising all of us. She never had an outside support group, like MOPS. She relied solely on her own knowledge and upbringing.

I first heard about MOPS through my church, Temple Baptist Church of Halfmoon, NY. My husband and I were married there, but not members yet. I really didn't know many moms there, but decided to give it a try anyway. My oldest was starting Kindergarten then, and my youngest didn't like to stay with strangers. It was a bit of a challenge for me.

I sat alone. I felt alone. I kept thinking, “Someone will come over to talk to me any minute now.”

I could hear my son Jacob screaming in the nursery even with the door closed. Though Stephen, who was four years old, was happily enjoying his class, I almost got up to collect my children and leave. MOPS wasn’t right for me.

Something stopped me from leaving that day. Whether it was pride, or shame, or perhaps even my own stubbornness, I'm glad I stayed. I opened myself up for conversation, and met some wonderful women who seemed to have it all together on the outside.

But after getting to know them, I realized that they were just like me. They struggled with breastfeeding, they were sleep deprived, they fought with their toddlers to get them to eat, they tried to balance their time between children, household chores and husbands. 

MOPS was indeed for me! In fact, over the next few years, MOPS would become one of the things that I looked forward to the most each year.

This past year, my youngest started Kindergarten. I was so sad that I wouldn't have any preschoolers home with me to take to MOPS. I didn't want to miss it, so I volunteered to take on the role of creative activities leader. 

I love that our church supports our MOPS group. It brings so many new faces into our church, and into our lives. Because of MOPS, I have some very dear friends in my life now.

Thanks to all you MOPS leaders who dedicate your time and resources to MOPS. You really are making a difference!

Better moms make a better world.