Monday nights

I just got home from my women's group at church. I co-lead a group of moms of teenagers in our church with an old friend. Her kids are 25, 23, 20, and 16 (all boys except the 23 year old) and teaches school 2 days a week. We meet every Monday night for 1.5-2 hours and do some book/Bible study every other week, do a service project once a month, and a fun night once a month. Tonight was the service project and we were making goodies for each of the junior high/high school leaders at church. We had so many ideas of ways we could do stuff for others, that we couldn't possibly do them all, so will have to take one at a time. We are trying to include newer folks as we have so much fun.
I am an includer. I think everybody should be part of my activities or at least feel welcome to come. I don't think anybody should have to be alone, but I realize some people just don't like to belong to stuff. I can understand it as it is really hard to get out of my house after working all day. Yet it is always so much fun going. Even when my teens were little, I enjoyed getting out once a week without them. I think it is important for them to know that I have a life outside of just them. Of course I really have to suffer for it sometimes as I end up helping with homework or talking to them when I get home and end up staying up later than intended. What is it about teenagers that they come alive about 11 pm -- the time I am trying to get to bed? I want to be available no matter how late when they want to talk to me. My older sons moved out into an apartment last December with a couple of other nice college boys. I am so happy that even though my 22 year old and 21 year old sons are so very different, they still want to live together. And my other 3 are always going over to their apartment to go in their hot tub or pool or play Wii with them. I truly am blessed. We may be super poor money wise but we are rich in so many other ways. Thank you, Lord!