Aw Bummer! and Day Seven in Sarasota

Well I was disappointed this morning when I woke up and discovered that Harmony was trying to reach me over night at the birth center because she had lost my cell phone number, and she had another woman in labor. So I missed the birth, but the confusion has been straightened out now and everyone has my cell phone number so I shouldn't miss any more. There are plenty of births happening around here this month, but it still would have put me one step closer to coming home, so I am a little disappointed that I missed it. I am home sick and 7 more births just seems like a *lot* to me, especially since I have all this down time just waiting. It probably wouldn't be as bad if I were in or nearer Orlando because there I have a *ton* of friends whom I'd love to be visiting with and such, however I am here in Sarasota and just not willing to go that far away with all of these births pending. Of course, I have my wonderful blog, facebook, and work on MTB Moodle to also help distract me.

So this is day seven in Sarasota, and my day is looking pretty uneventful. I will spend much of today working on MTB Moodle and trying to get that all finished, and then probably practicing my suturing. Might venture out to look for the Walmart, haven't decided yet. I do need to buy some more motor oil for my van before I head back up north, I just emptied my last 5qt container, and I try not to go without having some in the van for when I need it. I think I may also go through my NARM paperwork and see if there is anything left that Linda can sign off on for me, as I'm trying to make sure all my ducks are in a row.

I'd like to try to get home sooner rather than later, as I also have the Midwifery Today conference in April that I am going to, and I'd like to try to make sure I get to see my guy before then, and I'd like to love on my kids a bit before then too. It's hard to believe that by the time I get back home it will only be around 8 more weeks before they go stay with their dad. Time sure is flying in some ways, and dragging in other ways.

I got an update from Andrea, and our only "due" mom is doing good. She is due on March 13 so I will probably miss her birth, which is a bummer. But I traded one birth for 8, I think I got a pretty good deal LOL!

So, as it is, back to work on MTB, and I'll write more if my day becomes interesting!!

<3

Opportunities are There for Those who are Open to Seeing Them!

So, as my schooling begins coming to a close, and I scramble to finish my clinicals in order to sit for my exam, God presents more ways for me to do so. I am so blessed!

A fellow student offered me an airline ticket (stand by) if I went to the Philippines with her in June. Going to the Philippines would seal the deal for me to be able to sit for my exam maybe even as soon as October of this year! It is $700 for the month, and includes room and board. That really isn't a bad price, but would be a strain on my budget.

Then I got an offer to go to South Carolina (or rather, I begged an offer out of her LOL!) And so now I have two options to finish up my primaries, and the doors of opportunity have opened! I will keep you all updated on which I will choose, but I am tenatively calling myself *done* with my numbers thanks to the amazing help of many midwives!

<3
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Day Three in Sarasota!

My day two in Sarasota was amazing, as I am sure you can guess by my half of a post! LOL! Christina texted me late Wednesday night and said the other midwife at Rosemary Birthing Home (her name is Harmony) would probably be calling me during the night for a birth. The midwives here seemed to have pulled together for me to help me get these last few numbers in. I have been drowning in Blessings lately and I can only hope that God provides the last five primary that I will need to sit for my exam next February, or opens another opportunity (and I notice it and take heed!) At least. Five. That number seems so much less intimidating to me than twelve did. I have faith that I can pull off five. Somehow.

So the birth with Harmony was very refreshing for me. It was a water birth, which I am extremely unlikely to see in Tennessee with my current preceptor. Harmony also repaired some very minor lacerations of which would not have been sutured with my current preceptor. Because one of the biggest skills I hope to learn here is suturing, I was happy for the learning experience.

Birth is always a waiting game, and now I wait patiently for more, and in the interim I soak up as much knowledge from these amazing midwives as I can, I practice my suturing, and I bask in the sisterhood of the Sarasota midwives, reminding myself that there are midwives out there who practice much closer to the way I envision myself practicing (next year!). I am thankful for the kindness I have found here in Sarasota, and for the reminder that I am not crazy.

Day three might end up being a down time day, if no births happen. There is no clinic today, and unfortunately it appears that it will be too cold to go to the beach, at least for swimming. We'll see and I am sure that you will hear more about my day either today or tomorrow :)

<3
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I am so Blessed!!

I try to remember to count and name my blessings often, especially when things look down or difficult or even darn near impossible. Tonight I have many blessings, including being able to be there for the women at the clinic. However, this post isn't about my local women.

I have been offered an amazing opportunity to go work with my former preceptor for 3-4 weeks to work in the official role of "birth assistant" but be able to count the 8 births as births as an active participant. These will be the *last* 8 I require on this form!! Not only do I feel blessed to be able to work with her again (it is my opinion that she is an amazing woman and midwife!) But I am also blessed to be able to be there for her clients this month as well!

Thanks to this amazing opportunity (which was just too good to pass up!) I will be *only* four clients short of my goal in order to sit for my exam in February of 2011!! I can't believe it! That number is *completely* attainable and will most likely happen!! I am so excited!! What a long, and tumultuous (but blessed!) journey I have taken.

And thus the count down continues!!

The Countdown Continues!

I have been counting down for how many more clients we need (on top of our current client load) in order for Andrea and I to sit for our NARM exam. We are aiming for taking the exam in February of 2011 which means we have to have all of our paperwork turned in by October 2010. Right now I need only 12 more clients to come due before then, and Andrea needs 17 more. Combined we need a total of about 22 more, and then we will be done getting all of our numbers for the exam! I am so excited that it actually seems more possible to me now than it did just a few months ago!
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Finally, A School Day!

My kids have been out of school and were "blessed" with a four day weekend this past weekend, due to weather. Though I know they thought it was super cool, their mommy, on the other hand, has become behind on her work as a result! Oh what I wouldn't do for high speed internet at my house so that I could work while home with the kids!

So today they are all finally back in school (yay!) and their mommy is back to work here at the clinic. Today we have the final ultrasound for our twins mommy before she has her babies (which should be some time this month!) and then just cleaning and organizing around the clinic. I should be working on MTB MOODLE today, but I just feel swamped with things here to do, so I am going to put it off for a few more days. Once I get working on it, I will probably finish getting it all live within a day.

Tomorrow I believe Andrea is going to come to the clinic so we can practice our skills for the skills assessment that we will have to take later this year. It is day one of practicing, we'll see how it goes! I will probably look through the book today and see which skills we will practice tomorrow, I am super organized and it works out for both of us that I am, because we can be very efficient with our time. We don't have any clients to see tomorrow, but we do have another *very* busy Thursday, as we have so many people do in the next few months and it is filling our clinic days very fast.

I think I am going to suggest to Linda that we offer an alternative clinic day to, at least during this busy part of the year, as we are booking up every week pretty much with clients, and it seems that we may end up with overflow here in another week or two!

I am watching the clients keep coming in, and hoping that we manage to get all of our numbers in time to sit for our exam in February of next year, but I would appreciate prayers, and referrals to the clinic! LOL!!

My baby's birthday is coming up. He was born on Valentine's day of 2005. And no, I was not induced! I am going to post his birth story on here in a few days, when I manage to track it down online. I'll have to ask the mothers from the parenting group in Florida that I founded to see if one of them will look it up in the group archives.

We are still waiting on a baby, who is due this Thursday, and I expect the baby will come Saturday or Sunday. We also have one mom who is teetering on the edge of labor but we're all praying she keeps the baby in for another 13 days, so she will be 37 weeks. Prayers for her would be appreciated.

The Count Down Continues

The count down continues...as seems to be the center of my life right now. We currently have 17 clients due before October, and I need 15 more in order for me to sit for my NARM exam in February 2011. I pray on a daily basis that these numbers appear out of no where for me. I pray that we have a full 10 months with lots of beautiful births. I pray that I find a way to save the money for my Skills Assessment with the QE (it will be $700) and then that I also find a way to save the money for the actual exam (another $700). I pray for the ability to absorb as much knowledge as I can all at once.

Andrea needs another 20 on top of the numbers that we have, and I am hoping they come quickly for both of us. We really do need to get this finished and get our licenses. If I had the money, I'd just go to the Philipeans and finish my numbers there, but that is just not possible in my current life. So, let the women keep coming. They seem to keep coming.

I have a slow week scheduled for this week, with not much planned on non-clinic days. I will spend most of the week just trying to finish the MTB moodle website, I am almost there! I only have 5.5 more units to go live, and then I can start doing more nitpicky stuff on it!

Our twins mommy needs your special prayers right now as well. We are praying that these babies begin to cooperate and turn to the most desirable head down position prior to her next ultrasound which is February 2nd. Please pray for this family!

We are currently waiting on one mom who could have her baby at any time, but whom we do not expect to go into labor until mid week next week. Pray that she has a beautiful, easy labor and a healthy baby!

Until then!

Updates to my blog!

So, MOODLE was driving me crazy today (or rather, my firefox on my netbook was) and so I decided to spend the day fussing with my blog. For a self-taught website designer, my blog looked pretty shabby, and shameful! LOL! So now, introducing my new and improved "look" with my very own custom made header even!! Yup, those three cuties up there *insert up arrow* are my kiddos, the littlest is Bobby, the middle is Tori and the oldest is Tommy. That picture was taken outside of St. Jude Catholic Church in Chattanooga on Tommy's First Communion day last year.

I will be back at MOODLE as soon as I can figure out what is wrong with my firefox. Might have to have my guy look at it.

Tomorrow Andrea is coming to the clinic, mostly because she misses us LOL! She had been sick so has been gone for a few weeks. But now she's feeling better!

Thursday we have a busy clinic day. Yay for busy clinic days!!

countdown till the next workshop? 10 days until the next workshop!

29 more clients needed for Andrea and I both to sit for the NARM! 18 more for me to sit!

(what an exciting post! LOL!)

And the Snow Just Keeps On Falling......

Falling falling falling.....

Sigh.

So, I love the snow. I really do. I am not as much a lover of the cold. I know you must have cold to have snow. I hated the fact that in Florida, it never snowed. Despite it getting below freezing. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. So we got lots of snow. I have such fond memories of building snow forts and igloos and snow ball fights and snow men. I love the snow. However, why did it have to snow today? Why not Sunday instead? Sigh. I was suppose to see my guy tomorrow, and on through Saturday. The longest amount of time we would have spent together probably since June, when we took a trip to Florida. Here me whine. Here in Alabama (and very southern central Tennessee) they are not prepared to handle snow. Which makes for lots of black ice on roads. Which makes for cancelled dates :( *whine* I am watching it snow outside. We have about a half inch accumulated right now. I am sure it is less in Alabama. I would still *probably* be able to drive into Huntsville tomorrow even if it sticks up here, as long as it is more clear down there. I don't cross any bridges until I am well into Hazel Green Alabama. However, if it is snowing this much up where my guy is staying (with his parents atm, in New Market, on a rural road up a mountain) then he will not be able to drive into Huntsville. *whine*. ah well. Such is life.

That said, the snow has also caused the schools around here to shut down for the day. There was no school today in Lincoln county, and Fayetteville city. I also heard that Madison county schools closed (which probably means Hazel Green and meridianville are also closed, since they are near there, and north of it). I have to giggle at how people react to the idea of a little snow fall here in the deep south. But I understand that black ice is dangerous, and that they do not salt the roads here, which leads to more instances of black ice than we usually had in Ohio. All of our clients declined to come today, and rescheduled for next week. It makes next week a full week, but that's ok, I *LOVE* busy clinic days, it was one of my favorite things about working with Christina back in the day!

So, clinic news? I haven't started working on moodle again yet. I have had issues getting motivated, but need to get on the ball for it. I did open my own website ( a free one) for midwifery, hoping to bring in a few new clients. I have also been visiting the local book stores and slipping business cards into the pregnancy and baby books. Neither has worked yet. LOL! I also have been doing some billing work, trying to get Linda paid (and at least 50% successful thus far) from the insurance companies. It really is pathetic how hard it is to get them to pay. It is like squeezing water from rocks. I kid you not.

We just had one student cancel for the January workshop, which is a bummer. I am hoping to fill the spot, but not sure that I will be able to with such short notice. I did not have a waiting list this workshop, which was sort of surprising, but I did not advertise as heavily as I did the last time, so maybe that is why.

I do have *four* pregnant mommies coming for the workshop and I know the students will have a great time with that. I also think that Lily's mom may bring her for the newborn exam demonstration. Yay! The workshop is coming together nicely! Andrea is coming Monday so we can go over everything that we will cover, and just to visit (we have missed her, since she has been sick!)

I have also started a count down for Andrea and I for sitting for our NARM exam to get our CPM certification. Because of the rules that NARM has set forth, we have to have all of our paperwork turned in 6 months before our planned date to sit for the exam. We were hoping to sit in October this year (the last exam of the year) but that is not going to be feasible. Therefore, we are hoping now to sit by February of next year. In order to do that, we have to have all of our paperwork turned in by October of this year. In order to turn in all of our paperwork, we have to have all of our births documented (and post partum exams, and newborn exams, and initial exams, etc, but those come much easier). Right now we sit at 13 clients currently here and due by August. I need an additional 19 before October in order for *me* to sit. Andrea needs another 24. Combined (so both of us can sit in February next year) we need another 30 *total*. This is because some of the births we can share, and others we cannot. Hence the total amount that we need is less than the combined number we each individually need. Here is hoping that a bunch of pregnant ladies come raining down on us over the next few months!!!

A New Year Full of Promise

Today starts the year 2010 and my new year holds a lot of hope and promise both for my midwifery studies and for my personal life. I am busily preparing for the Basic Midwifery Skills workshop which is in a mere 21 days! It has really snuck up on us. We will have six students at this workshop: three from Texas, one from North Carolina, one from Memphis area, and one from Orlando! Our student from Orlando may stay the month of February on a short term apprenticeship as well.

Right now, at the clinic, we are waiting on one baby, who decided she wanted to be born in 2010. Perhaps so doing the math might be easier for her age later on?? Lol! She is now post dates, and we are hoping she decides to make her appearance this weekend!

We also met with a new client due in March, which officially makes our March most likely as busy as our February. Hoping that our two April moms deliver in March or very early April as the three of us are making the trek to the Midwifery Today conference in the middle of April. The count down has started! We have 12 clients thus far, and I need 21 more to sit for my NARM! Hopefully they really start pouring in by the half dozens, since I only have until October to turn in my paperwork in order to sit in Feb of 2011!
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