Movin' and Groovin'

Sorry, I know, it's been a while since I posted. I have been neglecting my blog, as well as my journal, over the last few weeks. I have just had so much stuff going on. So let's start with my first day back after the conference:

Day one back, Tuesday.

On this day I slept the entire day pretty much. I was apparently very tired. I did not get very good sleep at all while at the conference, mostly due to my sleep space. I am a bit of an insomniac anyway (have been since leaving my husband) but am generally really sensitive about my sleep space, partly due, I am sure, to some abuse issues in my past as well. Andrea and I shared a room with Linda, and that turned out to be problematic. Linda seems to have an aura of negativity surrounding her which made it very hard to sleep near her for me. Also she gets up at insane times in the morning which doesn't help either. Andrea and I *both* were quite pissy by the end of the trip. Linda called me at the end of the day on Tuesday but I ignored the call.

Day two back, Wednesday.

On this day I found out that Andy got engaged the day after he broke up with me. That was sweet. Really. At least I know his true colors now, vs later. I was dealing with this news which left me in an emotional mess when Linda called and said she needed to see me. I drove to the clinic and she gave me a letter, two pages, in a sealed envelope, that basically stated how much she thought I sucked and how she could no longer keep me as an apprentice. Even though I *knew* that pretty much everything in that letter was some messed up version of the truth and that it is not true that I suck and that I will suck as a midwife, it still really bothered me. I had to work through the letter with several friends before really feeling better about the whole thing. This process took several days.

Day three back, Thursday.

On this day I left to go down to Florida. I met fellow MTB student Jenn in Atlanta and picked her up to car pool with me down to Florida. It was actually a really fun trip, it was nice to share the trip with someone else instead of making the long trip alone. We got to know each other quite well on the way down and decided that we really got along great! I dropped her off at Kelly's house that night and then headed to Jimmy's to stay with him (where I prefer staying).

Day one in Florida, Friday.

On this day Kelly and Jenn and I drove around looking for apartments for Jenn and her family. We did that only part of the day and then I left them to go take care of some of my own stuff locally. Friday night we went to my friend V's birthday party and had a blast, we were there until four in the morning!!

Day two in Florida, Saturday.

I spent a good bit of day two asleep, I was exhausted. There isn't much exciting to report about this day.

Day three in Florida, Sunday.

I went to Mass on Sunday. I was planning a beach trip but couldn't make it. Otherwise, again, not much exciting to report about this day.

Day four in Florida, Monday.

Interview day!!! Read the next post to hear all about the interview!

Day five in Florida, Tuesday.

Jenn and I went back to the apartment complex so she could put in an application, however they rose their rates over the weekend so she opted to wait and see if they get a new special first. Then we headed home. There was no bad weather until I dropped Jenn at her car (which was in a parking garage in one of the *FINEST* parts of Atlanta! LOL!) and we parted ways. Then it was hailing tiny little hail stones and raining like mad. The rest of my drive home was uneventful and boring. I wished Jenn was in the car with me. I felt like I left my sister in Atlanta. It was sad.

Day one back home, Wednesday.

Today I had lunch with some of my favorite Huntsville women. I cherish my friendships with them and though they will be far away when I move back to Florida, I feel very blessed to have them in my life!

The Week Ahead

We have had a busy past week at the clinic, having two babies and such. This weekend I will spend cleaning my house, and cleaning the clinic.

Tomorrow I will take the kids to Mass just like every other Sunday they are with me, then to McDonald's to play. Rescheduled Bobby's birthday party so we might have that tomorrow as well. Hoping tomorrow night I might get to see Andy, but I am not sure, as I haven't really heard from him except a few short txt messages.

Monday is President's day, and I'll probably spend it cleaning and with my kids as well. And might have B's party then, if the people can't make it tomorrow.

Tuesday I am meeting a friend at Barnes and Nobles in the morning and then *hoping* for a lunch date with Andy at the sushi place near B&N that afternoon. I know, I have high hopes for that day LOL!

Wednesday is another clinic day these days (too busy to have just one) so I will be at the clinic then.

Thursday is a *very* busy clinic day, so I will be there pretty much all day. Thursday night our midwife help flies in to help us for the twins delivery. I can't believe she will be 38 weeks on Tuesday! Go C! What an amazing mommy! My kids also leave Thursday for Ohio, they'll be gone until very late Sunday. Andy will spend those few nights with me, I hate being alone in this house!

Sometime between Thursday and Sunday we expect the twins to be born!!

Friday while Andy is at work I will be at the clinic, and if the twins mommy goes into labor I'll be there until she has the babies!

Saturday I haven't any plans. Andy has robot that day, so I will probably go to the clinic (especially if she hasn't gone into labor yet). Might go to Mass with Andy Saturday night, we'll have to see.

So, that's me outlook for the week, sounds like a busy and fun week!

Preparations For This Lenten Season

I am currently busily preparing for this year's Lenten Season. For those of you who do not follow Lent, Ash Wednesday is February 17 this year and is the opening of our Lenten season. Lent then goes on until Easter Sunday. This year my Lenten season is hectic in different ways than my Lenten season last year. Last year my oldest son was going through his First Communion during the Lenten season. This year I have no First Communions but I do have lots of women due!

Last year I gave up swearing for Lent. It was a wimpy idea, as I do not swear much as it is. My guy, however, gave up fast food and did an amazing job at it! I am taking his example and this year I am giving up fast food during Lent.

I am busy today cleaning the house, which has been neglected all week while I was busy at the clinic. Somehow it doesn't matter how much I clean, it is always a mess shortly thereafter. It can cause me to have less ambition about cleaning then should. However, my children are all old enough now that many of the chores can be delegated out to them to do as well.

My Bobby's birthday is in a week, I can't believe he will be 5 in just a week! Well that's the update for now!

BC's Due Date!

Today is one of our clients due dates. We had a busy clinic day that included seeing her as well. She is just glowing, however she is feeling very pregnant and ready to have a baby. We are expecting her to go into labor within the next few days.

My guy took me out last night for steak dinner. I had a really good time, but didn't get to spend nearly long enough with him. He had to get home to pack for a trip to Texas. He'll be gone until Monday or Tuesday, and I am opting for a mid-week lunch date.

My kids are leaving in a few weeks to go visit their cousins in Ohio. I am staying behind because we have too many women due for me to leave. They are excited to be going, and honestly their mommy is a bit excited for a quiet house for a long weekend.

The Blessed Care skills workshops have been indefinitely cancelled due to the fact that we have shaky job situations here (the men in our lives, not our jobs..). One of the greatest benefits to being a midwife is that there will *always* be babies to deliver, even in the Millenial Kingdom!

I am sure that next time I blog, it will include pictures of a beautiful new Blessed Care baby!

Friday at the Clinic

Yesterday was such a busy but fun day at the clinic. Now we are mostly just getting ready for the workshop next week. We have one client that is 37+ weeks and could have her baby at any time. Thus starts our busy time!

In the mean time I am busy crocheting hats and working on moodle. Documenting my life in hand written journals and blogging. Dealing with workshop paperwork and questions from students. What fun!

If It Isn't One Thing, It's Another!

Well, at my father's behest, I upgraded my firefox version this morning to see if it remedied the issues I was having with my firefox yesterday. 'Lo and behold, my problems with firefox have ceased since the upgrade, but now I am having internet connection problems. It's a clear sky, so who knows why. Today and Friday are my last two days to work this week on moodle, so I'd really like to get a bunch done. Especially since next week I am super busy with the workshop, and I won't get to work on it much.

Tomorrow is a busy day with lots of clients. This weekend is suppose to be nice, so hopefully we'll get some outside time.

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!)

Back at Moodle!

So, I am back at working on MOODLE now after taking a break during the winter holidays. I have felt so overwhelmed with everything, with life, that I really just needed a break from it all. Lily's beautiful birth was invigorating, and now I feel like I can start conquering my life again, one step at a time. I am already thinking of ways to improve the moodle environment, and I am not even done uploading the initial curriculum. It has ended up being something to keep me busy, entertained, distracted, and focused all at the same time, at times the work I need to do on moodle has been a Godsend.

We have a few new clients here at the clinic, and our count right now is 14 clients through August! I only need 18 more, Andrea needs 23 more, and we combined need 29 more by October in order to get our paperwork turned in on time to sit for the February 2011 NARM exam!

The twins mommy went to the accupuncturist on Saturday, and the good news is she *thinks* they have both turned back to head down!! This is great news, and we will confirm it by palpatation and finding FHT's by doppler in a few days. Ultimately we will have confirmation by ultrasound in another 3 weeks (she goes for monthly ultrasounds) and at that time, she will be able to have the babies at any time!!

We have a busy clinic day this Thursday, we are up to five clients coming now on that day. I love busy clinic days!

The workshop is next week! I can't believe it is already time for the next workshop. I have a surprise in store for these students, and am giddy with anticipation over it! I love doing these workshops, but they wear out Andrea and Linda and I. I will be glad to start it, but glad for it to be over too, so that we can focus on planning the next one!!!

Our Christmas Baby, and other updates

Our Christmas baby could come any day, and I am in the mood for a birth! We are all excited to meet baby Lily. I have been sleeping with my cell phone, with the volume turned all the way up, and trying to get to bed early in case I get a call in the middle of the night.

Other news at the clinic? The clinic cookie exchange party was wonderful, and lots of fun. I met many new people, including the local bradley instructor. The clinic is decorated so beautifully for Christmas. I am having a more difficult time getting into the Christmas spirit this year because it will be my first Christmas away from my children, and pretty much away from all family.

I have decided to take a break from setting up MTB moodle, and will come back to it after the first of the year.

Our twins' mommy looks beautiful, I love how beautiful her belly looks. Every time I see her I compliment her because she is just glowing!! Both of her babies are still vertex (head down) and in the ideal situation for a clinic birth. We are so excited to be able to be a part of her pregnancy!

We have had several other clients come in that are new, and our year next year is really shaping up to be pretty busy. With any luck, Andrea and I will be able to complete our numbers so that we can sit for the NARM exam soon!

Tomorrow is clinic day! I love clinic days, they are so fullfilling for me. It is one of the few places and times in my life that I feel totally in my place, in my element.