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!

Midwifery Today Conference

So I have been at the Midwifery Today conference now for four days and my brain is mush. I am exhausted and ready to go home. Its not that it hasn't been full of awesome information, and it has been really neat to be in the same room with the likes of Michael Odent and Ina May Gaskin, however I am still ready to head home. I have pictures of course!!

This is a picture of Michael Odent giving a lecture on "The First Hour After Birth." Andrea and I went to this lecture and it was absolutely fascinating. It was one that I was very happy I went to as we got to hear three different perspectives on the first hour after birth, one from Cornelia Enning from Germany, one from Michael Odent from France, and one from Gail Hart from the USA. I had decided pretty much as soon as I heard Michael Odent talk for the first time at the Breech workshop, that I could listen to that man for HOURS. I could listen to him all day long. He fascinates me.

Of course, the hotel food here is very limited and *VERY* expensive, so Andrea and I have been having to find food within walking distance (there isn't much!) we did find this awesome little sub/sandwich shop called Jimmy John's and we had lunch there yesterday. While there I saw the most awesome sign ever:

Ok so that brought a smile to my face, and I really needed a smile yesterday. I need more smiles today too. Oh, and the sandwich was amazing too! I got a turkey on wheat with extra mayo and it had yummy sprouts on it too!!

So on day one we went to an all day long breech workshop. It was absolutely fascinating. We watched videos on water breech birth that is being done in Germany Just watch this amazing video I found on youtube of a breech waterbirth..you will be sold!





So... More from the conference....I went shopping!! Yup, that's right, Misty actually bought *herself* some things!! I saw Andrea in this shirt one of the first times I saw her, and I had to have one. I could have bought one online but never did (I hate paying shipping). So now I have my "Believe" T shirt. Isn't it awesome?!?! I might have to buy another one at a later date too. I just *love* this shirt, and want to get them in sizes appropriate for my children too. Children are our best advertisers and advocates!! Having babies with midwives just *makes sense* to my children. They don't understand why you *wouldn't* and they are fast to say so to any adults as well!!





I bought this tote for Kelly, it made me think of her. I would love to find this print in a T shirt instead of a tote (I wouldn't use the tote, I know Kelly will). If I find it in a Tshirt I will probably buy myself one of these too at some point. Isn't the picture just so loving and beautiful?!?!?!

Today Andrea and I went to the Twin Roundtables which was fascinating. As I stated above I could listen to Michael Odent speak for hours, he is such a fascinating (and scientific) man. I snapped a picture of Ina May Gaskin, Michael Odent, and Cornelia Enning (from left to right) while at the round tables. I really enjoyed hearing Michal Odent's theory as to why twins are considered pathological now and in need of being "rescued" by doctors. He believes it is due to the very rare complication called Twin to twin transfusion syndrome. This syndrome can only happen to monozygotic twins, which only account for 30% of all twins as it is, and TTTS only happens in less than 10% of all of *those* twins. It is not something that happens all the time. Of course, there is also a risk involved if the twins are monoamniotic monochorionic as there can be cord entanglement with those twins, but again, that is very rare. As with anything else, there is an appropriate time to seek out the help of a surgeon (aka obstetrician) however not all twins are in need of the skill of a surgeon.

I also "donated" ten dollars and got two of these mosaic pendant necklaces. I bought myself the hunter green one, and Kelly the lime green one. I may go back for one more for another friend tomorrow if they are still giving them away for a donation. Don't you just love the way these pendants look? I love the image of a pregnant woman almost just a little bit submerged in colorful water. It's just beautiful and so worth the donation!!



























I also bought this T-shirt for a $15 donation to the North Carolina Midwives Association which helps them fund their fight to get legislation passed in North Carolina. If it helps an illegal state, I am happy to do it!! Plus, I love the shirt.


Tomorrow we have round tables and some more general sessions, but it is the last day of the conference. I am tired, and ready to go home. I said that already didn't I? We did get a bunch of free stuff too, which is cool. So, that has been my adventure at the conference thus far. I probably won't blog again until I get home.

Packing!

Today I must spend some time packing for the Midwifery Today conference!! I am excited about the conference, not as excited about the plane ride. I am only taking a carry on, so I will have to get shampoo and stuff at our destination probably. We'll see. Maybe I can pack some travel sized.

I am having a hard time trying to decide what to pack to wear. Should I wear long skirts, or jeans? or cordoroys? what shoes should I pack? Man I sound like such a girl...and I don't usually.

We get on the plane tomorrow, and we get back a week later. I will try to update as I can while there to share some of the awesome stuff I wll be learning.

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

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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