Update

I wasn't able to get my paperwork in so now I have until June 10th to send it in. I wasn't able to find enough postpartums that I did in the paperwork so I have to wait. I'm pretty sad about this but I suppose it will be fun to travel to Tennessee in October to take the test. It's going to cost a lot of money we don't have so I'm praying I get a few of my own clients so I can pay for it all.

An announcement

The last three weeks have brought huge changes to our family. I was contacted by the midwife I did most of my apprenticeship under (Suzanne Smith - www.betterbirth.com ) and asked to join her group of midwives. Her requirement for all her midwives is that they have to be a CPM and licensed by the State. The next testing date for NARM, the CPM agency, is in August but I have to have my paper work in to them by March 10th. At the time I hadn't filled out a single record for them, consisting of about a 1/2 inch stack of papers. During all of my apprenticeship I didn't fill out the papers mostly because I was exceedingly busy with births and prenatal's, plus half way through I became pregnant with a surprise baby, and I was never 100% certain that I wanted to be licensed. So, for the last three weeks, I've been studying, studying, studying and looking through a ton of records. I took a whirlwind course on suturing and then Suzanne taught me the skills lab portion of it. This week I've spent about 40 hours going through records. It's been crazy and I'm incredibly close to being done but tomorrow is going to be insane trying to get the last little bit together and I'm still not sure I have all the numbers that I need. I have everything except enough postpartum visits. I'm praying that I can figure out when I did them because it would be incredibly frustrating to put in all the work that I have and then not be able to send it in.

So, what is my time line? If all goes well, I get my paperwork in on Monday afternoon and I take the test in August in Salt Lake. I will start doing the prenatals of my own clients at Better Birth under supervision for awhile, for women due after September and will act as a student midwife learning practice protocol and births where needed. If I don't get the paperwork in tomorrow I will have until June to finish it but will have to travel to Tennessee in October to take the test and will start taking clients due after October but will still act as a student until then.

As for Heritage Birth, my own midwifery business, nothing will change until October. I will still take my own clients due before then. For those that didn't know it, I've been operating as a DEM and taking clients since the end of last year. What does all this mean to you? Those clients due before October will be Heritage Birth clients, those due after will be Better Birth clients. The location of where I do prenatals will change depending on the due date. Heritage Birth clients will still have their prenatals done at their home, Better Birth clients will have prenatals done in Sugar House. The supervising midwife will also change.

I'm excited to join Better Birth for many reasons. It is a busy practice, I won't have to put together my own birth kit, I have the choice of three midwives to back me up and I don't have to take care of the business end by myself. I will essentially have a secretary! The only sad thing about it is that I lose the business name I love. I will hang on to it in case I decide to leave Better Birth someday but it won't be for a very long time.

This afternoon I started reflecting back on the last 18 years

As I lay down today to take a nap I started thinking about some of the women in my life that have had a huge influence on me. I started to wonder what it was about them that left a special place in my heart. I think it was partly because we became good friends but I have been friends with many others so I was trying to figure out what was special about them. So I thought about them individually and tried to figure out what it was that was different about them and what I had learned from them and decided I'd like to post it here.

First is Sis. Barlow from the 33rd ward. I served in the Young Women's presidency with her as Secretary. I learned from her to accept people as they are even if I don't agree with the way they live or the choices they make. I learned to find something good about them and to find a way to connect with them. Because of this I have met very few people that I have a hard time being around and spending time with.

Second is Sis. Dickman from the Kayscreek ward. I served with her in the Relief Society Presidency also as Secretary. She taught me to rely on the Lord for everything. I was always so impressed with her strong testimony and witnessed many miracles while working under her. She, along with a lot of other women, helped me get through a very difficult pregnancy.

Third is Sis. Whiting from our current ward. She has been a bright star in the middle of a very dark time in my life. She has been incredibly patient and supportive of me these last 6 months.

I have been so blessed to have these women come into my life and I pray that some day I may become wise enough to bless another in the same way. Thank you so much for everything.

I just remembered last night that I have a blog!

Funny, huh! It's been a long, crazy summer. I had a some things happen that made me lose my memory, not all of it, just wierd parts of it. Some of you know, most of you don't. I might share and I might not. Nothing personal, it's just that sometimes I feel like talking about it and sometimes I'd rather just put the whole thing behind me.

JA went on his trip and had a blast! Thank you to all that donated. One of these days I'm going to get him to put together a presentation on it. Unfortunately he is about to start a class that is going to be very heavy in the work load so I'm not sure when it will happen.

Baby girl turned 1 in July. She is getting so big. She's not walking yet but she says a lot of words. She cracks herself up. She says something and then start laughing at herself. She also loves to copy her siblings and then laughs really hard. JZ is potty training. I can't wait until I only have one in diapers.

If you drive past my house and wonder where I got the really ugly camping trailer, it was given to us. We are hoping to get it all fixed up so we can use it this next summer. Even though it's pretty ugly it has huge potential with some really nice features like heat and air conditioning!

Um, let me see........ oh yeah, I'm going to births again. The midwife that I apprenticed with before and while I was pregnant called me and asked if I was interested in going to births with her because she didn't have an apprentice. I'm very happy about it!

AC had a birthday yesterday and turned 9.

Kids have already started doing their school work at home and the teens will start their classes next week. Oh, yeah, big news! JA tried out for a ballroom dance team and not only made it but is President over all the ballroom dance classes. There are 3. Beginner, Advanced and Formation, which is the dance team JA tried out for. They will be doing performances and competitions this next year. JK said that he regrets not trying out for it.

Thats all I can think of for now. I will try to keep my blog updated so it will be interesting to read again.

Repeat!

We are doing another Garage Sale this weekend so if you had stuff you meant to bring to me and didn't, here is your chance! Also, if at all possible, please come. We would REALLY appreciate it. Even if all you bought was some soda pop and a donut! Every little bit helps.

Sara, if you still have that stuff I was wondering if you could take it to my brothers house. He lives up near you and I don't think I will have time to get up there before tomorrow.

I NEED YOUR JUNK!!!!!!

Hopefully that got your attention! JA's garage sale is the end of this week and we need lots of donations so we can sell lots of things and he can, hopefully, earn lots of money for his trip. He still has to earn about half of what he started out needing. It would be a shame to do all this work and then him not be able to go because he is short $1000 or so dollars. We would also love to have some bake sale items to sale so if anyone is up for some baking, that would be great.

Garage sale is on the 18th.

Copied and pasted from my other blog

Saturday, March 21, 2009

It hasn't been a great couple of days

Thursday I dropped my boys off at their co-op then got gas and was on my way home from there and got in a car accident. I went through an intersection where the lights were not working. I stopped then slowly pulled through to show my intention to go through then I started to speed up. When I was about 3/4 the way through the intersection a car hit me. She was an elderly woman that didn't notice that the lights were not working and didn't stop. She hit me in the right front of my van, thank goodness because I had my four younger kids with me. If she had hit me in the side my 8yo dd or 2yo ds would have been hit. All the kids were fine. I hurt a couple of fingers really bad, although they aren't broken, and the muscles all through my back hurt pretty bad. I'm going to see a chiropractor on Monday and a massage therapist possibly on Tuesday.

Then Friday our dog got out and got bit by some neighbors dog that was out in it's yard. He's got two deep gashes on his back near his neck. We have absolutely no money for a vet so I cleaned them out with essential oils and glued them with super glue. So far it seems to be working. I'm going to rinse them several times today with the essential oils so hopefully it doesn't get infected.

My 6yo dd has an abcess on her gum and my 2yo has a nasty sounding cough. It can only get better from here, right?

Posted this morning- March 24, 2009

Saturday I ended up with a stomach bug. I woke up feeling fine but by 2:00 I was super sick. My kids had it the week before and I thought I had escaped it while I was in Oregon. It had been 7 days since someone had thrown up. You know it's a strong bug when I get it. Usually stomach issues pass right by me, I can count on one hand how many times I've actually thrown up from one. I finally got an appetite back Sunday night.

Sunday my 8mo started a fever that didn't come down until this morning. I've done nothing but hold baby for two days. I have no idea why she got it, my kids rarely get fevers and she had no other symptoms.

Our dogs wounds opened up last night and started bleeding again. I guess I'm going to have to take him to the vet. Hopefully they will let us pay in two days. I desperately need a calm few days.

I went and saw my chiropractor friend yesterday. He sent me for xrays and I have my first adjustment today. He also has a massage therapist on staff so I will also get a gentle massage. I'm really looking forward to that.

I'm really ready for a calm few days.

On a side note, JA is selling Cutler's cookie dough for a fund raiser. It's a tub of dough that makes about 4 dozen cookies. LMK if you are interested in a tub or two (or three, hee-hee). They are $15 a tub. It comes in Milk Chocolate Chip, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Pecan, Brownie Fudge, Classic Sugar.