Renewed

I had the pleasure of attending Sam and Carie at the birth of their 5th child, Ronald Hayden. It was a beautiful homebirth. Carie labors so well, if I wasn't an experienced mother and doula it would have been hard to tell where she was in her labor. She handle the contractions "apparently" with little effort as you usually see in early labor. Her midwife, Janessa, took a back seat, and let things progress on their own. She didn't insist on numerous vaginal exams or monitoring etc. It took a little longer than "normal" for Hayden to descend the birth canal, but she never seemed concerned or said anything. She even appeared open to birthing the baby on the toilet!
A good friend Abby was there to take pictures. She's a 17yr with a fledgling photography business (http://www.abigailsmithphotography.com), she has immense talent and patience. This was her first view of birth, I'm so glad it went so well.
This birth renewed my faith in my own abilities to doula, in the power of natural childbirth and
in midwives who truly trust birth. It was just such a fabulous experience! We walked, we laughed, we talked and I cried (I always do!) Congratulation to the Means family, may God richly bless you.

First week of January

so how was your holidays? Mine were a little crazy. The inlaws where here and my kids went nutso as a result, but all in all it was good. Thankfully I get along with my inlaws, better than my own family as a matter of fact but there still seems to be some tensions.

So the Christmas decor is nearly down and I have yet to make any goals for 2007. I know I didn't accomplish much off my list from last year and many will still be the same for this year. But I think my biggest goal is to get a hold on my spending. We're not in debt and we manage to make ends meet and do pretty well but we're not saving what I'd like to be saving, we're also not making some purchases I'd like to be making and the big problem is I have so many interests that all require spending money and then I have a weakness for a good sale. We have a budget and I just need to stick to it. Easier said than done!