on the move

I took a quick break from loading the moving truck. Shhh, don't tell my hubby! We are officially home owners! Mom came down to help us pack up and move and we are getting moved over today. My break is over. I will keep you all posted.

welcome to my world

Here are just a few of the reasons I have been MIA for nearly two weeks:

1.) We close on our house on Thursday and we are taking care of last minute details and thinking about packing. Today I packed 3 boxes.
2.) I have attended two births in the last four days with minimal sleep. One birth I was at for 21 hours, the other I took over toward the end and was there for 4 hours.
3.) I have been going to Scott's basketball games when I can fit it in. Last night was a really good game with a great crown turnout.
4.) I have only had one day off since the 9th.

Life is getting busy. It is good, but just trying to stay sane. Scott's team is #1 in their conference and #10 in NAIA D1. The NAIA national tournament is the 18-23 of March. The head coach offered to pay for the plane tickets for Scott and I to fly together on that Tuesday the 17th since Scott can't leave Monday with the team because of his other job. We could ride back on the bus with the team after they are finished. The problem with that for me is that you just never know how long the games will be. If you win you keep playing. When Scott went to nationals in 2006, I told work I would be back in two days ( I had little faith since they were seeded 27th out of the 32 teams there)...it turned into six days and I kept having to call to make arrangements for work since they decided to go ahead and win the entire thing! If I anticipate being there from Tuesday to the next Tuesday, I will have to take off 10 of my 12 hours shifts for work, plus three days of massage appointments. What am I to do? I would love to go, hopefully I can work something out.

I am very excited for our move. I think my mom is coming down to help. That will be nice. I get lonely without my family here all the time. Heidi and her family are coming down in March. I haven't seen the baby since Thanksgiving. I am feeling truly deprived from seeing those kiddos and I miss them a lot. Scott misses them too. He loves Andrew....and Joely too, but he hasn't seen her since she was a couple weeks old.

I think that I am about to go to bed. It is only 9pm, but I need all the sleep I can get these days.

Thanks for sticking with me even though I haven't been keeping up.

Hugs!

the bargain queen

Yesterday, I got a book in the mail to add to my growing library of books on pregnancy and childbirth. I had ordered it online for 1 cent...yes folks, 1 cent. It was $16.95 at the book store, so I think I got a deal! The book is called Getting Pregnant: What You Need to Know Right Now. I find it very interesting that many couples who have trouble conceiving are not fully aware of how fertility really works. Even if they don't have difficulty, the whole process is still amazing and truly a miracle when you stop to think about it. The science of it all is so fascinating to me. So, I am studying up on it.

Right now I am just working with pregnancy and childbirth. Once I finish my degree, I would love to help couples in their journey to promote fertility, conceive naturally, and prepare holistically with eating right and living well. I am on chapter three of my new book (written by an M.D. by the way) and I have had to toss a few things out that I don't particularly agree with. Sometimes these books can freak you out more than anything. Especially me, I guess, since I am considered "high risk" by the medical community for another ectopic pregnancy having already experienced one. And that one, apparently, was not brought on by anything in particular. Although, it is amazing the growth that occurs in an experience like that.

I just finished reading another book called Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize. "They" told her (the author) she would never have children and she has four. My constant prayer is that I will be able to conceive and be pregnant with no complications. I am not going to buy into the whole "high risk" hype. I'll just keep praying, just keep praying.

Thanks for reading the stories of my life that is consumed with pregnancy, childbirth and babies!!! I love it!

Speaking of getting my degree, back to reading The Wellness Workbook! Almost done which means halfway through this class. Whew....

Everyone have a fabulous week.

P.S. We got a home phone in December. It started ringing pretty much right as the technician stepped out the door from hooking it up. Thanks to the National Do Not Call List, my phone hasn't rang in days! I highly recommend getting your name on it if you have a home phone.

another days work

This week was busy. Obviously, since I didn't post all week. A lady at work had to take some time off due to an illness so I have stepped up to fill in for her. It hasn't been too busy since there is only one baby due at the adoption agency. April is anticipated to be busy with six babies due. I took the girls to the rodeo this week. It was fun once the girls got over the smell. Seven pregnant girls and the first smell of the rodeo don't exactly mix well, but they got over it. I have to admit it does get pretty nauseating. One of my massage clients rides a horse in the rodeo grand entry. I got a picture of all of them, but it was a bit far to see exactly which one she was. I think she is the fourth one from the left with the longer dark hair. She and her husband are two of my favorite clients. She has been riding in the grand entry for 15 years and hasn't missed a ride. There are 36 rides each year during the rodeo that lasts about a month long here in Fort Worth.


Today was the first Saturday in a long time that Scott and I have been able to relax. We slept in and did a few things around the house. Mostly we just laid around and talked about our new house. We have different ideas about room arrangement. We'll see in three weeks when we move in who won. :) I have been thinking about packing, but an not confident enough to start just yet.

Scott is coaching tonight. I went to the first half of the game, but came home with a headache. There was just too much noise. I got a biofeedback treatment earlier today and sometimes I get a detox headache. So, now I am just laying in bed in the peace and quiet. I hope they win!

Yesterday I had another client have her baby. Click here for more details. In the days leading up to a birth, I can completely stress myself out. I think "I have no idea what I am doing" and "how in the world am I going to help her when I haven't done this myself"...you know, all the things you can say to talk yourself out of being cool and confident. The truth is, you cannot ever plan on what to do or say in a birth ahead of time. Every birth is vastly different. The mother's needs and wants are so different. There are times that I sit in front of her and think "ok, Hannah, what can I say or do right this very minute?" She is uncomfortable and not sure what she wants and is looking to me for support and answers and sometimes I just don't have that at that very moment. Sometimes the tools in my bag aren't enough. She just needs my voice and my encouragement. I think that being a doula is the most amazing "job" (if you can even call it that) ever though. Being able to be with a woman in the most intense and amazing experience of her life is incredible. There are so many highs and lows during natural labor and birth. I have learned not to take anything personally. When the baby is born and I tear up every time. I know it has been hard for her and all I can think right then is "she did it, she really did it."

My headache is getting out of control so I am going to get under the covers into the darkenss now.

Hugs ya'll!