Facades

I've been spending some time recently thinking about how some people behave in public and how they behave behind their created facade.  How some people have created such a facade that they actually believe it to be their reality.   Sort of like Disney World....it's surreal and even beautiful but it's only a facade...underneath is the ugly reality of the rough, unpolished supporting structure.  (That analogy makes me think of something I read recently...."beautiful people aren't always good, but good people are always beautiful.")

The following quote hit home for me for me too...

"Close the gap between what you believe and how you act in the world! That's your assignment. Truly following the Buddha's teachings is how we behave OFF of our meditation cushions, not while we're on them, just like being a Christian is reflected in people's behavior outside of church, not while they're in it. May we ALL close the gap between what we believe and how we act in the world!"

Gosh, the world would be a much better place if we all followed that simple behavior.  I really do try to live my life authentically and I'm a work in progress for certain.  I stumble, I fall, I've already admitted that I'm clumsy.  But I try.  I really try.

I'm wondering what my lesson is when at times I feel so incredibly frustrated and actually angry at those who do not choose to live this way.  Am I supposed to be cultivating patience?  Should I ignore the behavior of those, even when innocents fall victim to their "perceived" expertise and persona and fall at my doorstep angry and confused?  When discussion of bad behavior is criticized by so many good people, but so many good people remain silent?

What IS the lesson for me?

I'm sure the universe will sort it all out for me and perhaps I'll just follow the sage advice below...

 Peace.

Monday

It's a beautiful morning.

Finally, blue skies again!

Incredible birth yesterday. (oh, and I learned an awesome new dance from big brother Paxton called the jelly fish jam!)

World meet Deklan...born on 4/22 @4:22pm! Happy Earth Day!

Finishing up a placenta encapsulation for a mama this morning.

TCM prepared and ground.  Ready for encapsulation.

Seeing what the rest of the day brings...

Peace.

Lessons

Interesting week. 
Lessons seemed to be the theme and I was on the receiving and giving end. 

This just totally cracked me up and seemed appropriate :)

Fun week.
We had a photo shoot at the birth house. Fun and chaotic all rolled into an hour.  It was so awesome seeing so many of our happy babes, kiddos and parents.  Such confirmation that all is well in my world and no matter the obstacles and frustrations, I'm doing something right.  Life is good and I am blessed. A shout out to Tricia at Click.Capture.Create. for her ability to stay focused and capture what I'm sure will be ADORABLE images under silly circumstances.  You are the best Tricia.  The best!

I'm holding Teddy & Harper

Productive week.
New things on the horizon...details to follow.  Good stuff.  Very good! Babies were born, classes were taught and the birth house is buzzing with lovely energy.  Miriam and I added some charming touches to the house this week and even more are in the works.   I just LOVE this house.

Weekend. Finally.
Taught a private childbirth class yesterday with a lovely couple, had a little chill time at the Lotus and then came home to a clean house, stocked with food and my amazing husband.  Sweet. Very sweet.  Picked up a placenta at Broward General last night...

Thanks for the curb side delivery Vivian!

Day off today...well kind of.  Another baby is trying to make a break for it...I will be delivering placenta pills later... so we shall see how things play out.  So far, easing into this Earth Day, Sunday, feels pretty sweet.

Peace.

Last week got away from me, so no time for blogging.

Catch up...

Incredible (and incredibly long) labor  ended with a beautiful baby boy making an appearance on Thursday night at home with the support of two midwives, one student midwife, one doula and a whole lot of family!  I would like to thank midwives Miriam Pearson-Martinez and Colleen Scarlett of the Palms Birth House for their professionalism and belief in this mother.  I know within my heart that other care providers would not have stayed the course and this birth might have ended quite differently.  Welcome to the world Baby Elijah!  There is so much to say about this labor and birth and quite honestly, I'm still processing it.  I will only add for now that I stand by my unpopular stance that less is more when it comes to family and friends at birth.

This mama was taking a nap at 8 cm!

Meet Baby Eli

This long birth was followed up by the Delray Affair, 3 day craft show.  Thanks to my husband and parents for loading all of the stuff and getting things together for 5:30 am set up on Friday while I was busy finishing a birth and then falling into a very brief coma.  The show was great despite some rain and a whole lot of wind.  My favorite moments were seeing the families that I have worked with including some of the babies, that are no longer babies!  Crazy, am I getting old??

Speaking of crazy....

No clue what this is about!

Front of his shirt said Lady Gaga and the back Justin Beiber.  WTH?? Oh, and I didn't get a picture of his squirrel hat!

 

 

 

 

 

The next couple of weeks are going to be busy.  Very busy.  The monsoon of births is ready to begin...those darn April showers!  Deep breath and hoping for a steady but manageable pace.  I am grateful for the doulas that work with Amazing Births and Beyond.  Deeply grateful!!

Peace.

Just Ask

Wow, all you have to do is ask.  What a concept!

Thank you to the amazing birthy women in my  life who understand, support and love me.   When we support and nurture each other we can accomplish great things...when we try to stand alone we will tire and fall.


My motto for the day:

Peace.

Meltdown

Interesting weekend.

I encapsulated two placentas, wrapped over 100 bars of soap and made a dozen soy candles.  Oh, and had a mini melt-down.

Thank you universe for the sledgehammer.  Seriously, thank you.  Evidently your gentle nudges, followed by insomnia and headaches failed to get my attention.  Mission accomplished, you have it now.  Last week I had a public rant on Facebook about boundaries.  I followed that up with a blog post about boundaries. And yesterday, I had a meltdown about the lack of boundaries.  Well, to be perfectly honest, it wasn't a complete meltdown.  I decided that I didn't have time for that.   I know, poor me.  Boo hoo ;)

This is a new week.  I'm laying it all down.  I love my fellow birth workers... I love my clients...but I love myself and my family as well.  I owe it to myself to create balance, and it begins today.

Peace.

P.S.  How can this not make me smile....crooked mouth and all.  Life is good and it's getting better :)

                                          Matilda in her favorite spot...ON the Bali Bed!

Boundaries

My rant on Facebook was well, a rant.  I admit it. No grace or patience exhibited. Just a bitchin' rant about the fact that I am a human being and need to establish boundaries with pretty much everyone.  I'm not sorry mind you, but it was uncharacteristic of me and something I have chastised friends for doing in the past.  Ooops, and well, not oops.  Sometimes you just need to let it all out ;)

Anyway, it's been quite a week.  Full of amazingness stuff (I realize that's not a word) with new opportunities on the horizon.  I'm feeling pretty blessed at the moment. 

As you can see from the picture below, this is how my holiday weekend will be spent...wrapping soap and perhaps attending an incredible birth that is waiting to reveal itself during this full moon :)

I really need to get some sort of reward for my husband for putting up with me at times like this. Between placentas (yes, multiple again this week) and now soaps taking over our home, I'm kinda worried that I will end up in divorce court at some point and the reason listed,  "excessive soaps and placentas" and unfortunately, I will have to agree.  I keep reassuring myself that this "mess" will all be gone after next weekend and that the chaos is all Delray Affair related.  I want my tidy little house back!!

Have a beautiful Passover, Easter or just an incredible weekend!

Peace.

What an insane week with lots of lessons and universal reminders.

1.  I had three incredible births in 48 hours and miraculously made it to all of them.  My lesson:  You are where you need to be, always.  Even when you aren't where you want to be or even logistically should be. Period. (reminder to self, stop questioning, stressing or over-thinking this!)

2.  It was a stressful week with staffing issues.  Those situations always cause me to reflect on why I'm doing what I'm doing.  Would I be happier moving on to the next phase of my life.  (Those goats and my farm are really calling me!) Is the current chaos a sign?  My lesson:  Look at ALL the signs! Not just the signs that are demanding the most attention at the moment.  Amidst the chaos of this week were a slew of births, classes, etc. AND an opportunity on the horizon for additional growth.   (reminder to self, see lesson #1)

3.  A date night and beach day with my incredible husband can change everything!  My lesson:  Keep calm and carry on! Life awaits....grant me the grace and patience to get there, cause I'm feeling pretty darn clumsy at the moment ;)

Peace.