Almost time

In less than one week I will be traveling to Bali for the workshop of a lifetime.  Surreal. Yep, surreal.

I am usually an extremely organized trip planner and packer.  The neurotic one that makes a folder with ridiculous amounts of information on the area, lodging, etc.  And now...I'm traveling further than I've ever been and I've done...well...not much of anything.

I don't feel rattled but rather have this desire to travel light and let the trip unfold.  I do acknowledge that at some point this week I am going to have to do something with these empty suitcases that are starring at me, I'm just not sure when ;)

And unfolding this journey is.  The original tickets for the trip were purchased through Travelocity four months ago.  One word of advice, NEVER do that. EVER! In a nut shell, they lost the connection in Korea and cancelled the tickets.  That left me and my travel buddy, Miriam, without tickets two weeks before our trip!  After an initial freakout, 7 hours on the phone with customer service (I use that term loosely) at Travelocity, a call to Chase Bank to dispute the charges so I could get the money back to rebook another flight (they wanted to wait 6 weeks to refund), we are now booked through another company. 

This is where it gets interesting or at least the trip will be.  Because we booked so last minute (thanks again Travelocity!) we are now leaving one day earlier and added 8 hours to an already crazy long trip resulting in a 38 hour journey one way and will now be traveling to locations such as Moscow Russia, Frankfurt Germany and Singapore in our quest to arrive in Bali...of course at a increased rate from our original ticket.  Again, thank you Travelocity.

What's that saying...it's not the destination, it's the journey?

And you know what?  It is the journey.  I've never had this much down time in my life.  I refuse to be frustrated by it and will embrace the gift hidden in this hot little mess and savor it.  Life is what you make it and this is champagne suffering.  I'm going to flippin' Bali! Oh my gosh, I'm actually going!

Subscribe to my blog if you are interested in updates along the way.  I plan to blog my way around the globe, taking  timeouts to be in the moment, spending time with amazing teachers and absorbing the magic that is Bali.

Peace.
Lorie

It's been a while...

Yeah, it's been a while since I blogged.  I think I blog in my head sometimes, does that count?

Anyway, it's been an amazing summer so far.  Full of high points and of course a few of those moments that slap you back to reality.  Reality checks are good, not enjoyable, but purposeful.

Highlights for the summer.  A getaway to Bimini.

My son asked if I was trapped in a Cornona commercial...well, duh!

And yes, it did wash it all away....

Of course, I returned as most of us do, and hit the ground running.

Lots of AMAZING stuff going on  right now!  The business is growing and growing and ugh, the business side of business is not nearly as much fun as attending a birth.  I know, I know.   I am grateful. I am blessed. I am tired.

Speaking of AMAZING....we co-sponsored the "Big Latch On" event for breastfeeding awareness yesterday.  Wow. Just wow, the number of families that came out and participated.  It was like an Amazing Births & Beyond reunion.  My heart was full.

Stacy & I at the ABB table!

BIG crowd for the latching. So awesome!

It has recently come to my attention that the Bali trip begins in 9 weeks! Holy smoke, when the trip was planned back in January, it felt like a lifetime away.  Not anymore.  Excitement for the workshop is building and final plans are being made. Whoo hoo, this is really happening! Total immersion birthing workshop in what I'm envisioning as one of the most beautiful places on earth...yeah, maybe a tad bit giddy ;)

Miriam and I have decided to do a little fundraiser for Bumi Sehat, Robin Lim's birth center in Bali.  Of course it will be ridiculously silly and hopefully do the trick and raise some funds.  Thank you to Tricia at Click.Capture.Create. Photography for capturing the images and to writer David Stebbins for lending his creative genius to the campaign.  ALL will be revealed this week.  Silly, yes. Ridiculous, but of course. Effective, please help us make it so for SUCH a worthwhile cause.

Here's your clue....curious now?  I REALLY HOPE SO ;)

Well, I'm off to go pull myself together to teach a HypnoBirthing Class this morning.  Stacy, the usual instructor is at a birth.  This has been the flavor of the last couple of months, so many births and lots of impromptu filling in.  It's honestly a wonderful feeling to sense so much energy coursing through the little birth house.

Life is good.  It really is.

Peace.
Lorie

I'm feeling very emotional today.  Perhaps it's the extreme fatigue or maybe it's just a sense of deep gratitude coursing through me.  I feel so blessed to love what I do enough to expend every ounce of energy I have and then look forward to doing it again...just maybe not tonight ;)


It's been a pretty amazing week. 

Today I registered for the workshop in Bali with Robin Lim, founder of Bumi Sehat.  It's official!  I'm going to Bali!  Thank you again to my MOST amazing husband for the gift of a lifetime! Baby, you are the BEST!

I was blessed to doula for a former HypnoFertility client, HypnoBirthing student, amazing woman and friend.  The talented Tricia from www.clickcapturecreate.com was present for the ENTIRE birthing process to capture this emotional, exhausting and amazing birth.  My heart is incredibly full.  Laboring at home with this strong mother-to-be and seeing the fertility nest that I made her almost 3 years ago in the bedroom where we labored quietly was so touching.  Bearing witness to an amazing couple realizing their dream of becoming parents is something that I honestly cannot put into words.

                                                                      Meet beautiful Serena!
    


I finished teaching my current group of HypnoBirthing students last night.  (To my students,  I should apologize again for my sleep deprived ramblings in the hopes that you felt my passion and allowed it to inspire you.  Two days without sleep and a long emotion filled birth makes for a bit of a kooky Lorie.) Two mothers came to share their birth stories with the class.  I think that I was inspired as much as my class by hearing the heartfelt testimonials for gentle birth.  Thank you Cindy Marler for sharing both of your birth stories and the embarrassing plugs for my services. 

                                                           The Class! (minus two couples)

And now, I'm looking forward to the weekend.  I've got 90 coconuts shells waiting to be transformed into candles and a bit of a baby pileup.  This will not be a quiet weekend and that's just fine with me!