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

It happened...

The morning  of Friday, June 22, 2012 started out with a flurry of activity!  Two first-time mamas were in labor, one was a homebirth in Jupiter and the other, our potential FIRST birth center birth.  The birth teams assembled, plans were made and we were all off to our respective positions.

Midwife Miriam, Allie and I headed to Jupiter to assess that mama with the hopes that we would be back before the birth center client gave birth.  It appeared to be neck and neck all day as we were updated of the happenings at the birth house.

SO...

at 5:05pm, the first baby was born at the Palms Birth House.  Please welcome baby Laine Jean!  It was a sweet, sweet birth and I would love to say that I was present, but alas, I cannot tell a lie ;)

The faces of joy!

Exactly two hours and 5 minutes later, beautiful Ruby Christina was sweetly born in her parents bed.

The birth team, including Lucy the pup!

After settling in this sweet family, we headed back to the birth house to meet our "first family" and tie up the loose ends of the day.  It was quite a day!  Two sweet births = One terrific day!

**Giggle of the day was provided by our office girl, Angie.  She went to Midwife Miriam's car to retrieve a stamp pad for the babies foot prints and returned with a placenta.  I think her expression pretty much sums up how she felt about the discovery!

 I think she likes it??

**Lesson of the day was provided by the universe.  You are EXACTLY where you are supposed to be. Period :)


Anyway....so, it's official!  We are open for business at the birth house.  Thank you to Laine's parents who trusted us with their special delivery.  May there be MANY more babies to be born in our little house. 

Peace.

Ahhhh

What a terrific week, culminating in a MUCH needed chill weekend!

First of all...

My men!

My son, Bryan, made the SWAT team for the agency he works for.  I'm so terribly proud of him....and of course a little worried too ;)

When I posted this announcement on my Facebook page, I was a little surprised to see some of the responses.  They ranged from a celebratory tone to one of concern that my son will use his position to harm people.  Uh...no!  Yikes :(

Secondly...

I had the honor of attending another AMAZING birth.  I love this couple, their passion for each other and their commitment to creating the birth they desired for their son.  They prepared for their birth with HypnoBirthing (Dad asked for HypnoBirthing classes for his birthday! I love this guy!) and chose a midwife and doula for a homebirth. 

The sisterhood of birth. 

The magical moment!

Midwife Colleen & I have a moment with baby Jynsen :)

 As I drove home, exhausted, but so happy, the smell of birth lingered on me.  I don't mean this in a "gross" way, but rather, in a very sweet way.  The intermingled scents of everyone present at the birth was clinging to my clothes and my hair.  That distinctive co-mingled scent that clings to every damp body holding the space for a mother...the smell of sweat, tears, blood, amniotic fluid...and at least for me, it reminds me of why I follow my path.  Of why this IS important.

Lastly....

I was OFF CALL for the weekend! I had an entire holiday weekend to do absolutely nothing.  And I did....do absolutely nothing.  

Except...

spend Saturday on the beach....

Float in my pool on Sunday....

and celebrate Memorial Day with friends on Monday.

Perfect, and much needed down time!

It's Tuesday and time to get back to work.  Time to get ready for the FIRST birth at the Palms Birth House.  It's so exciting!!

Peace.

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.