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

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.

Mission Accomplished!

It's all a little surreal right now.  Actually a lot.

The Palms Birth House has been recommended for license as a birth center.  (oh gosh, I'm crying again...)

The analogy of birth is and was very much relevant to this whole process. Kind of ironic, huh?!

First of all, it has taken 9 months (yes, we started LAST August!)

Secondly, the inspection process was very much like a LABOR.  A very long, challenging labor.  One where we needed support, lots of support.  The care provider/aka our one dimensional inspector was not a great fit for us.   (If this were an actual OB/Midwife, we would have ran. Ran Fast. Ran to another provider with a similar view point.)  We did the best we could with the hand we were dealt.  Kinda like an OP baby lol.  You know that if you can just work with it, be patient, it will be okay.  That fighting the process will not get you the results you are looking for.  To give you an idea of what we were dealing with..."This is an inspection, NOT a discussion..." yes, this was our inspectors mantra. (remember...this is the same inspector that failed us the first time!)

As the day went on (5 hrs) we were literally breathing and pacing...a few tears were shed...we fought the desire to escape and just forget about it....our confidence was shaken and then bolstered...and then....

We gave birth to the ONLY birth center in Palm Beach County.

And she is beautiful.

And more tears were shed. Lots of them.

Time to celebrate...and fix our makeup ;)

Thank you. Simply thank you to all of you who supported us from conception to birth.  Thank you to my amazing husband who gave up his entire summer last year to create something beautiful at "our little house"...thank you to my parents and ALL of the people who came and painted, planted and gave of their time and money to be part of our vision.  Thank you to all of you (and you know who you are) that doula'd us thru our labor via texting and facebook.  Thank you Rivkah for my favorite quote of the day during our labor..."if you can build it, you can birth it"....thank you Beatriz for the holy water...luckily no one burst into flames, including our inspector ;)

Peeks at the journey....

Painting...and painting...and painting last summer.

Thank you honey...I love your support of my dreams!

Thank you Stephanie for adorning our walls with your talent and spirit!

Zak man-ing up with a beer to go with the pink paint!

 

Thank you Michael for your talent and humor!

Construction Yoga...there's always time for yoga ;)

 We are excited about the future of this little birth house and the option now available to families in Palm Beach County.  The women of Amazing Births & Beyond and the Palms Birth House are grateful for the continued support of us both professionally and personally. Eternally grateful.

Peace and Gratitude.

We love you.  We honestly do.