Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Summer Happenings

June is almost over and that means 2009 is halfway through. Time passes so quickly!!!!
I got to go see my mom in Amarillo for a short visit this month. It's hard to see her so frail. She used to be so vibrant. I think about her a lot and wonder how she's doing. I'm in that stage of my life where I still have kids to take care of and a mom that needs care, and work that keeps me very busy.
My youngest son is gone camping this week with Scouts. I know this will be the last time he goes. It's been a fun tradition, but he thinks he's too old for that now. I wish I could go to camp for a week in the summer. I guess I still could volunteer at a camp somewhere. My other son is busy with taking some summer classes at San Jacinto College. It's kind of overwhelming for him because he just graduated from high school and didn't have to do much work this past year. My husband is working out of town in Woodward, Oklahoma. That's a booming little town.
We are having a drought here. My garden looks terribly sunburned. Won't have many tomatoes this year. I came home to find my best tomato plant pretty much eaten up by a tomato worm. It's just been too hot and dry to keep things alive when I'm gone for a day or two at a time.
I've been working at the office and reading a lot in between babies since the rest of my family has been gone. Just trying to keep up mostly. I will sleep good tonight since I only got about five hours last night. Overall, I'm very happy with my life.

Happy With What I Do

June has been another busy month. A lot has happened since I last wrote. Five sweet babies so far this month- all born at home or the birth center- all required a lot of time and effort and labor to get born.
One of the most recent ones was born to a very nice couple having their first baby. I felt happy for her towards the end. I was happy that even though she was in pain and working hard, she was getting closer and closer with every contraction. I was happy that she was at the birth center in a safe place where no one would do anything to rush the situation. Even though, it took her a little longer to push than "average", I knew everything was okay. I knew no one would cut on her, or threaten her with taking her to the O.R. I was happy that she and her baby would be kept together and he would not be whisked away. Everything turned out just fine and I must say he is a very cute baby. I feel lucky to get to do something I feel good about.
I love to read and I am always reading several books and magazines simultaneously. One of my favorite things to do relax is go to the library. I just started reading a book today called, "Homebirth in the Hospital". I got it from the Houston library. I was leery of it when I picked it up. I guess I have such a biased view of birth in the hospital that I feel like it is a trick. I don't want to encourage women to go there unless they really have to. But after reading the first chapter, I was impressed that the woman doctor who wrote it is really coming from a sincere desire to make birth in the hospital better. I hope it works for the good of women everywhere. I'll write another review of the book when I finish.

Monday, June 1, 2009

May, 2009, is over and here comes June. What a wonderful, exciting month it was. I've got to write about one of the most amazing things that happened that never happened to me as a midwife before. I helped with two women whose babies came out face first. That is so unusual! One came out at home just fine and one had to come out in the hospital after we did everything we possibly could at home.
One of my sons graduates from high school this week. I am very proud of him. He has done well in school, and he became an Eagle Scout this past year. It's probably because he had a natural birth at home. Just kidding. My birth pictures with him are in a frame at the office in a discreet location if you want to see them.