Exciting Moments on the Road

I know I have been lying dormant forever, maybe I am really not a blogger . . . but of course that is what happens when you have a "theme" for your blog and yet you are not always participating in that theme . . . but this week I am happy to report that my soul has been awakened by: talk of contraceptives -- educating and inserting them! Seeing many a cervix, measuring pregnant bellies and becoming an expert measurer of fundal height (all you pregnant friends watch out whenever I get a measuring tape in my hands) and watching the mothers eyes light up when my newbie hands chase a 6monther around with the doppler. Of course the light may have light up since I seemed to be having such trouble finding their poor babies heartbeats, but of the power of holding the doppler. I have also learned some important facts . . . such as I will definitely have to learn Spanish (and quite possibly birthing and women's health lingo in several other languages as well).
I will actually have to relearn my cell biology, since I actually looked at a specimen under the microscope today to determine what was causing a woman's issues . . . I had no idea those skills would be used as a midwife!
But mostly, I am happy to report I am just as excited about all of these things. And this was mostly a surprise gift. I am currently in a community health rotation, which basically means we get a variety of experiences out in the field and out of the hospital. So I was placed at the Uptown Health Clinic, which is run by the public health department. It services many of the low income populations in that area of town. And they have two midwifery groups that send one midwife a day to staff their women's health clinic. It was such a privilage to be taught and endured by these wonderful women and to watch as they serve, teach and nurse those around them. It was a wonderful two days and I am sure it will have to last me for a while. But again I am excited by every moment I get to remind me of where I am headed.

Revived

It is hard to reflect on birthing into my midwifery career, whilst in the middle of not really being around birth at all these days. But I did survive my first semester of Nursing School and I have had the last week and a half off. Tomorrow marks the return to the next phase . . . summer semester. We have heard that each one becomes increasingly easier. So I hope this is the case, however it seems like it would be hard to believe since the weather has taken a long time to finally get good and I will spend most of the summer in the confines of a hospital.

We are also in the throws of our decision to move to the suburbs for this next phase of life, and caught up in buying and selling homes. So far we have a contingency offer on a semi-fixer house, and are waiting for our condo to sell. So for right now I am birthing things other than babies and birthing new life in our little transition. And potentially for the second time taking on the birthing of a house . . . another favorite kind of birthing.