Saturday, January 24, 2009

Surprise for Tori!

April, Amy, and Raygen came to my house and kidnapped me. They took me to Frank's Italian Restaurant in Tuscumbia. I was escorted to a table- and WOW! There sat friends waiting to surprise me for an early birthday party! I was speechless! Each friend went around the table and told how they knew me. Wendy met me at a childbirth workshop five years ago; we had a lot in common as we both had military backgrounds and a love for helping women birth. Jenny met me while she was in labor with her second child! I was her nurse at the local birth center. I went on to help her with the delivery of her third child. Chalyn chose me as her back-up doula two years ago. Recently, she gave me the privilege of being her midwife at the birth of her third child. Kelly emailed me while searching for a doula/midwife. She blessed me by allowing me to 'catch' her baby. Raygen met me at a birth. I was helping a sweet lady have a waterbirth, and Raygen was the doula. Raygen has since become an assistant midwife with my homebirth business. Summer met me through the local La Leche League Leader! Summer and I have hiked several times over this past year. April and I met five years ago. She was enrolled in a childbirth class that I was teaching. She has since had three waterbirths and allowed me to be her doula! Amy met me online two years ago. She has become my faithful birthing partner--yes I wake her up at all hours to say: "It's Time!"

These women have given me a gift of friendship that is purer than gold. They came together to celebrate my life, and I was utterly speechless. I am touched by their love. They have filled my life with joy.

The surprise is not over. After dinner, April, Raygen, Amy, and Wendy took me to Cold Water Inn to spend the night together. We had a slumber party and talked into the night!

I loved my birthday surprise. And YES, Jeff knew all about it, and kept it a secret for over a month!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Farm

Last week I went to the unique community called The Farm in Summertown, TN. This is home of famous midwife Ina May Gaskin. Ina May wrote Spiritual Midwifery, and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. There was a peer review meeting held, and I was honored to participate. Ina May, Pamela Hunt, Stacie Hunt, and Joanne Santana were among the Farm midwives who participated in the peer review discussion. It was such a privilege to share my thoughts on midwifery with what I consider to be the best midwives in the country.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Karaline's birthday

Karaline is ten years old today! She celebrated by baking a chocolate cake with my supervision. She put a lot of chocolate icing on it! We took her out for a 'girl' day! She got her first professional manicure. She enjoyed this royal treatment immensely. She had her haircut and curled as well. We ended her special day by shopping! Her gratitude was displayed by the beautiful smile on her face and the many kisses to my cheek!

Friday, January 2, 2009

New Year's Day

I had a wonderful New Year's Day. My friend Summer and I went to Cane Creek hiking. The sky was so blue and clear. It was a grand day. I enjoyed hiking with the girls. They are learning the art of hiking up and down steep hills. The waterfalls were beautiful and so was the mountain overlook. It was a great way to bring in the New Year!