Tie-dyed Doula

When life gives you lemons...or stains...or...

2012-01-22T17:52:00.003-05:00

All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites.

Marc Chaga

When life gives you stains, TIE-DYE!

Soooo, I am part of a REALLY cool co-op where we share clothes that are too big or small for our little ones. Some of them come stained, some of them not. Some of them are perfectly stained...for a dye bath! I took this sweet white sweater and tie-dyed it, after finding some milk-stained marks on it! perfect! love it!
I use regular dye and mostly dyes from natural sources: onions (red onions, you already know are my favorite!), berries, greens, walnuts and greens (beet, dandelion, etc..)

"But what is of great importance to me is observation of the movement of colors." Robert Delaunay

The gnome!

And as he spoke of understanding, I looked up and saw the rainbow leap with flames of many colors over me. Black Elk

The gnome eats a cookie and avoids the wild ducks and geese that are waiting to pounce at the pond!

sweet gnome baby!

about 60-70% of Willow's clothes are tie-dyed. Why invest in new clothes when the abundance of used clothes is all around us. Kids outgrow clothing seriously fast!

"Colors are the smiles of nature. " Leigh Hunt

belly shot! lol

"Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions. "pablo picasso

Home Education: WARM WINTER DAY

2012-01-22T16:15:00.003-05:00

We've had a very mild winter, up until this point. January 2012. Life learning for this family has been a bit of this:

Gluten Free Rustic Crust Pizza with spinach, feta, olives, tomatoes and basil

sweet girl Willow

"I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it."
Harry S. Truman

Fresh Pork Tenderloin with roasted strawberries and Red Onion (my secret love affair is with the darling sweet Red Onion. Ahhh!)

This guy got a new camera. A "fancy" one! :)

and this sweet Willow was his favorite subject

We studied Astronomy, we studied the moon, we relished in the beauty of our Creator.

we played with those mean birds ;) (upcyled wool sweaters, meany faces, hours of fun!)

Cai Ocean...Wonder Boy. This boy sees the DELIGHT in EVERYTHING! He is so special to all he is around!

She learned to Sign "thank you"

New Rainbow hat in progress for baby girl. Rainbows 'speak' to me! When I was little and someone asked what my favorite color was, I would ALWAYS say "rainbow"! :)

Hugs from brother

Jumping for Joy. Giggle.

Coffee filter snow flakes. We used a varity of water colors to make them pretty before we cut them up.

I knitted this gnome hat for my middle son

but my oldest loves it and wears it the most

napping

Birthday Celebration this month for my sweet husband. Blueberry/Elderberry
Cheesecake.

Needle felting fools, we are! This is a pair of longies made (upcycled from a wool sweater) by my Mama (aka: Granny Goose) for Willow with a needle felted snow "woman" scene on the leg.

The girl is on the move! She started walking in November 2011

Sleepy clean sweet girl

Middle son, my love

"Girl at the purple door"

Her favorite spot

Zay needle felted this awesome peace sign/mushroom hat for himself but baby girl likes to sport it :)

still at the door

Resting and building with legos while I read to my boys

today

2011-10-24T19:06:00.002-04:00

Willow Psalm Kamaria Kemp. I am grateful and in awe of the blessings of my friends and strangers since she has been born. (I PROMISE TO WRITE HER BIRTH STORY SOOON!!) I have recieved a HUGE amount of cloth diapers and clothes (and shoes and hats and tights and longies and shorties) since her birth and every bag (of love!) blesses us so much. I am VERY VERY behind on posting, but all in good time I will get back to blogging. SHE takes up most of our time right now, along with homeschooling her brothers. (titty girl, she is) I hope you all are happy and healthy today and always. For those that have been commenting in my email box, I *think* my comment section has been fixed so feel free to try it out! xoox

SUPPORT FARMS, NOT PHARMACEUTICALS ~SHAWNA SEALING KEMP

2011-04-29T18:24:00.001-04:00

Ronda and I took sweet Baby Willow and Cai Ocean to the Farmers Market. I went to buy lamb and some onions, Cai Ocean went for the cookies. I constantly express to my friends that buying LOCAL, IN SEASON goodies not only is better for our bodies, how nature intends us to eat, but that is supports local artisans and farmers, which in turn, supports our local economy and communities. Community, the word itself, says it all. We all need a slam dunk of help from friends from time to time and the more we build bridges and offer our help to each other, the better off we are and the more we are truly LIVING. We need to live, eh? If we support growers that poison our foods, use tons of fuel and many miles to bring us onions and sacrifice community by doing so, we are not truly living. I am guilty of buying those deeeelish avacados and bananas from other parts of our country and beyond, but seriously, buying local and in season makes my heart sing. Sing with me please.

Willow and daddy

2011-04-29T18:10:00.001-04:00

My love, oh how much I could write if I were not nursing you, smooching my babies or home educating your brothers. I love you so and I love the things that I do that are meeting your needs. So for now…this picture will have to do. Know that you are fiercely loved and adored by us all.

Introducing Willow Psalm Kamaria

2011-04-14T18:55:00.000-04:00

This precious butterfly girl came into our lives on December 17th 2010 at 4:50am. I know that I am like 4 months late in posting this breaking news, but this blog has been put on hold while I readjust to life with a newborn. She is the sweetest babe and we are all totally in love. I'll post more pics and my birth story in a future post. Deeply in love, Shawna

WEEKLY WRAP UP #3: The busy family, no naps and flying lessons

2010-11-29T15:37:00.000-05:00

Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. ~Hans Christian Anderson

These last few weeks have been busy and crazy and during the chaos, I wasn't sure if we got enough "school" time in, but now that I am writing this, I am SURE we did "learning" overload (shh! don't tell the kids).

Acorns are lovely to discover, abundant and great to study for Nature learning. We took acorn caps and filled them with glue. Then we picked flowers from the garden and pushed them into the glue and let them dry. I am thinking of either drilling a hole in the base for a necklace or just using them on our Nature Table as a centerpiece. They sure are lovely! I gave a few of these out last season to a darling little girl at her birthday party and she LOVED to play with them. They can also be used for ordering and patterns.

Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: "I am with you kid. Let's go." ~Maya Angelou

On the home front: I have been somewhat nesting and after decluttering and gutting my bedroom and closets for the past few weeks, my husband is finally painting my bedroom for me! So exciting and a lot of work. I am now 35 weeks pregnant and feeling it! Yowza! :)

My oldest son went on his flying lesson/adventure with a friend who is an air photographer. He had a blast on this beautiful fall WINDY day, while Mama was home praying her heart out for their safety. I know, I know, more accidents happen in cars than in planes but...well...you know :)

Last Monday we went with some other homeschool and preschool families to the library for a Costume Parade, story and snack. This was ~~horrifying and unbearable~~ somewhat hard as Zarian woke up with a sore muscle in his arm and was in pain (but still insisted that we go) and Cai had ~~1, 2, 3...~~ 10 meltdowns along the way. It was fun to see all of the sweet kids and their costumes and overall we did manage to have some fun.

Tuesday was spent putting the baby dresser in my room and washing little teeny weeny baby clothes (aw!) to prepare for our new little heart.

Wednesday we went with friends to a local Pumpkin patch.

Thursday is our weekly PLAY ONLY play date at the park with special friends-we made it to one the week before last and this past Thursday we had our midwife appointment.

Friday my BFF's took my boys to a corn maze.

We did some work on our Bible notebook and learned a few new memory verses.

BFIAR we rowed the book entitled Caps For Sale and worked on our notebook for that.

The boys have attended the local homeschool PE (gym) class 2 Mondays in a row and really really enjoyed soaking up some of this years last warm sunshine.

**THIS IS AN OLDER POST THAT I FORGOT TO PUBLISH** I AM NOW 38 WEEKS PREGNANT**

Music is what feelings sound like. ~Author Unknown

2010-11-16T15:09:00.000-05:00

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach

Without music life would be a mistake. ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

And the night shall be filled with music,

And the cares that infest the day

Shall fold their tents like the Arabs

And as silently steal away.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Day Is Done

Music is the poetry of the air. ~Richter

Play the music, not the instrument. ~Author Unknown

My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require. ~Edward Elgar

Music is what life sounds like. ~Eric Olson

Quote about fall

2010-11-01T10:50:00.000-04:00

"I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its tone is mellower, its colours are richer, and it is tinged with a little sorrow. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and its content."- Lin Yutang

Life Learning

2010-10-24T20:14:00.000-04:00

"Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water bugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb. Brooks to wade, water lilies, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries & hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of education."~unknown author to me

Owl Unit Study

2010-10-15T16:42:00.000-04:00

So the format to this post is jacked up and I can't seem to fix it :(

This week we did an OWL UNIT STUDY. I must say that this was *so*much*fun* because I absolutely LOVE owls.

We talked about the different types of owls, different parts of an owl, where owls live, what type of HOOT certain owls make and what owls eat.

My boys especially loved learning new words: Raptor, Carnivore and Talon(s) and their meanings. I've tried to give them many opportunities

to use these words in sentences lately. We talked about what we eat, plants included, and what a Carnivore eats.

We read the book Owl Babies by Martin Waddelland did a "lapbook" (we used http://www.homeschoolshare.com/ for a resource for this lapbook) We made mini-books and listened to poetry about owls. Their favorite seemed to be 5 Little Owls by Lucia Kemp Henry.

We read many books about OWLS and some of the titles are: ~Owls by Markle ~Owls by Gail Gibbons ~ Owls-Welcome to the World of Animals by Diane Swanson ~The Book of North American Owls by Helen Roney Sattler and ~Owly Flying Lessons by Andy Runton

THEN THE FUN PART. MANY CRAFTS ALONG THE WAY BUT MAKING THESE OWL COOKIES WAS (OF COURSE) THE HIGHLIGHT!

We made a simple NO BAKE OATMEAL Cookie recipe and added bananas and raisins or chocolate chips for the eyes, nuts (almonds) for the nose. Not all that healthy but definitely a great treat for my boys. They devoured them!

In the hollow tree, in the old gray tower, The spectral Owl doth dwell; Dull, hated, despised, in the sunshine hour, But at the dusk--he's abroad and well! Not a bird of the forest e'er mates with him-- All mock him outright, by day: But at night, when the woods grow still and dim, The boldest will shrink away! O, when the night falls, and roosts the fowl, Then, then, is the reign of the Horned Owl!

Author: Barry Cornwall (pseudonym of Bryan Waller Procter)

There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said,'It is just as I feared!ö Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nest in my beard!'
-Lear, Edward
A Book of Nonsense.

And the boys and my husband picked these from our garden...awesome surprise!!

Joy...for the "spreadin"

2010-10-07T23:42:00.002-04:00

joy may come loudly with bells on, more often, it comes quietly, in small pockets, scattered throughout the days, reminding us, no matter what, joy is always available.........
and worth spreading.

So, my boys and I got to love on *this* little guy and oh how we loved on him. He is a special cousin (aka: brother of the pack of great-grand-children) and what a sweet little dumplin he is! My boys (and I) wish that we lived closer and could love on him daily! He is full of personality and is surrounded by good literature, daily Bluegrass music and culture/heritage from his Papa and awesome Mama...and we love him sooooooooo. We also hope is Mama is reading this (giggle) to know that we would LOVE another visit and a pregnant Mama (me) is hard to transport to far-away places ~~due to frequent stops at dirty~~ ~~bathrooms~~ and would LOVE for her to bring him to see/play with us again :)
Love you Cuz!!

Flower dyeing and a great weekend

2010-10-06T10:44:00.000-04:00

Well, I am finally able to post some pictures! yay! This month we learned a variety of cool things and I thought I would post about the ones that I actually caught on film :)

"Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life". ~Henry L. Doherty

Dyeing flowers:

My bestie Ronda Roo had just arrived home from a mission trip with Mission of Mercy to Dominican Republic, giving aid to the Haitian refugees and it was her birthday. It was also our summer "party" here on the hill. FLOWERS were in order for this celebration!

What you will need:
~Queen's Ann Lace Flowers (or some celery or another light colored flower, I imagine*fun to experiment)
~glass bottles (we used recycled bottles from drinks and mason jars)
~food coloring or dye (we used vegetable-based coloring)
~water

~Add drops of food coloring to water in the glass bottles (about 15-20 drops)

~We added the white flowers to the colored water...

sorry this picture is sideways-not sure about that

Then we went outside to do what we do best...

Campfires, blowing bubbles, hula hooping, playing in huge cardboard boxes, harvesting from our garden, dancing to live music in the yard...

It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it. ~Jacob Bronowski

The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live. ~Mortimer Adler

The flowers and their colors got darker as the days passed, mainly more vibrant and beautiful. We talked about stems and different parts of flowers, how they drink up water to live, how we need to live this way also, drinking from the LIVING water and how apart from God, we cannot live-His living water.

Of course, a handmade card and a new vase for the flowers were also in order

Strips of tissue paper (torn and uneven) glued with a paintbrush onto a Mason jar

Dragonfly card painted by Cai Ocean. He was so excited!

“Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close; Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Peace to you

(Next up, a post about our Owl Unit Study)

AWARENESS

2010-10-02T15:28:00.000-04:00

thought from Franciscan priest Richard Rohr:

"We cannot think our way into a new kind of living. We must live our way into a new kind of thinking."

With all of the new things happening in this season of my life, this quote stuck out to me today. I must remember to not be overwhelmed by the lack of organization, the home school books and read alouds and colored pencils spread around my kitchen table/floors/couches, the insane amount of political and religious backlash about our country that leads me to become more and more disenchanted, the things that steal my time if I let them, and the fuzzy "mama-brain" moments.

I need to live in way to always be grateful. Prayerful. Mindful. Be aware.
Aware of the leaves turning brilliant colors instead of colorful billboards that enrage me. Aware of the moonwalk of babylove in my womb instead and of the ligaments stretching. Aware of the current ages of my kids instead of how fast they are growing. Aware of the love that I feel in the wind that blows through my windows and of the breath that is taken away with me from disbelief. Aware of the smells of autumn, the smells of my baby boys' hair when they come inside from frollicking outdoors, aware of the mulitude of blessings that my friends shower on me, aware of hard work, aware of that still small voice, aware of my need to slow down and embrace this new season of life.

THE BABIES ARE COMING THE BABIES ARE COMING!!

2010-09-23T18:11:00.000-04:00

I have several friends that are due with me in December. Sweet babies all around. I am over the moon about all of these sweet little lives waiting to come earthside. I visited my midwives today and I am OFFICIALLY IN MY 3RD TRIMESTER, at a whopping 29 weeks. It is going by so quickly for us.

Here are few quotes that I want to share with my pregnant Mama friends (known friends and unknown) for encouragement and love:

Cara Muhlhahn, CNM- "A woman doesn't really need to be rescued. It's not the place for a knight in shining armor. It's the place for her to face her darkest moment and lay claim to her victory."

For God hath not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ~2Timothy 1:7

Rain, after all is only rain; it is not bad weather. So also, pain is only pain; unless we resist it, then it becomes torment. ~I Ching

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Life only demands from you the strength you possess. ~David Hammarskjold

We’ve put birth in the same category with illness and disease and it’s never belonged there. Birth is naturally safe, but we’ve allowed it to be taken over by the medical community.~Carla Hartley, founder of Trust Birth and the Ancient Art of Midwifery Institute (I LOVE CARLA HARTLEY, BY THE WAY)

The greatest danger arises from ruthless application of partial knowledge on a vast scale. ~E. F. Schumacher

If we are to heal the planet, we must begin by healing birthing. ~Agnes Sallet Von Tannenberg

If I had my life to live over, instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished ever moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.~Irma Bombeck

What's done to children, they will do to society. ~Karl Menninger

In the sheltered simplicity of the first days after a baby is born, one sees again the magical closed circle, the miraculous sense of two people existing only for each other, the tranquil sky reflected on the face of the mother nursing her child. ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The beauty of my body is not measured by the size of the clothes it can fit into, but by the stories that it tells. I have a belly and hips that say, "We grew a child in here," and breasts that say, "We nourished life." My hands, with bitten nails and a writer's callus, say, "We create amazing things." ~Sarah, from I Am Beautiful: A Celebration of Women in Their Own Words

Having a highly trained obstetrical surgeon attend a normal birth is analogous to having a pediatric surgeon babysit a healthy 2-year-old.~ M. Wagner

We must give women the opportunity to challenge their fears, work with them, and birth through them. Not only will this change each woman, it will change the political and medical climate in which they make these choices. ~Connee L. Pike-Urlacher

The parallels between making love and giving birth are clear, not only in terms of passion and love, but also because we need essentially the same conditions for both experiences: privacy and safety. ~Sarah Buckley

Women's strongest feelings [in terms of their birthings], positive and negative, focus on the way they were treated by their caregivers. ~Annie Kennedy & Penny Simkin

We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong. ~Laura Stavoe Harm

The power and intensity of your contractions cannot be stronger than you, because it is you. ~Unknown

There is no way out of the experience except through it, because it is not really your experience at all but the baby's. Your body is the child's instrument of birth. ~Penelope Leach

The knowledge of how to give birth without outside intervention lies deep within each woman. Successful childbirth depends on an acceptance of the process. ~Suzanne Arms

There is power that comes to women when they give birth. They don't ask for it, it simply invades them. Accumulates like clouds on the horizon and passes through, carrying the child with it. ~Sheryl Feldman

"Midwives are what The Grandmother's have prayed for"

Much love Mamas and Papas everywhere!

happy days

2010-09-17T22:33:00.000-04:00

"We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

BIG NEWS ON THE HOME FRONT

2010-09-10T15:47:00.000-04:00

So much has been happening lately on the home front and since I've been ~~forgetting about my blog~~ really busy, I'll just give you a quick update. FIRST OF ALL We have exciting news ...

Well, guess whose having a baby? HINT: She is the owner of this blog and mama to 3 boys... Yup, you guessed it! WE ARE!!! and I am so thrilled! I am 25 weeks and due in December. Now you know that we have 3 boys and this time we are not finding out the sex of the baby, so the gender will make it an even better surprise.

Psalm 127:3

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

This is my BFF Ronda Roo and my son Zay. Oh, how they light up my soul like a matchstick. If you've been reading my previous posts, Roo has been on 2 previous missionary trips (Honduras and Montana) and she went on two AMAZING missionary trips this summer 2010. The first was to Domincan Republic to give aid to the Haiti Refugees and the 2nd (just 2 weeks ago) was to Swaziland, Africa. The long version I will save for another post, the short version is this: This has been her dream (Africa). I have watched God work through her life in leaps and bounds! I have watched others lives transformed because of God's light in her. It's extremely hard for her to process all of the things she's seen on these trips into actual WORDS but please take a moment and thank God for her life and her following of Jesus to help "the least of these" and continue to pray for God to use her in future trips.

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

Sixteen years ago (Septemeber 7th), I gave birth to this handsome slice of humanity. Yes, bittersweet indeed. My heart aches knowing that adulthood is.right.there.around.the.bend. I nursed this little fellow until he was 2, carried him around in my arms when he was WAY past the weight limit to do that, read the same book 42 days in a row and then I blinked. Now he is 16 years old! Whew! I can't even describe the love that I have for him. Now I'll ~~get a tissue to catch all of these crocodile tears rolling down my face~~ move on to more short updates going on.

Basil drying galore, roasting a "gazillion" tomatoes for winter storage, knitting like a mad woman (because I am soooo slow still, it takes forever to knit something and I want so badly to finish the baby things that I dream about).

Recipe for roasting tomatoes (recipe by aunt Jillius Maximus):

(I've been using little yellow pear tomatoes but any will do)

~ cut the little tomatoes in 1/2 and put them face down on a cookie sheet with olive oil, garlic and whatever other herbs you want (today I'm using basil) and sea salt. Roast for about an hour.

Then pinch the skins off (takes like 2 seconds).

Then bag them up in freezer bags for storage or can them.

I prefer to freeze them because that way I don't lose the vitamin/mineral content in the tomatoes and herbs that is lost in the high heat from the canning process.

You can do sauces (spaghetti, salso, chili etc) like this too and just freeze them in jars.

You can also blend up the tomatoes and made a paste after roasting also.
NOTE:
I usually roast them for about 1 hour at 300 degrees. Then when you take them out of the oven, while they are still kind of hot, you can just 'pinch' the skins off of them. They come off really easily and you can avoid the "boil and peel method" that drives me nuts.

This way, the skins just come right off easily.

you can do any tomatoes this way too, not just the tiny ones. They are really good because they are soaking up all those herbs and salt and garlic and roasting in their own juices and it makes the flavor "pop"

yummy! Give it a try, I think you'll like it

DANDELION LOVE

2010-05-06T13:18:00.003-04:00

“The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.”

SAVE THE DANDELIONS!! smile!

We love love love these wild, wonderful, healthy creations. I know plenty of folks that poison them, curse them and get nuts over trying to get them out of their manicured lawns.

I never understood that...but...different strokes, I guess :)

Not me, nope...we use the roots for tinctures and infusions, we eat the greens in salads and add them to green smoothies and then we fry the tops (florets/blooms) in coconut oil (resembles the nutty taste of mushrooms) and we make cookies!

Here is a recipe that is healthy, earthy and lovely for all:

Dandelion Cookies

½ cup oil (we use olive or coconut oil)
½ cup honey (we use organic local honey)
2 eggs (we use eggs from our chicks)
1 tsp vanilla (use Fair Trade Vanilla that my friend brought back from her mission trip)
1 cup unbleached flour (you can experiment with different types of flour, depending on your need)
1 cup dry oatmeal
½ cup dandelion florets (from the yard-be sure to use dandelions that have NO chemical spray!!)

375 degrees
Blend oil and honey & beat in 2 eggs & vanilla
Stir in flour, oatmeal and dandelion florets
Drop batter by tspfulls onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet & bake
For 10-15 minutes.

Let cool and eat!
Yummy!!

You can also experiment (to add some ZING) by adding orange peel and/or nuts! yumm-o!

happy spring!

“You cannot forget if you would those golden kisses all over the cheeks of the meadow, queerly called dandelions.”
Henry Ward Beecher

“If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn.”
Andrew V. Mason

peace...a birth story

2010-03-22T22:16:00.000-04:00

First time mama. Beautiful sounds coming from downstairs as I let myself in the upstairs door. The sounds of birth. Opera sounds, beautiful high pitched humming. Middle of the Night time. Papa grinning and nervous and joyous and absolutely helpful. Grandma sleepy and radiant in her anticipation mode.

Mama walking and rocking and swaying. I detected no nervousness in her. No fear. Only pain during rushes and lovely words, well spoken, in between.

"I don't mind that you're here" she says with a grin to Grandma. She may not have felt this way, depending on how she felt during birth, and she knew it, but also knew that things were right. Comfortable. Simple.

Back rubs, hip squeezes, reassurance, incentive, optimism, more walking, more talking in between rushes, concern over length, still no fear, sit down, stand up, lay on side, jump back up, more walking, smiles, frowns, scowls, smiles again, heat, hot, doors opened, fan on, cold rags, oils on back, lavender oil on sundress, mouth open wide, relaxing the perineum, opening the cervix, no previous Braxton Hicks, perfect body, tough, laboring on due date, bathroom pit stops, needs music, turn the music off, more walking, few simple questions, intuition abound, dreamy, focused, rub me, don't touch me, forfeit...

Midwife arrives, sets up chux pads, birthing stool, oxygen tank, midwifery supplies, soft whispers and smiles and questions. 2nd Midwife arrives, small voice, arms gently crossed, observant, sweet. 3rd Midwife arrives, calm, small simple energy, quiet voice, preparing and waiting patiently.

8cm at check. Relief. Empowerment. Righteous. Rightful. Ready.

Water bag leaking slowly, confusion, more power from knowing the end of labor is near, strength, love, pacing, forfeit again.

"Go with your body" "push when your body is ready" "baby sounds great" "each rush brings you closer to meeting her" "you are doing great" "perfect Mama" "that's right" "you ARE doing it" "your body will tell you when/what/how to do it" "listen to yourself" "beautiful" "no lip in the way" "open mouth" "take it down low" “listen to your body Mama” …and she does.

Cold wet rags on neck, hair in a pony tail sparkling with sweat, resting in between rushes, depending and leaning on the strength of that birthing stool.

"You’re doing it" "baby right there" "see that water bag bulging Papa?" "Got the camera ready Grandma?"

"How much longer?" she moans

“let’s move you, see if we can get a better heart tone on baby”
Move to the bed, on all fours, lioness humming during rushes, back to the birth stool, heart tones sounding great now.
Resting in between, water bag bulging still for a gentle protected entry, water bag ruptured, baby descends, Papa rushes to freshen water on the rag, baby’s head is out. Rest.

“Is she out?” “Not yet, she will be in a moment though”

BABY OUT. A girl. A beautiful dark colored drop into humanity. Many lives coming together as one…in this baby girl. The world stops to welcome another soul.

Whimpers and then cries. From baby and the rest of us also. Tears streaming and moods going from intense birthing to intense LOVE. Baby put directly on Mama’s belly. That sweet vernix smell, covering her every crack and crevice. Punctual, due date baby. Cries to tell Mama and Papa that she is fine. J

Direct move to the bed, suckling babe, overwhelmed with love and emotion and hormones-Mama. Smiling Papa. Overjoyed Grandma. Calls made. Tea prepared. Placenta delivered almost an hour later. Temp down, temp up, temp near normal. Suckling more. Mama check. No stitches. Newborn check. Perfect babe. Babe hears Mama’s voice and turns her lovely dark eyes in search of Mama’s voice. Then turns to check where Papa is. Babe is wide awake and filling the lives of us all with peace and love and hope and comfort. Dark hair glimmering. Long toes. Perfect kissy lips. Love.

There just is no warning for childbirth, there is no preparation for the sight of a first child. Mama and Papa and Grandma (and friend/doula and midwives) studied her face, her fingers, the folds of her little legs, the tiny creases, her ears.

There are no songs to sing at birth because there are no words to name at that moment of instant love.

Grandma works to prepare breakfast in bed. Welcomed nourishment. Lovely companionship.

Mama looks at me and says: “I don’t think I could have done that in a hospital. I can’t imagine having to lie down. I can’t imagine not holding her instantly. I didn’t, during the entire time (even to her surprise) feel any FEAR”

Those words that Mama spoke… resound in me. No fear. Trust. Birth. Love. Emotion. Comfort. They are in my dreams, my thoughts, my heart.

Memorable, simple, trusting, loving and peaceful birth. First time Mama. My hero. Birth warrior. I fell in love that night, again and again. <3

This baby is, to date, lovely and beautiful and loved and cherished and addictive and healthy and growing and happy and she is a breathe of fresh air in a distant disturbed world…she is peace. Undisturbed.

SPRING...FORWARD

2010-03-20T16:11:00.003-04:00

Happy first day of Spring ♥ Enjoy the Equinox! Margaret Atwood: "In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." My boys cleaned up for a Princess Ball birthday party for my dear sweet loves Oriah and Haven, turning 4 and 5 years old. What a lovely day that was. Now....Spring is in the air. Warm weather, husband turning over the gardens for some lovely sunshine-y dryness and seeds starting in the seedling pots.

Goings on 'round the home front:
~trying my hand at homemade Kombucha (recipe and directions coming soon)
~enjoying our homemade Kefir~greenhouse being set up and stocked with veggie love :)
~Over the last few weeks I've finished Labor of Love, devoured The Lovely Bones, revisted Fast Food Nation, viewed & reviewed King Corn, wept through The Garden Thrives, watched a baby take in her first breaths earthside in an atmosphere of love, was centered by the book of James and now I'm about to enter The Red Tent. ♥
~studying the book of Hebrews from the Bible....so meaty, that book, lots to glean from
~making homemade laundry soap--recipe also coming soon. I am loving it, really cleans clothes well.
~many hikes and nature study for my boys home ed
~starting a new local community home ed co-op~lost 5 pounds, can I get a woop woop?~attended a home birth that absolutely rocked my world...and I fell in love...sweet phatty babe with the most beautiful lips :)

Enjoy your day...and in the words of my dear ole friend Brook, remember to....

GRAB YOUR FLIP FLOPS AND DAFFODILS AND SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♥

today

2010-01-07T13:12:00.004-05:00

Today was the first US President Election 1789; today, 1-7-10 I am tired and cozy and very very happy and trying to teach my boys that the essence of love is giving and not receiving, 23 books on the menu, procrastination is waning and waxing, hot tea is steeping, laundry and dust is waiting, apples are being crunched on, music is playing, words are alive and life is grand, today. ♥
I have been neglecting this blog and would really like to start posting again. Facebook has seemed like an easier way to get a short version of my day on a status page, or thoughts, or quotes or whatever but I have had a few requests about this blog and so here goes another resolution to fulfill :)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! XOXOXO

SAW THESE WORDS SMASHED ON A TEESHIRT AND LOVED THEM!!

2009-11-09T19:59:00.000-05:00

Because we are too short, too tall, too thin, too small of foot, too old, too young, too wide, and our pelvises are too narrow, too small, too untried, or unproven or the wrong shape, and our uteruses are too scarred, or pointing the wrong way, or we are too multiparous, too fertile, too infertile, too female, too small, too big, too fat, too emotional, too detached, too strong, too weak, too intelligent, too well designed to birth, not designed well enough, and our vaginas are too scarred, too unproven, not stretchy enough or too stretchy, and we’re too inconvenient, too unpredictable, too demanding, too informed, too loud, too messy, and our bodies labour too long or not long enough, and our cervices don’t dilate 1cm an hour on command and because when you hire a surgeon you get surgery and hospitals are for sick people… and so for these and many other reasons, we are part of the homebirth movement.

I HEART WORDS. Word bring me joy. Words are alive

2009-10-06T20:02:00.002-04:00

A few words that inspired me this week:

It's possible to forget how alive we really are.We can become dry and tired, just existing, instead of really living.We need to remind ourselves of the juice of life, and make that a habit.Find those places inside that jump for joy,
and do things.~Anonymous

You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on. ~Ray Bradbury

Jump into the middle of things, get your hands dirty,fall flat on your face, and then reach for the stars.
~Ben Stein

"and God says "I will Never leave thee or forsake thee"

Look, I really don't want to wax philosophic, but I will say thatif you're alive, you got to flap your arms and legs,you got to jump around a lot,you got to make a lot of noise, becauselife is the very opposite of death.And therefore, as I see it, if you're quiet, you're not living.You've got to be noisy, or at least your thoughts should be noisy and colorful and lively.
~ Mel Brooks

HOME GROWN SALSA RECIPE

2009-10-02T19:38:00.002-04:00

Tomatoes sliced and diced-about 15...+ I added some sliced Pear Tomatoes in with it
Cilantro chopped-about 1 "bunch"
lime and lemon juice - about 2 tablespoons each
Red Onion (the secret love of my life!) - 1 whole onion chopped up small
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp sea salt
pinch of thyme (optional)
1 tsp brown rice syrup (or you can use sugar)
corn
black beans

chop, slice, dump, mix and let sit in fridge (if you can wait!!) overnight.

HOME MADE TORTILLA CHIPS to go with the salsa:

cut up corn tortilla wraps with a knife or pizza cutter into 6 or 8 wedges
dump salt and sprinkle with lime juice
Bake 350 for 20 minutes, checking often

oooo yea, I'm hungry now! :)

CRUNCHY (NO PUN INTENDED) GOODNESS

2009-10-02T19:30:00.002-04:00

I got this GRANOLA recipe from a friend in my Home School Support Group and added some stuff to it for my family and thought since it was sooo easy and yummy, that I would share. :)

Granola:

Mix together this...

5 Cups Oatmeal
1 Tsp. cinnamon

Beat together this...

1/2 Cup Organic Honey
1/2 Cup Organic Olive Oil

Combine above on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes, shuffling around every now and again.

I added flax seeds, sliced almonds and cranberries to the mix. It turned out GREAT!!!

You could also add some hemp seeds or any other nuts to make it even more nutritious and delicious!

sad. speaks for itself. At least you have a healthy baby

2009-09-11T20:02:00.005-04:00

September 5, 2009
At Least You Have a Healthy Baby

Graphic by Meghan Rodberg. http://birthlove.cyclzone.com/pages/csec_vbac/meghan.html
This was from Gloria Lemay's blog with permission.

Poem to share - Babies don't keep

2009-09-10T00:56:00.007-04:00

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Song for a Fifth Child.

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done

and there's nothing for stew

And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo

Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Just a little giggle...

2009-09-08T02:32:00.003-04:00

We've done a little camping this summer, much less than I've desired. Besides the rain, hard ground and baby feet ending up in my nose holes and my ribs being cracked by 6 year old elbows, we enjoyed our camping days.

And a little funny story which kind of sums up how people can view a camp, let alone life!

Boudreaux and Thibodeaux went camping in the desert. After they got their tent all set up, both men fell sound asleep.

Some hours later, Thibodeaux woke Boudreaux and said, "Ma sha, look towards da sky, what you see?"

Boudreaux replied, "I see millions of stars."

"What dat tell you?" asked Thibodeaux.

Boudreaux pondered for a minute then said: "Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo.

Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning.

Theologically, mother nature is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant.

Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.

What's it tell you, Thibodeaux?"

Thibodeaux says: "Boudreaux, you dumber than cow poop. It mean somebody done stole da tent!

Alternative celebrity mama in the news...and I am so excited!

2009-09-08T01:56:00.005-04:00

I am just really excited to see this. Remember the show Blossom from the 90's??

Well, she is an alternative parenting representative (not in the business way, just she is REPRESENTIN! -I left the G off on purpose for the full effect LOL!)

You can check it out here - (just click "here")

She is "representin" by choosing an unconventional way to parent. By this I mean No vaccinations, home birthing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding and EC'ing.

I am so excited!

TODAY, 15 YEARS AGO, I...

2009-09-08T01:26:00.012-04:00

...gave birth to my first slice of blue-eyed humanity:

6:05pm to be exact. Nothing to dull the pain and nothing to inhibit the pleasure.

No words can I express to relay how much that day and his life continues to bless me.

Much love to you baby boy.

COMPLETE

2009-08-02T17:07:00.015-04:00

"Hey, I think you should head our way, mama is in labor and has been doing this since 3am", says papa

"okay, is your midwife there yet?"

"Nope, not yet but on her way" says Papa

"Okay, I'm heading out."

"Hey, this is different than the trial run, she has had some blood and been at it all night" says Papa

"Okay, on my way"

This really is a great morning for a birth, I think as I am driving from my home to see the most beautiful lady I know give birth. The sun is shining but it is 6am and is a little chilly. Keeping the window down to give me some cool air perspective, yes indeed, what a great morning for a birth-I still see the moon hiding amongst the clouds and while the sun is peaking through, letting us know it's greatness.

I hear her before I see her. I peek through the window by the door and see know one and hear her again. She is near completion, I think. I take a deep breath of the morning air and let myself in. Drop my bag and follow the guttural, primal moan to the bedroom.

I see her, bent over the birth ball and take in the scene, slowly, quickly, surreal. Baby niece laying by her legs, had been stroking her hair I am told. Sweat soaked hair, birth rags and protective coverings abroad, women trusting in birth and encouragement, Papa coaching, midwife assistant taking notes, baby girl sister playing and in another room, outside the birthing room, trusting birth as well. Dark window coverings, lights low, dark purple wall paint, flashlight gleaming.

Papa giving encouragement and love, in awe, in love, in attendance.

I stand in awe, not sure where I fit, where this woman would have me. I smell the most magnificant smell that is eminent birth. I could bottle it, I am thinking.

I look with eyes wide at birth assistant, we make eye contact, she says "she's complete"

I know it. I feel it. She is complete. Complete in the birth sense and in the family sense as well. She knows what is happening, trying to stop it, trying to make it happen, trying to bring life. Stuck between logical brain and primal brain. Trying to be in control. Trying to lose herself to the pain, the greatness, to birth.

She says that she wants to move, change positions from the birth ball, to another area, another fresh deep breath, another way. She moves to the bed and lays flat on her back. Not a position that I would recommend but she knows what is right, what is real, what is needed for her and her baby. I jump on the head side of the bed, knowing she doesn't fully know who is holding her hand, who is holding her leg, that I am even here. Who Cares? She is giving birth.

She says she can't, says she can, knows she can, knows it hurts. I tell her that her body is working hard to release this baby, she doesn't hear me, I think. It doesn't matter. She is in her zone, her own time, her own release.

Baby is bulging, she wants release, breathe the baby out she is told, I can't, I can, I am strong, I am weak, someone take this pain from me, grab this baby and run, I can't do it anymore, I am not strong, I am the strongest on the planet, Papa says I love you and you are doing it, I am so proud of you, darkness, shades of blue and gray and light from the flashlight, praises to the King, prayers to the One, you are the only one, she hears it, doesn't hear it, accepts it and pushes, as the rushes come over her, she is brave, she is strong, she is out of control, in control, she does it...she pushes with the rush.

Baby boy has curly black hair descended, we all praise her, baby sister girl climbs up with her and cries, with her, doesn't want to see Mama in pain, doesn't understand, understands, doesn't care, doesn't fear, goes on about her business being barely 3 years old. Beautiful sister. Riding her horse and listening to "Every Little Thing, Gonna Be Alright" on Noggin.

Mama calms, rests, looks around, can I push now?, not yet,, take it easy, it burns!, not yet, just breathe him out, we see his hair, tears, tears, Grandma wanting to get her hands in there, wanting to stop the pain, wanting to see the grandbaby, wanting to help, she doesn't, she waits, like the rest of us, midwife twists and turns and grabs and pulls, and gently releases the cord, twice twisted around baby boys' neck, his life line still pulsing, still giving him life, thank you Jesus, it works, it always works, gentle hands and prayerful hearts also descend, just as the baby does. Grandma and I seeking each other's eyes. We catch, we hold. We tell Mama not to push in gentle voices, not to frighten but to let her understand the need. She does. She holds strong. Her body comprehends. Grandma's hands are itching to get in there, she tells me later, which I already could see on my own, anything to the get the throat untangled, the midwife had it, was competant, knowledgable and prayerful.

Thank you sweet Jesus, your timing is right on! Mama is surrounded by Papa, midwife, midwife assistant, daughter of age 3 jumping/loving/being 3/trusting/caring/beautiful, doula in awe/silent/thankful, grandma (mama's mama), sister/best friend, baby niece, parents, believers in Christ, believers of Mama's body, believer's of birth, trusters, caregivers, people only wanting the best, advocates but not knowing we are so, trusters, lovers.

Papa jumps in, grabbing baby boy under the pits, half of his body out, head and neck released, lower body released, legs and perfect toes released and pulls him gently into the world and onto Mama's body. Mama's inherent, ultimate, perfect body, ready for all the world, empowered quivering, in awe, in love, in relief.

She cries. We cry. Papa rejoices in his own way. He is radiant and loud and glorious. He exclaims that "Baby, I just grabbed my son, in his own home, in the home he will grow up in, in the home he will school in, in the home that we will raise him in, right here!"

Grandma eases back, thanking the Lord, blessing the baby and daughter now Mama twice again, takes a breath and let's the tears flow. Thank you Jesus. As always you are near, here, amidst the pain and amidst the love.

Mama smiles and then glances on baby boy, crying, wanting to eat, not sure of what is going on but knows he likes it.

We watch his body turn from blue to pink to red to tan as he gets his last pumps of oxygen, his formost, respectful, needed, rightful inheritance. His last rush from the placenta. Now time for it to depart. Jokes go about diggin holes, burying placenta, not really jokes but aspirations, as they know that this organ, job has been fulfilled is ready to nourish the land, the garden, the apple tree. Who knows, maybe a blueberry bush for each child?

Papa knows the fold. He knows the drill. He knows what is right, what his wife wishes, what he wishes. Everybody out! Now! We will call you in as needed. We need this time to bond, to love, to embrace this new boy into our family, our life, our dymanic.

Midwife exclaims that nursing is priority but smiles at me at the kitchen table where Grandma has provided sandwiches and tater tots, none of us really hungry but eating anyway, a way to numb the senses, to keep our mouths full instead of screaming at the top of our lungs that THIS IS HOW BIRTH IS, HOW IT SHOULD BE!! and how in awe of this mama and family for accepting that, knowing that baby boy will nurse soon, when ready, when Mama is ready, and he does, right, delightfully, hungrily, needed.

Tea, alfalfa tincture, vitamin K, iron, toast with butter and honey, replenishing, smiling on Mama and baby, big sister 3 years old pretending to be a dog named Pongo, eating eggs and ham on English Muffins, the world turns, yet stops but only for the moment. Forever for us. The secret is told, proudly, abundantly, knowingly, rightfully.

Arnica, tearing, blood-but not active, Staphysagria, happy Mama, Ecstatic Papa, giddy Grandma, calling the family, the friends, the secret is out. Mama gave birth, in her bed, by herself, raged against the birthing machine, swam against the current, polished the wrong way on the grain, told you so, you non-believers, the not willing to see, the uneducated. I did it! I gave birth to a baby, in my bed, I am proud, we all are proud, we boil herbs, soothing tintures to add to bath, to smell lovely in an already awesome smelling bedroom, to soothe the swollen, 8 lbs 6oz, healthy tan baby with an apgar of 9 at 1 minute, 10 at 5 minutes. Papa doesn't know what to say, I love you and I am sooooo proud of you, 100 times, over and over, the moment is so complete, so real, so ready, so natural, so Godly.

Baby sister, 3 years old barely, says "Papa, he is handsome just like you" and kisses Papa. What completeness. What an experience. She doesn't know she is going against society but knows it is right, complete, baby brother, 3 years senior, but is 100 years ahead of society. Knows nothing of incomplete episiotomies, nothing of the cesarean rate of 35%, nothing of pitocin and rushed, vacationed births, nothing of Mama not holding baby for 2 hours or five days, nothing of breastfeeding, it doesn't occur to her that this is not the norm, she is concerned about penis, knows she doesn't have that but confident that it will grow. Laughter comes from us, innocent is truly innocent. Love is truly Love, God is truly God!

This family is not what society would exclaim to be radicals, advocates, ole hippies, ones to go against the grain, but complete, whole, trusting birth, getting what they want and knowing what they get. They are ecstatic, loving, real, normal, happy, trusting birth, feeling what they know as love, is love, feeling what they know. This family, I hope, is shouting from the rooftops that birth is normal, is love, is trust, is God, creation, that rare is mammal that needs intervention, that the birth machine is simply that, a machine. This family now knows love, unfiltered, uninhibited, unreal, unheard of, and will make it heard.

Thank you for sharing your birth, I am forever grateful, in love and inspired. No words can I express for allowing me to be a part of this undying, selfless birth and love.

Shine on, my friends!

Friends, I thankfully and humbly bow to you for allowing me to be a part of this experience. We all learn something, mainly that God is in control, never-the-less that birth is a rite of passage, not something that needs intervention. Your babies thank you and trust you and you are loved!

CURRICULUM GOODNESS

2009-08-02T15:16:00.009-04:00

Last night I couldn't sleep. I just couldn't stop the ole brain from cranking. I was thinking about delicious babies being born in mama's bed (my last client was a home birth), I was daydreaming about paint colors for my bedroom walls and organization in my home-yes, that was a true daydream-hee hee, I was thinking about the moon and the stars and how they are the same no matter where on earth you are viewing them.

I was thinking about how this baby boy lying next to me, sleeping so soundly, was going to have a birthday in another month and some change and will be turning 7 years old. How his eyes seem so beautiful, even when closed. How is hair in perfect locks of nutmeg brown are growing down in spirals, long and soft and the little fine baby hairs on his ears and in between his eyes are diminishing. He is growing up.

So I got up and decided against all of the odds to write his home school curriculum in a spiral notebook and really take a look at what our year beholds. I don't put them in pen, as it always changes but wanted to see what we are working with. Since we school during the summer months as well, I am not sure what grade he really is in. Some K stuff but according to our state and his age, probably 1st grade. He learns something every day, every minute, every second. He blows me away with his words. He whispers prayers at bedtime that crack me up and then make me look at my own heart. His is honest and pure and really expecting God to answer him, no doubt. I teach him, life teaches him, his brothers teach him, my friends teach him, books teach him, toys teach him, his imagination teaches him but oooooooh how he teaches me!

He teaches me to slow down, he teaches me to speed up, humility, softness, hardness, faithfulness, patience, fun, dancing, singing, drumming, guitar playing, painting, how to look and marvel at bugs, how to eat certain parts of plants, how to dream how to play and pretend. How to be true, not worrying about bills or friendships or love.

So, the curriculum I choose seems shallow to say the least as life teaches us so much that cannot be bought or chosen or perfect.

Here is my attempt to give him an education but his is greater than mine

STEWARDSHIP: Various outings and gatherings to help people in need, food banks and vegetable storage and sharing and too much to list...this boys a "giver" for sure

NATURE STUDY:

The Nature Hour blog
Anna Comstock Handbook of Nature Study
our own nature study

Nature Journaling (walks, books, camping, etc)

Poster Picture Study ( I got some really awesome vintage posters of nature and on the back is some really great info, for instance the life of a grasshopper and what one eats, how it lives etc...-then he draws a picture of it in his Nature Journal and shares a sentence or 2 about what he's learned)

My Father's World curriculum

MATH:

Christian Light Math

Cuisenare Rods and activity book

READING, SPELLING, PHONICS AND LANGUAGE:

Explode the Code

My Father's World curriculum

Phonics Pathways

Queen's Language Lessons for Little Ones-I SUPA LOVE THIS ONE!!

Queen's Copy Work

SCIENCE:

My Father's World curriculum

Our Father's World 1st Grade

Apologia Kids Explore Creation Zoology 1

GOAL: HUMAN BODY, PLANTS, ANIMALS

Tons of Library books

HISTORY:

History for Little Pilgrims

The Pioneer Sampler

MUSIC/BIBLE

My First Study Bible

Sing the Word from A-Z

Wee Sing Bible songs and stories

GEOGRAPHY:

Queens Homeschool supply (can you see a pattern here? I love Queens!!!) http://www.homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/ blog

Geography Songs: Sing Around the World

Leapfrog World Map Fun Facts

These are just the ones I recall. We visit the library weekly and he helps me cook, make tinctures, rose beads and tell stories. He helps me with chores and harvesting from our gardens. He learns most things, as we all do, during life.

Waking up with mom at his side even seems to teach him something about family and love. We dress up, go camping, read books, play games, do puzzles, take naps (occasionally!), go to Royal Rangers (like boy scouts at church), fish, watch the stars, take rides, make jokes, pray, just life...really, and I have faith he is learning all the while.

We talk about birth and babies and nursing and nurturing (placentas and perineums are no strangers at the dinner table!!) We have many many gatherings and our house is usually filled with friends and their children. We have parties and visitors and music most days. He has grown to love live music (like mama and pappa) and he sees everyday melt downs and joys and hardships and victories. I try to keep nothing from him. So...now I am geared up for the new school year and hope that I have the courage to turn him in to the state as a student-hee hee-I will- but haven given thought to keeping him a secret..hee hee again!

Pray for us if you will and know that in all things, we give glory to God. When we forget, may we have a reminder. When we fail, let HIM lift us up and dust us off. Our lives are so filled with ups and downs (all of us, right?) but my prayer is to get the knee pads on and give it to the ONE that can fix it. Nothing is perfect, especially when trying to teach our children so know that this is just a trial run, most learning will come as the year unfolds.

One love!

admission

2009-07-18T13:00:00.003-04:00

I am organizationally challenged. I admit that willingly and freely. I do, however, have my birth bag packed and awaiting the "deliciousness" that is about to be born. In his own time. Nuff said.

Humbling poke in the heart and book review

2009-07-16T11:34:00.005-04:00

Anyone that knows me probably knows also that the Lord has put on my heart this passed year that what He would have me teach to my children (homeschooling and otherwise) is the art of being a good steward. Not only a good steward to His earth and all of His creations, but being good stewards to His people. I will have another post on this soon, it's a doozy, but this post is really working it's way into a Book Review :)

ANYWAY, I am trying this morning to explain to my boys that people are people and God created them, knew them before they were born, as they were being knitted in the womb of a mother, just as He did for me when I was growing them inside of me.

No matter the circumstances of their lives and how they have unfolded their decisions (whether good or bad) and what lay before them, they are still God's people. His creations. AND He has called us to take care of them. Every one of them. We are expected to reach out to them. The terms are clear. Simple.

How we treat others-no matter their financial situation, their clothing type, their craziness, how much they get on our nerves-will determine whether we hear "whatever you did for one of the least of these...you did for Me" (Matthew 25:40) or "whatever you did not do for one of the least of these...you did not do for Me" (Matthew 25:45)

As my comfortable life seems to be crumbling all around me, I feel the urgency to teach my children this. Seems to be really HIGH on my list of things they need to learn in this life. Now. But in order for them to learn these things, they must be taught, and their teacher (ME!) needs to give them clear examples of how to do this. I feel myself wallowing in guilt and self pity at this realization. Am I doing what needs to be done, by reaching out to others, in order to please the Lord and teach my sons? Umm, not like I should be. Humbling, for sure.

My beloved friend Ronda gave me the book entitled Under the Overpass A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Mike Yankoski.

I read this book last year and I recommend it to all. I dug it out of the bottom of the book basket in order to give myself the pep that was originally supposed to be given to my babies. Oh, how we learn....

A few parts of the book that stood out to me are:

"The Bible clearly says, if you see someone hungry, feed them; if you see someone naked, clothe them. Those words weren't written for us to make books and sermons about. They're written so people don't go hungry and naked. And they require action from all followers of Christ, not just the rescue missions."

wow.

Remember what Paul said in Philippians? "I have learned what it means to be content in all circumstances, whether with everything or with nothing" (Phil 4:11-12)

The author of this book said "What if I stepped out of my comfortable life with nothing but God and put my faith to test alongside of those who live with nothing every day?"

And he did it. That is what the book is about. I'm so encouraged by re-reading these parts.

NOW, this paragraph really slapped me good:

"If we are the body of Christ-and Christ came not for the healthy but the sick-we need to be fully present in the places where people are most broken. And it has to be more than just financial presence. That helps, of course. But too often money is insulation-it conveniently keeps us from ever having to come face-to-face with a man or woman whose life is in tatters."

and back to James:

"Maybe the reason so many people, Christians included, are so discontent is that we hold too elevated an idea of comfort, too grandiose a notion of pleasure. That sets us up to get frustrated by every passing circumstance. We can end up focusing more on our circumstances than on the One who ordains them"

Wow again.

So, I have some work to do, don't I? Don't we? I have faith. I need to live my faith.

True faith is visible.

POO-FREE...SHAMPOO THAT IS

2009-05-14T09:49:00.008-04:00

I am almost at my year mark for being Shampoo and Conditioner FREE. Tomorrow is the anniversary. I started on this trek one year ago and haven't looked back since.

It started when I notice that my sons' hair never got greasy. NEVER. It got plenty dirty (you know boys: sand, ashes from the fire pit and gum falling out of their mouths while sleeping, but that's another day's post). I didn't use shampoo on their heads (even though I did on my own hair during this revelation). I just used the soap (home made by mama) to lather up and rinse their hair and that was it. No real reason, I just did it that way. I am more particular with my boys than with myself (mother love, I guess). My hair however, seemed to need washing every day to not feel or look greasy (now I know it was chemical build up from shampoo).

I did some research and found out that many forms of illnesses can come from the chemicals that in shampoo (Alzheimers, Parkinsons etc...). Darn. Reading along, I find out that our hair actually is better managed, chemical free, and CHEAP to maintain in its natural state.

Who came up with Shampoo and conditioner anyway? What did people do before shampoo came into the mainstream? Was their hair always greasy after not washing for a day? What about the natural state of hair makes it greasy after not washing for a day or 2? Why is this? How could this be? What year did shampoo and conditioner come into play and why? Money? Dependence upon a product? These were questions that I was asking myself.

Hmmm...can I do this?

Well, the end result after a month was hair that looked like...hmmm, how do I say this?...hair that hadn't been washed for a month. I wore ponytails and tried to keep the greasy look hidden...hee hee

BUT...big but...

After that month of transition, it was back to its original state of chemistry from birth. Amazing. Getting that build up out of my hair and not having to wash it daily to keep the "grease" look at bay was really worth that first month.

You want to try it, you say? I have fairly long hair, so I use a few tablespoons of baking soda in a cup of water. Just swoosh around and scrub in my hair. Let sit for a few minutes and rinse. Then I take the vinegar, about a 1/2 cup and add cool water in a cup and pour over my hair. I let it sit while taking care of the bathing issues and then rinse with warm and then cold water. Voila! Done.

You can adjust the amount of baking soda and vinegar for your hair length. It may take a few tries to get it perfect but in no time, you will have the perfect amount down pat.

I take a bath instead of a shower and the benefits to my skin from the baking soda and vinegar are awesome as well! I hate to think of what the shampoo and conditioner was doing to my skin all along. Plus, you know that what you put on your skin gets into your blood stream, so in all reality, it should be stuff that is edible, right?

I just keep the box of baking soda and the Apple Cider Vinegar, along with a big cup, right on the edge of my tub.

The baking soda is 89 cents at the food store and the vinegar is around 4.00. They last FOR...EVER...like over a month.

ALSO...the baking soda and vinegar keep my drain AND my tub cleaner than you can imagine! Wow, talk about "green cleaning"! :)

You can do some really cool things once you get established...you can add some herbs to your vinegar to get cleaning and coloring results. For instance, for a darker shade, you can add sage or rosemary. For a lighter shade, you can add marigolds or calendula. Very subtle, not dramatic, so don't be alarmed!

I take a mason jar full of vinegar and add sage leaves and lavendar (gotta love the lavender!) and let it soak for 4 weeks. I strain and put into pretty jars and bottles for myself and for my friends for Christmas presents. I have friends with dreads, as well as sons with dreads, and this particular infusion is awesome for cleaning dreadlocks. It is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal...now that's clean...

Long story short, I love being POO-FREE and have all intentions of staying this way...I can only eliminate things in my life that are harmful, one day at a time. This is just one way that I chose get rid of the ever-invading chemicals in our home...

Leave a comment at the end of this post if you are POO-FREE or considering it. I would love the feed back.
If I haven't answered any questions, please leave a comment and remind me...much love!

Reusing plastic greens containers

2009-03-27T08:03:00.006-04:00

My household goes through about 3 of these containers a week. These plastic lovelies originally hold organic baby spinach, romaine and spring mix. I couldn't help cringing at the thought of throwing them away (times 3!) every week, so I started using them in various places throughout my house. They wash up awesome in the sink (don't try the dishwasher, they melt-yikes) and they actually hold up great through a lot of wear and tear.

If you are looking for something to do with the plastic containers holding your greens besides recycling (or trying to extend their life-use before recycling-which we know energy and resources are used by recycling), then try these ideas to start REUSING them. They have worked extremely well for holding a multitude of things in my home-they have lids! Some things that have taken our greens' tubs to a new level are...

holders for:

~crayons, markers, chalk, paints
~hair clips and twisties
~rubber bands and kitchen gadgets
~tiny toys that the baby should not have near his mouth-hee hee-but 6 yr old can not imagine getting rid of
~bills
~envelopes and stamps
~extra pens and pencils
~spare change (if there is any)

Besides teaching our little ones to not waste and to reuse, what types of things would you be able to use them for?

Avacodo Ice Cream

2009-03-27T08:00:00.003-04:00

so here is the recipe-believe me, it sounds strange but is soooooo yummy:

1 cup frozen banana slices
1 medium avocado ripe, diced
1/2 to 1 cup of organic yogurt...

chop bananas into small pieces in a food processor (I used a blender because I don't have a fancy food processor-hee hee)

add avocado. add yogurt (reverse if using the blender: yogurt, avocado, bananas)

Puree until creamy.

Serve immediately, or freeze in individual size containers for later.

NO JOKE-it's yummy!

Also, another cool thing to do is put it into ice trays with a stick and serve it frozen as Popsicles! (no sugar added)

The way to freeze bananas is to slice them and lay them flat onto a plate and freeze a few hours. Then put them into a baggie for later smoothies and juices.

SHARING

2009-03-12T18:30:00.007-04:00

I just read a post on an awesome blog...see it HERE...and thought it appropriate to share on my blog. Education confirms that decisions are based on knowledge, not policy...

If you give a Woman an epidural...

You all know the book "When You Give a Mouse a Cookie"? Well, here we go....

If you give a woman an epidural, she'll need a big bag of lactated ringers to go with it, the lactated ringers will keep her blood pressure from plummeting when she gets her epidural, but it will also swell her tissue with excess fluid so her legs and breasts will swell and she'll be shedding water weight for days if not weeks. The fluid in her breasts will make it hard for the baby to latch on at first, so the nurses will think the baby's not able to nurse and they'll recommend some formula, just until the nursing goes better, this will probably make mom feel insecure and crappy about her mothering skills and it could interfere with bonding.

After the epidural's in, she'll probably need a catheter because she won't be moving around much anymore, and hey! she can't feel anything below her belly button anyway! If she gets the catheter, she might get a urinary tract infection to go with it.

Once she gets the epidural and the catheter, even with the extra fluid, her blood pressure might drop anyway in response to the medication she's getting, she might get some epinephrine which has the following common side effects:

Anxiety; difficulty sleeping; dizziness; fearfulness; headache; nausea; nervousness; paleness; sweating; tremors; vomiting; weakness.

If she's unlucky she might even experience these side effects:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); fast heartbeat; irregular heartbeat; wheezing.

If she gets the fluid, the epidural, the catheter, and the epinephrine, the baby might not respond very well, so the doctor will want to know what the baby's heart rate looks like all the time, and the doctor will also want to see whether mom's contractions are strong enough to dilate her cervix, so an electronic fetal scalp electrode will be screwed into the baby's head, and another special catheter, one that measures the strength of the contractions, will be pushed up inside mom's uterus. Of course, to do this, the bag of waters would have to be broken, so that the catheter can go in. Once the bag of waters is broken, the doctor will be paying close attention to the time, because doctors don't like women to walk around with a ruptured amniotic sack for much longer than a day, even if the mom and baby need longer to birth.

When she gets her fetal scalp electrode and the intrauterine pressure catheter is in place, the contractions might not look very strong on paper, so the nurse or doctor will do some cervical exams, to see how things are going. Lots of people, from the nurse, to the doctor, to the resident, to the medical student might put their fingers up inside of mom's vagina, so they can get a better idea of what's going on. But it's no big deal how many people put their hands up there, because remember, mom can't feel it! If they put their fingers up there over and over again, mom might get sick. She might get a fever, she might even get a fever in response to the epidural! But the doctors won't know exactly what's causing it, so they'll just give her a full spectrum anti-biotic to cover everything.

And if they give her a bunch of anti-biotics over the course of labor, she might get a yeast infection to go with it! If she gets a yeast infection she might give the infection to her baby too, then the baby would have thrush, which could cause more breastfeeding problems.

Once she's got the fluid, epidural, iupc, fse, the catheter, the cervical exams, and the anti-biotics, her contractions might poop out altogether, so she'll get some pitocin. The pitocin will blast her body into labor, making her contract harder and harder, faster and faster, but it won't cross the blood-brain barrier like natural oxytocin does, which is what triggers our bodies to create nature's pain killers: endorphins, so the contractions will be excruciating and very difficult to work with.

And if the contractions are very difficult to work with....

chances are.....

She'll want an epidural!

ATTITUED GRATITUDE-NEW ADDITION TO MY 1000 GIFTS

2009-01-30T07:30:00.003-05:00

Adding to my list of 1000 gifts:

The Christmas Moon

Amaryllis-BLOOMING IN THE DEAD OF WINTER-helps relieve the "spring fever" that may arise in January

MOSAIC FUN

2009-01-08T09:44:00.007-05:00

Ronda at LOVE IS KIND visited a few weeks ago and helped us do an art project-Mosaics. This was a typical learning experience for us all. First, don't taste the batter...

Don't use self-rising flour and make sure you mix it well...

Other than that, it is an easy project for any age (except if your little one wants to eat the beans instead of decorate with them-smile!) and the end result is beautiful and can be hung on the wall after completed for a beautiful show piece.

The recipe goes like this:

1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup salt
1/3 cup water
foam plate
assorted dried beans

Mix and knead all of the ingredients except the beans. Smooth and roll "clay" into a ball and flatten onto the foam plate. Then decorate with black beans, red beans, lentils, dried peas or whatever else you can think of. Make a design or let the little artist just do an abstract of whatever his little heart desires.

Then let dry for a few days.

Don't forget to take a little pin or tooth pick and make a hole near the top if you plan on displaying it on the wall. If any beans pop out, just use some glue to replace them while it continues to dry for a few days.

teaching tradition

2009-01-08T08:27:00.006-05:00

I know I am a little late on this post but just got me picture upload working again-
This year we celebrated Advent. What a nice way to anticipate Jesus birth. If you are interested in
celebrating Advent next Christmas season, there are tons of ways to fall in line. Just google Advent if you are unsure the meaning and celebration of the coming of our Savior

This is how our family did it:

Starting 4 Sundays before Christmas

Day one-HOPE light a purple candle and read scripture from Isaiah 60:2-3 and pray
Day two-PEACE light 1st purple candle, then another purple candle and read Mark 1:4 and pray
Day three-JOY light 1 & 2 purple candles and also 3rd purple candle. Read Isaiah 35 and pray
Day four-LOVE light 3 purple and one yellow or rose candle. Read Isaiah 9:6-7 and pray
Day5 or Christmas Eve: Light all previous candles and ONE white (or green) one. Read Luke 1:68 and Luke 2:1-20

1, 000+ gifts update ATTITUED GRATITUDE

2009-01-08T08:08:00.005-05:00

Today is the 3rd full day that Zaccai has used the potty. Woo Hoo. 22 months old and already showing us his independence. I am so proud of this little guy, saying his ABC's with his brother and learning letters while I home school Zarian. Even his dreads are catching up...LOL
ADDING TO MY GRATITUDE LIST...

The soon-to-be absence of diapers
Potty seats
New first words
songs hummed while guitar is strummed
The awe-inspiring world view of a toddler
Unspoken words through his new language of signing

MORE SMOOTHIE GOODNESS

2008-11-30T23:43:00.003-05:00

My heart skipped a beat when Zarian said, "Thanks for the candy in the cup, Mama."
All that sweetness and no sugar added :)

You all know that we have been on a Smoothie Kick since last April. Every Day. Green Smoothies. Well, I created one tonight that my would have put Willie Wonka to shame and no chocolate was involved, just the yummy candy taste to get a sweet yummy thank you from my sweet yummy boys...

1 Handful of organic Spinach

4 bananas

4 Organic Medjool Dates (don't forget to take the pit out please!)
1 tablespoon of Flax seeds

1 tablespoon of Chia seeds

1 cup of water

Put water in first and Blend up each ingredient before adding the next ingredient...then serve with a smile (and a pale yellow mustache)

You can omit the seeds if you like (I never pass up an opportunity to sneak them in there)

Also, if it's not sweet enough, you can add more fruit-try maybe some strawberries or kiwi or other sweet fruits...yummy!

Midwifery book review and radical Christian book review

2008-11-10T22:56:00.004-05:00

I have recently read 2 fabulous books-I have to share...

book 1:

The Blue Cotton Gown by Patsy Harman

This book is a must read-very intriguing, riveting & wonderfully written. It is a Narrative Non-fiction book about a midwife in WV and her life-her story. It reminds us that sometimes stories just need to be told. She meets and cares for pregnant (and sometimes non-pregnant) women in an OBGYN office and has to shoulder the pain and stories of their lives, unfolding into her world as the patient unfolds her Blue Cotton Gown.

You know, I read somewhere that hair dressers make us feel so comfortable while they are massaging our scalps, running warm water over our heads, giving us the attention that we usually don't pay to ourselves, that we just open up and spill our lives into that 2 hour pampering session with a stranger.

I imagine that Mrs Harman must have that same charm with the warmth of the atmosphere of her office, or the caring look in her eyes, before she even starts talking about the upcoming exam. How wonderful to be able to go to a loving practitioner in one of the most uncomfortable or vulnerable times of our lives.

I trust that these women and their stories are sacred to the author and she tells them in such a raw sweetness and reveals her life's work. How amazing to feel that you are accomplishing what your spirit was intended to do...helping others.

I have also read somewhere in the bloggy world that one Dr. revealed that if the patient does not cooperate, he tells her he will be right back because he knows once she puts on that cotton gown, her defensiveness goes down and her vulnerability goes up. That is such a strong, sad thing to hear from a medical practitioner.

On the flip side, the world is a better place because of this author/midwife's ability to understand this vulnerability and use her kindness and understanding to gain better emotional and physical health for her patients and friends.

book 2:

-UNDER THE OVERPASS by Mike Yankoski (thanks to Ronda from LOVE IS KIND for letting me borrow this)

This is a true story of a young Christian that wants to do more than give a homeless man some change for the day-he wants to see what it is really like being homeless and fully rely on God through faith.

He sets out with a bag and a friend and a guitar to sing for his supper. He spends 5 months on the streets as a traveler in a foreign land and returned a new man. He is cold, sweltering hot, eats out of dumpsters, forms relationships with drug abusers and alcoholics and war veterens-all of whom are homeless. He sees up close and personal what 3 million of our brothers and sisters live like in America.

It makes you reevaluate your life. Am I doing enough? Am I listening to the Lord and His will? Why do I have 10 coats in my closet?

On page 46 he writes "If we are the body of Christ-and Christ came not for the healthy but the sick-we need to be fully present in the places where people are most broken. And it has to be more than just a financial presence. That helps, of course. But too often money is insulation-it conveniently keeps us from ever having to come face-to-face with a man or woman whose life is in tatters."

WOW-THOSE WORDS STRUCK ME - probably where they should...in the heart.

ANYWAY, please take the opportunity to check these books out of your local library and enjoy reading about the love and life of others that can be looked up to and learned from.

PEACE!!

sad news, 1000 gifts - list of thankfulness

2008-11-10T22:40:00.003-05:00

I have a list going of 1000+ things to be thankful for (inspired by HOLY EXPERIENCE) and I have been slacking. I could put *friends* on here about a 1,000 times alone because they are so special.

My sister just passed away on Wednesday and I received a call last night that a dear friend of mine passed away yesterday. so...friends-I am thankful for you. I want to thank my friends and extended families for their prayers and well-wishes

Leaves-the amazing power to turn from green to red to yellow to orange to brown. Reminds me of life, life force, power of the Creator

Acorns-seeds thrown from trees to replenish our greedy forest raping with more trees

Clouds-sometimes, as I stare at the sky in the evening, moon starting peeking through, the sky looks as if it could be gray with white clouds or white with gray clouds-astonishing

Curls and dread locks, how they whisper tales of baking soda and vinegar, sand, dirt and debris of boys who would rather be playing than grooming their hair.

88.3-My favorite radio station-if only I could make more time to listen

Oreganol P-73 and Oregaspray from North American Herb and Spice-Herbs from the Lord that have saved our lives many times - from the Bible-Leviticus "I give you grass for the cattle and herbs for the service of man"

2008-11-05T22:19:00.002-05:00

I am no longer able to post pictures. I am totally sad and frusterated. Any help will be gratefully accepted. I push the "load image" button and it DOES NOTHING!!!HELP!!!

I HUMBLY ANNOUNCE (AND SCREAM WITH EXCITEMENT) THAT SOME OF MY ESSAYS, PHOTOS AND POETRY HAS BEEN FEATURED IN SOME REALLY COOL SPOTS

2008-09-26T12:42:00.004-04:00

A few months ago I submitted some essays, photos and poetry to a variety of literary places.

I received an email from someone letting me know that she LOVED my poem featured in the WISE MOM e-newsletter (HOLISTIC MOMS NETWORK). Well, that is sooo sweet, what poem?? I didn't even know!!...how exciting

Then I was checking out this cool space WILD PARENTING and lo and behold, there is my essay on home birth!! check it out (and the other awesome essays) and see the great comments that I received about the essay:

Hippie Housewife said...

What a beautiful story.

September 5, 2008 11:12 AM

Anonymous said...

That gave me goosebumps! Beautifully written.

September 5, 2008 3:04 PM

1001 Petals said...

That's an amazing birth!

September 7, 2008 10:09 PM

BarbaraH said...

Empowering - as birthing should be.

September 8, 2008 9:54 AM

Sam said...

Thankyou for sharing your beautiful experience.
My second son was a home-birth. He didn't arrive quite as quickly, but at only 4 hours start to finish, he too almost arrived before the midwife.
Then I was able to lie back on my bed, nursing my tiny baby, looking out at a beautiful, clear blue February sky.

September 20, 2008 4:14 PM

TicklyToes said...

beautiful story - not sure how this one found me, but I love it ... thank you.

September 21, 2008 2:21 PM

Rixy's Wrappers said...

truly beautiful

September 22, 2008 9:43 AM

THEN I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM SUDY STORM-I am sooo honored-asking to use some of my photographs in her upcoming scheduling book-yes of course you can use my photos!!! you can order a book @ WWW.THEMOONLODGE.NET

Support this amazing midwife and her mission to bring holistic, peaceful birth to Sierra Leone, West Africa, where she takes her training and skills and works in remote regions in the country. She is truly a blessing as she Shines around the world!

so, there you have it, my 3 places and my 30 seconds of fame! I am sooo tickled!

ARE YOU STILL ALIVE??? - they ask

2008-09-26T12:19:00.004-04:00

Okay, so I've gotten some emails from people wondering where I've been, was I still alive.
The answer is YES, I am still kickin'! I have had some medical issues, none that I cannot get under control, but none-the-less, I have been dealing with that.

Not to mention homeschooling Zarian, chasing Cai and reading reading reading chapter books to Zay and his friend every night.

Forget the laundry, dishes and dinner-here is a an average conversation of 5 minutes in my home:

"Mom, I want pancakes with Bananas in them"

"Okay, Zarian, sure, why not?"

"Mom, Zaccai has a rock in his mouth!"

"Mom, I have a surprise for you behind my back, you wanna know what it is?"

"Yes, let me see-OH A POISONOUS MUSHROOM FROM THE BACK YARD-WASH YOUR HANDS!!!"

"But MOM! It feels so great when I rub the inside of the mushroom, you wanna try it?"

"NO! When did you sneak out to the back yard, anyway???"

"Mom, Zaccai has his finger stuck in the VCR"

"Mom, are those banana pancakes done YET???"

"The short vowel sound for 'I' is /i/-like ummmm IGLOO, hold on, another example is...ummm...Zaccai, don't pull the books off of the top shelf, let me help you, okay, hmmm, another short "I" sound is...hmmm????"

"THE SHORT VOWEL SOUND FOR "I" IS LIKE IMAGINATION" SAYS ZARIAN

"okay, who is teaching whom here?" I think

"yes, that is awesome, "i" for imagination!!"

"let's do the short vowel sound "e" like ELEPHANT. The e in elephant sounds like "eh" "eh" 'elephant', elephant says 'eh, eh'"

"NO MOM THE ELEPHANT DOESN'T SAY 'EH, EH' IT SAYS WHOOOOSH LIKE WHEN IT BLOWS WATER FROM IT'S TRUNK!!!"

"OKAY, bad example"

"Let's do 'g' mamma"

"okay, "g" sounds like 'G, G' like grass, g, g like gate, g, g, like grapes, g, g"

"YAH MOM LIKE THIS, 'GAH, GAH, LIKE RIVER AND GAH, GAH, LIKE WATER AND GAH, GAH, LIKE FENCE"

"no, not exactly the same sounds Zarian, what happened to the brilliace of 'imagination"

"mom, are you to 'occupied' to make those banana pancakes???"

"HUH, DID YOU USE THE WORK OCCUPIED???"
thinking, but can't get the 'g' sound??

"Mom, do you think Cai will want honey on his pancakes WHENEVER YOU GET THEM FINISHED?!"

"Yes, OH WHERE IS CAI ANYWAY???????? OH MY..."

"OH, MOM, HE IS IN THE BATHROOM MESSING WITH THE WATER"

"WHAT WATER??? oh, the toilet water...time for a bath"

"are we ever going to eat???"

yah, that's just 5 minutes...

any questions about where i've been??

MIDWIVES DESERVE SUPPORT

2008-08-25T18:18:00.004-04:00

OKAY, so what other career or profession or hobby do you know of that one would actually be covered in every type of bodily fluid possible, woken up @ every hour of the day or night and expected to function and clearly speak about every bodily fluid possible, bashed regularly by society and still hold their head high?

Who, really, do you know that gets national attention for a birth that may require medical attention but never ONCE clearly recognized for the tender, humane act of assisting in bringing forth life on a daily or nightly basis?

Who, really, do you know that puts her freedom on the line for a family that she barely knows?

Who, really, do you know that gets hands deep in a woman's birthing atmosphere, massages until her hands are numb and recognizes the unspoken needs and wants of a birthing mother, and still has to fight to keep her light burning?

Who, really, do you know that gets to witness the shift in the atmosphere as a new life breaks forth into our crazy world, every day and loves every minute of it?

MIDWIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Midwives have caught babies since the beginning of time. Why take that away now? Some are trying.

That, for no other reason, IS a reason to support your local midwives.

Want to know how to support? Google your local Friends of Midwives or NARM or check out other coalitions for keeping the light burning. If you are in WV or have no one to support, you can...

check out a group called the WV Friends of Midwives andI encourage you to join, make a donation, attend the Educational Retreat, and tell your friends, family, clients, etc. about them. They are essentially, as the name implies, a group of people who are striving to keep the Midwifery Model of Care alive and well in this Wild and Wonderful state. Enjoy!
http://www.friendsofmidwives.com/

MIDWIVES HELP PEOPLE *OUT*- cool tee shirt coming soon

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VISITORS FROM MARS-JUST JOKING

2008-07-28T19:27:00.041-04:00

#17 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS FROM THE LORD...FRIENDS

Sunday, Willie bo Dillie took baby Cai Ocean to DC to visit his father and family. Zay was camping with friends and it was just Zarian and I enjoying some R&R.

I made us some fresh Parsley tea and sat on the porch soaking up the sounds of squirrels, birds and the pages turning in the book that I just dove into-BTW it is called the "Read Aloud Handbook" and IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read it if you get the chance, the statistics are mind blowing of students that had parents read aloud to them in childhood.

ANYHOO... my friends Ryan and Ronda (my BFF fromLOVE IS KIND) came to play "cowboys" with Zarian since his latest fashion is cowboy boots and a vest that is 30 years old (belonged to my bro @ 5 years old) and a 3-6 month old cowboy hat that belonged to Cai. (He makes it fit)...

Ryan was adorned with the latest Goodwill find-A COWBOY HAT

We had a grand ole time-

NUMBER 18 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS FROM THE LORD: FRIENDS THAT COOK :)

RYAN COOKED HAPPY PLATE BURRITOS laced with all the toppings (my favorite-the magnificant avocado)

...AND HE MADE ME A HEMP NECKLACE TO BEHOLD THE PRECIOUS HAND BLOWN GLASS PENDANT THAT IZAYAH PICKED OUT AND BROUGHT BACK TO ME FROM HIS ANNUAL ALL-GOOD FESTIVAL TRIP WITH UNCLE ROBBIE

NUMBER 19 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS FROM THE LORD-GIFTS FROM FRIENDS AND # 20- GIFTS FROM LITTLE BOYS

RONDA, ZARIAN & I PAINTED...NUMBER 21 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS FROMTHE LORD-

PAINT

22-CANVASS

23-WOOD

HER CANVAS SAYS: Lord, turn my eyes away from worthless things, preserve my life according to YOUR word

SHE IS PUTTING IT IN HER BATHROOM SO SHE CAN START THE DAY OFF RIGHT BY READING THIS WORD

It has a Mimosa Tree inside of a moon with some stars and dried flowers around the edges

NUMBER 24 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS FROM THE LORD-MIMOSA TREES

MY CANVAS SAYS: TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES, FOR YOU ARE STANDING ON HOLY GROUND EXODUS 3:5

It has a "bare feet" picture and a moon with an Olive Tree inside. Not sure where it is going to be hung yet.

I also did a painting on a block of wood for the kids bedroom of a caterpillar that says:

"HOW DOES ONE BECOME A BUTTERFLY? YOU MUST WANT TO FLY SO MUCH THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO GIVE UP BEING A CATERPILLAR"

NUMBER 25-INSPIRING QUOTES

RYAN PAINTED A TATTOO ON ZARIAN'S BACK OF A SUN

We listened to music, cooked, hung out, painted, ate, took a walk and for dessert we picked FRESH BLACKBERRIES

some were a little sour but most were sweet and the sun shining was sweeter

NUMBER 26-WALKS

IT IS TOUCHING THE WAY ZARIAN IS LOOKING UP AT HIS BEST COWBOY FRIEND IN THE NEXT PIC

NUMBER 27 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS: BLACKBERRIES!!

ZARIAN INTRODUCED RYAN & RONDA ROO TO OUR NEWEST ADDITION-6 KITTENS

NUMBER 28-NEWBORN KITTENS!!!

SO ALL 'N ALL, OUR DAY WAS "EASY LIKE SUNDAY MORNING"

We ended this special heart warming day with some lovin' hugs

of course, I know you are expecting it... yup-YOU GUESSED IT...MY NUMBER 30 ON THE LIST OF 1000 GIFTS FROM THE LORD IS ARMS TO HUG WITH

BEAN ART, # 15 & #16 ON MY LIST OF 1,000 GIFTS

2008-07-28T19:14:00.010-04:00

#15-BEANS

I was trying to think of a quick project over the weekend and remembered from my childhood the wonderful things made with some beans and glue.

We just used a big circle for the "seeds" of the sunflower, some construction paper for the petals and some glue and VOILA! a sunflower is born.

Art was also born, along with some coordination using scissors, the art of learning to clean up glue drips from pants, carpet and body parts, Cai learned the age-old lesson of the taste of Elmers Glue (of course not as part of the lesson-smile), patience and counting-we counted the beans.

So, all 'n all, we had art, math, science, home economics and tons of fun!!

16 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS FROM THE LORD - SWEET POTATOES

PS: ANOTHER THING FROM MY CHILDHOOD THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS CUT SWEET POTATOES AND GROW SWEET POTATO VINES-BEAUTIFUL-BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO REMEMBER THEM WHILE @ THE FOOD STORE...SO...IN THE MEANTIME, I WILL POST A PICTURE OF MY LITTLE POTATO HEADS

NATURE JOURNAL-# 14 OF 1000 GIFTS LIST IS LILIES

2008-07-28T18:52:00.024-04:00

Okay, So we are starting a Nature Journal and I will have posts on this blog to show some of the goodies we are learning.

I am teaching Zarian the various parts of the flower (leaves, petals, stigmas, anthers, stems).

A wonderful learning experience for us unfolded as the Lily unfolded-and I was able to get some shots of it.

It amazes me still that from nothing comes something, and in that something, comes the most beautiful, graceful, alluring, charming elegant gift...THE LILY

So, Lilies are # 14 on my "attitude gratitude" list of 1000 gifts from the Lord

And a wonderful entry into our Nature Journal...

LILIES:

closed...

opening...

OPEN!...

So, what is it Lord that you whisper into your divine creation to make it unfold daily?

"AND WHY DO YOU WORRY ABOUT CLOTHES? SEE HOW THE LILIES OF THE FIELD GROW. THEY DO NOT LABOR OR SPIN. YET I TELL YOU THAT NOT EVEN SOLOMON IN ALL HIS SPLENDOR WAS DRESSED LIKE ONE OF THESE. IF THAT IS HOW GOD CLOTHES THE GRASS OF THE FIELD, WHICH IS HERE TODAY AND TOMORROW THROWN INTO THE FIRE, WILL HE NOT MUCH MORE CLOTHE YOU, O YOU OF LITTLE FAITH?"

MATTHEW 6:28

Oh, yes-what a wonderful reminder, these lilies...

ART CLASS-BUBBLE PAINTING

2008-07-24T18:37:00.011-04:00

I read somewhere (when I figure out where, I will link to it) that you can make circles on your art projects by blowing bubbles through paint and letting them POP onto the paper or canvas.

So, today for art class we tried it and LOVED it!!!

You just put some paint and bubbles into a cup and mix around.

Dip your blower into the mixture and BLOW onto the paper.

Doing it outside will save on the messy clean up, or blue circles all over your walls and carpet but if you do it in the winter or colder weather, just place the paper in a big cardboard box and blow into the box-that will save a lot of clean up time.

It's fun to mix red and blue and make purple bubbles as Zarian will tell ya!

Then of course you if you run out of professional bubbles, you can just use dish soap and water.

We tried this and it was a little more runny so we just added more paint. Then of course, the more paint you have left after bubble paint blowing, the more you need to be prepared for the paint brush to come out and not waste a drop.

Zarian did this and added some smears and flicks of the paint brush to totally make his masterpiece complete. AND CAI OCEAN JUST SUCKED THE END OF THE BRUSH WHILE WE WEREN'T LOOKING (smile) but his turned out perfect tooo!

THE END RESULTS ARE MASTERPIECES!!

OB BACKS HOME BIRTH IN LETTER TO ACOG

2008-07-02T12:28:00.003-04:00

Check this out...

I am guilty of generalizing the positions that OBs stand for regarding home birth. Yes, I admit it, I usually always say - "those OBs, blah, blah, blah". I humbly apologize and though I do believe that most do have the "cut 'em up, pull 'em out, get 'em outta here" mentality, not all believe like that.

Below, you will see a letter to ACOG from an OB that is "givin' it to em" for their statements and lack of proof to protect their statements and demanding and explanation and reports to accompany their attack on home birth.

I guess not all OBs generalize women, their births and some seek to give respectable, individual and midwifery-model-based care.

Here is goes-R E A D T H I S!

BOOKS; 1, 000 GIFTS...CONTINUED

2008-07-01T09:03:00.013-04:00

ATTITUDE-GRATITUDE; Missions for everyday life.

Our hearts have no room for complaining and grumbling, when they are filled with thanks.

Every day gifts from the Lord. Things that may not seem like gifts until we start listing things that we are thankful for.

All of a sudden, gifts are all around us. Maintaining us. Embracing us. Smiling at us.

I have been slacking on listing my gratitude on this site but I have been thankful everyday, listing constantly in my head.

NUMBER 13 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS:

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS. I admit-I am OBSESSED! I have to have tons of them around me, in my bag, in my car, by my bed (and in my bed-smile), on the couch, on the floor in stacks, on the table.

While I don't have tons of time, actually very little time, to read, I have skillfully learned to sneak tidbits of reading and accumulate a few paragraphs here and there.

Two sentences while walking from my desk to the door @ work, on break @ work, a few bits of a paragraph while eating dinneror snacking, before falling asleep.

Eventually, I have learned, these tidbits add up and I am getting the book finished before I know it.

Also, I don't always feel like reading a novel. I don't always feel like reading about birth (but most times I do-hee hee), I like a variety. (You know, like some days are "jeans" days and some days are "sweats" days, others are for dressing up a little?) So...I switch up what I am reading almost daily.

So, my current list goes like this:

INTO THE WILD-I HAVE BEEN OBSESSED WITH THIS TRUE STORY AFTER WATCHING THE MOVIE
I have been grieving this man's death (and no, his death is not a secret-it is
told on the first page) and I have been wanting to know more and more about his life. I am so intriqued and interested and totally dismayed, actually relating to and excited by this story.

RAW-THE LIVING FOOD DIET-I have been drinking raw green shakes daily for 3 months-live foods make you feel alive, dead foods make you feel...?

MOTHERWIT-Granny midwife tells her life in this Biography

THE MIDWIFE'S TALE-I really loved this book-set in the early 1900's. Use of herbs and traditional ways of using and loving a midwife's experience. Some parts bothered my but I just chalk it up to the era. Also, this is a novel, fictional...but some of the knowledge gained to write the book came from tales from the elderly-which I could stay awake all night listening to tales from the past.

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS-haven't read this one yet-can't wait-it was listed on a book review as one of the top books to read in June 2008

THE FARMER AND THE OBSTETRICIAN-havent' read yet-but this title speaks for itself...crisis in our modern maternity care

THE AUDACITY OF HOPE-Got to read all about my man Obama (haven't started yet)

THE WELL TRAINED MIND-very GREAT resource list-very interesting way of teaching a Classical Education. Totally well written, detailed and supa-informative! I am more of an "unschooler" with my 5 year old but I think I will incorporate the two...can that be done? We shall see.

NUMBER 14 ON MY LIST OF 1000 GIFTS:

THE LIBRARY-'NUFF SAID!

I love the library-I just got back into using the library-I just think it is supa-cool to get on the net, order all the books that I want to read, and walk right in, only to have them stacked all up nice and pretty with my name on them. "Thank you very much, I hope your eve is wonderful" and walk right out-no time wasted a bit!

DOULAS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND

2008-07-01T08:22:00.006-04:00

I was reading this blog and came across something that really sparked my attention- these words: "The doula becomes the surrogate community that is missing in our culture–"

I am really saddened when I think that some women birth alone, spend their babymoon postpartum period alone, raise their babies alone, dream alone, laugh alone, cry alone...

I, too, have been there. Alone.

It is not a pretty place to be.

Where is our community? Where have the days gone when neighbors and friends bring tons of food, help around the house and give loving support instead of wanting to be entertained while they visit? When mama lies down with her baby to nurse, fall in love with and study her baby and, of course, rest When coming to google over the baby wasn't the only reason for visiting a family after the birth?

It is a shame that women have to PAY for this type of support. What if they cannot afford to have help or feel that they are failing as a mother if they do need support?

Yes, I know-you are saying-aren't you a doula? Yes, I am. I still want the services to be free for the families. Grants are underway, benefit fundraisers are on the brain, my mind is constantly trying to figure out ways that I can afford to be a doula for women that cannot afford to hire me... are my intentions in check, my finances, my family, my heart...I am constantly pondering.

What a shame that we all don't do more for each other and less for ourselves.

When we give and give and give and give we quickly realize that what we thought we were giving away, leaving us with not much, has really MULTIPLIED, and came back attached to tons of joy!

Okay, so anyway, I love the way that she words her post, here it is, pay attention:

Till Human Voices Wake Us, Or Why I Wish Doulas didn’t Exist
Posted on May 27, 2008 by InexplicableWays

I imagine if you visited a culture in which birth was considered a normal event–a visible part of the community–the idea of hiring a doula would be laughable. Your intuitive knowledge of birth would be intact. You would believe that since you figured out how to digest your food and how to wake up after sleeping, you would, indeed, know how to birth. And the people around you would let you.

In our culture, birth is private. Typically we retreat into the den of medicine, technology, and malpractice to celebrate our journey into motherhood. Once entangled in this trinity, we are pinned and wriggling on the wall so how should we presume?

And we need instruction and authority and equipment to deliver.

Some families hire a doula. A woman who has attended many types of births. A woman who can navigate the intricacies of the system. I do believe that whether planning a medicated birth, a cesarean, or a low intervention experience, families can enjoy the best outcomes with a doula at their side. The doula becomes the surrogate community that is missing in our culture–she provides support from early pregnancy coffee shop talks to postpartum home visits. And she is the advocate–working for the family and no one else; no hidden agendas, no judgement, and no insurance company to answer to. And–she is pretty inexpensive considering she is on call 24/7 for you. She’s less expensive than an epidural and probably less expensive than the bill from your wedding florist.

The fact that the profession of doula exists is merely one symptom of a deep isolation, fear, mystery, and sterility surrounding birth. So while I love being a doula, I’m sad that the profession is necessary. I wish that our community guarded the sacred transformative power of birth instead of timing it, numbing it, sterilizing it, insuring it, managing it.

HOME SCHOOL

2008-06-29T15:20:00.005-04:00

SO...some may know that I pulled Izayah out of school this year (7th grade-age 13 now) and I began a home school curriculum. I was a little scared in the beginning but I did my research...I found the curriculum that was awesome for his age(Switched On Schoolhouse by Alpha Omega)
and we made it work.

I pulled him out for several reasons. I researched and found that in the public school system only 2, yes I will say it again, TWO!! hours of schooling a day is devoted to curriculum. The rest is standing in line, changing classes, waiting for the teacher to get everyone's attention etc...

so, i figured that I have 2 hours plus of training in me daily...and it worked

for all of you (AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) that decided, before giving me a chance to try this endeavor, not realizing that criticizing my decision will only make me work harder (as I have always been adverse to other's blind opinions about my children-knowing in my heart that I try whole-heartedly to make decisions to help, not hinder, my children), I will now list Izayah's overall scores...(insert a tongue stuck between my pursed lips and a big raspberry being blown)...

without further anticipation...

Heh, I am pleased to announce...

Izayah, only in the 7th grade, scored 85% better than 7th grader's his age and in 7th grade...his scores were comparable to those in the 9th grade, 2nd month!!!!

woo hoo!!!

I have no regrets. NONE!

Zarian, now age 5 will be starting kindergarten-AT HOME-for various reasons (one being that he is not immunized to the school boards standards) and I will continue to pour every ounce of blood, sweat and tears into my baby, along with the proper curriculum or unschooling approach of course, that I have in me. You must know that I am not making this decision to harm or hinder him, only to help and guide him appropriately.

Those of you that believe in me, prayers are welcome!

Big props and dap to Zay for working so hard this year!!

Outlawing Homebirth? Stripping our rights? What will they think of next?

2008-06-24T10:30:00.008-04:00

Have you gotten the opportunity to watch the Rikki Lake documentary called "The Business of being born (BOBB)" yet? Please do so as soon as possible-such an awesome movie!!

So...apparantly the AMA joined in the uproar of the ACOG (possibly from the attention that BOBB recieved from pregnant consumers) and are trying to ban our Constitutional rights to give birth how and when and where we please-excuse me-with NOOOOOO research, statistics, for the safety of women and babies or medical basis listed in their resolutions.

Are they scared for their jobs? Hmmmmmmm...

Are they wanting to incarcerate mothers that give birth at home? Hmmmmmmm...

It won't stand if we "push back" see this campaign to advocate for regulation and licensure of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and to PUSH BACK against the attempts of the AMA deny American families access to safe and legal midwifery care AT THIS SITE

Read this email that I received from a friend AND PLEASE TAKE TIME TO SIGN THE PETITION

Dear Friends,

Resolutions were recently introduced by the AMA to support ACOG's position against home birth and to "develop model legislation in support of the concept that the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital, or a birthing center within a hospital complex, that meets standards jointly outlined by the AAP and ACOG, or in a freestanding birthing center that meets the standards of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, The Joint Commission, or the American Association of Birth Centers."

Please help send a message to the AMA and ACOG, and to our state and federal legislators, to tell them that we object to these resolutions and we view legislation that would restrict a woman's right to choose a home birth as a being contrary to scientific evidence and a violation of women's basic human rights.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/bir thathome/

Thank you.

HOME AND BIRTH- 2 WORDS THAT I LOVE TO HEAR- MAKES ME SUPA HAPPY!!!!

To me there is NO OTHER CHOICE IN THIS country for a peaceful, safe birth besides my own home.

see-
Quote found in my sidebar-

JUST THINKING...

There are more than 40 countries where it is safer to be born than in the US**The World Fact Book Updated July 2006https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html

LET’S GET EDUCATED IT’S TIME TO MAKE DECISIONS LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE CHANGE

AS RESEARCH SHOWS IT IS SAFER OR AS SAFE TO BIRTH @ HOME AND THE C-SECTION RISE IS UP TO 30-35%...

WHAT ARE THEY THINKING??

Are mothers and babies in their best interest or is money and power their resolution?

Are they trying to make home birth go underground all over the country, as it is already in many states? Where is the safety in that?

Sneaking, stress, penalties for midwives, untold birth stories...how does that make birth safer for the mother and baby?

I for one will birth my babies according to my constitutional rights and...

Since when is Hospitalization TRADITIONAL and home birth the ALTERNATIVE? I think this country has confused these two words in many areas of life.

GREEN OUR VACCINES!!!...OR SIMPLY JUST DON'T IMMUNIZE

2008-06-11T07:20:00.002-04:00

Every wonder what is in that mysterious vaccine? Wonder why you just don't feel good about getting those barbaric shots in your childs legs? What is the BIG DEAL that seems to be pushing immunizations into the media these days?

How about this one? ... WHY IN THE WORLD DOESN'T SHAWNA GIVE HER KIDS IMMUNIZATONS??????!!!!!????? Is she crazy, some hippy or totally bucking the system?

Well, maybe (hee hee) but I have OTHER reasons too: THE INGREDIENTS for one thing, not enough research, the rise in brain injured children, my own child that was brain injured and fought for healing for 5 years, the lining of the brain not fully developed @ birth, THE STATISTICS OF EFFECTIVENESS, the drug companies' agenda and profit and...DID I MENTION THE INGREDIENTS??

Go Here to See a Video with some mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, activists, concerned citizens and actors who came together in DC to rally for greener vaccinations...(note-you may need a tissue) o...I just checked this link and you may have to go on the right hand side of the page and click the picture of Jim Carey (the actor in a green shirt) to get it to play

AND PLEASE SEE THESE PICTURES FROM THE RALLY-READ THE SIGNS, READ THE INGREDIENTS, FEEL THE PAIN OF THE HUMAN RACE HERE... (on that link-go to "Green Vaccines"

Do some research, find out why they would actually put aborted fetal tissue, mercury and anti-freeze into our child's legs, 8 at a time at the age of 6 months?

Really, if a thermometer is dropped in science lab @ public school, the entire school is shut down because of the toxicity! But yet injecting that same mercury into newborn babies is supposed to be ignored?

Doesn't that make you wonder what the true agenda is? What are the reasons for putting that poison into our children? These kids are the same kids that will be taking care of this country in 20 years, taking care of us in 40 years, members of congress, presidents, lawmakers. Don't they deserve the rights to normal immunity, properly functioning nervous systems, clean water and food and perfect health?

PLEASE, Ask yourself those questions and be INFORMED CONSUMERS!

You can visit http://www.mothering.com/ or http://www.mercola.com/ or just google "vaccine" and get tons of info. Books galore are being written, have been written for 20 years and the libraries are filling the shelves with this important information...one that I particularly love is titled: "A Shot in the Dark" pretty distrurbing read but well worth the knowledge and power to make informed decisions on behalf of innocent children.

Be their voice, be their choice-they can't make decisions regarding their brains or nervous systems and entrust us as parents to make informed, loving decisions in their best interest...

GREEN VACCINES OR DON'T IMMUNIZE!!!

BEING BORN IS IMPORTANT!!

2008-06-04T10:05:00.003-04:00

I just read a poem listed on a midwife's blog. She has a wonderful way with words...and the poem is touching.

Being Born Is Important

Being born is important

You who have stood at the bedpostsand seen a mother on her high harvest day,

the day of the most golden of harvest moons for her.

You who have seen the new wet childdried behind the ears,

swaddled in soft fresh garments,

pursing its lips and sending a groping mouthtoward the nipples where white milk is ready~

You who have seen this love's paydayof wild toil and sweet agonizing~

You know being born is important.You know nothing else was ever so important to you.

You understand the payday of love is so old,

So involved, so traced with the circles of the moon,

So cunning with the secrets of the salts of the blood~

It must be older than the moon, older than the salt.

~Carl Sandburg

Well now, I have chills and tears from reading this poem. I feel like it is not that unfamilar to me but somehow I don't remember how or when I read it but apparently it didn't touch me as much as it does right now.

What wonderful poetry and so lovely to come from a male's perspective...

GRATITUDE-1, 000 DAILY GIFTS

2008-05-22T17:24:00.001-04:00

I recently found a great place to learn about gratitude. (check it out sometime here)
Actually, learning and listing about gratitude.

We make lists of things to get from the grocery store, appointments to attend and books we would love to read. How humbling it will be to make a list of things that we are thankful for now, that we HAVE right now!

I was so inspired after learning that some are "listing' 1000 things that they are grateful for. Grateful for these gifts, they are listing them. I too will list the things that I am thankful for, given to me with grace and love by our Father. So many things come to mind, my fingers can barely keep up with my thoughts.

I also read that with thankfulness in our hearts, there is no room for envy or hatred or any other sin. Wow!

Check this out, also snagged from the A Holy Experience:

Sin Defense: "May I share one more benefit I’ve discovered from gratitude? A thankful heart fills it and blocks out room for sin. When I am being thankful, I can’t envy. They’re incompatible! When I’m being thankful, I can’t covet. It knocks down pride and conceit as gratitude reminds me of where every good and perfect gift comes from. Giving thanks doesn’t allow room for complaining, grumbling. None. The very act of thanking God (seeing His gifts) turns my head away from opportune sin.
A grateful spirit is nothing – nothing without the Giver behind it all. Just like prayer I suppose. It’s a useless trivial action on its own, but because of the Merciful One who is listening and responding, it becomes a powerful heart-changing step I can take!" ~Chris, Edmonton, Canada

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ANTICIPATION, MY LIST OF GIFTS THAT I AM THANKFUL FOR BEGINS:

1: Wild Daisies on the side of the road...beauty in the mundane

2: Coffee Bean eyes staring at me each day, mocha latte lips pursed for a kiss goodbye and grapevine hair, waiting to be tamed.

3: Even though I do not live near the Ocean, I am at close enough distance to drive there. But in the meantime, I can see fields of grain or straw, blowing in the breeze, like an ocean lapping it's waves towards the shore.

4: fat fingers

5:ELECTRICITY

6: Big brothers with sacred eyes and helping hands

7: The wisdom to know that I will some day see more than what I see in this life

8: Not only feeling privileged to be a mama, but a daughter too.

9: Feet-something about those feet

10: I may not always feel like wiping up puddles of water next to the bathtub (that seems to appear there every evening at bath time-even though no one will own up to it...) but I am grateful that I have children to wipe up after...

11: RARE but quiet thoughts

12: The love between child and animal...

SO THAT IS 1 thru 12 OF MY "THANK YOU Lord for these gifts" LIST - check back for the 13 through 1,000

Please feel free to create your own list. Let's fill our hearts with thankfulness for the creations, blessings and gifts that we have in our life today.

Necklace giveaway!!!!

2008-05-22T17:16:00.001-04:00

For those of you interested in winning an awesome summer accessory, Simple Mom bloggy giveaway is just beginning today. Please see her site
to learn how to register to win a Lisa Leonard handcrafted necklace!!! You never know, you may be the lucky winner of this lovely artwork.

GREEN SMOOTHIES

2008-05-14T09:43:00.002-04:00

Raw Food Challenge is starting the 1st week of June! Any interested takers, please see this blog.

I am really into this GREEN SMOOTHIE revolution. Wow! The energy I feel!

The blogger that really turned me onto this exciting adventure is Walk Slowly, Live Wildly and while you are in there checking her out, please see her post on the Temple.

Here are my thoughts today regarding my green smoothies:

Okay, so it looks as though we will begin our raw food challenge the first week in June! Woo Hoo!

I have already started some "priming", about 20 days strong now, with a morning "Green Smoothie". (I started this before joining the 7-day complete raw food challenge)

Most days I use organic romaine or parsley, bananas and strawberries. When I feel like gettin' a little funky, I throw in some spinach and a mango.

Yesterday was really fun, I added a little clove of garlic because I felt a cold comin' on-Whew-talk about kickin! Very tasty but I don't think my co-workers felt very friendly after I gulped that down-hee hee

I was told you can use "any" green as the base of the smoothie. I have found that if you don't like the bitter taste some greens give, use bananas. Bananas cover a lot of that taste and make it really enjoyable to drink.

Today, the day before "grocery day", is the most wild of all days in green smoothie land. Today I have dandelion greens (for the green) and 1/2 of an avocado (for the fruit) and a little flax seed for that something extra. (I also threw in some other yummy yard treats: Violets, a few Echinacea leaves & wild Plantain.) I am not too happy about it today because of the lack of fruit shortage on the home front. Never-the-less, I am sucking it down and feeling the greatest of energy slipping into my body.

You just can't imagine how energized you feel after drinking the power house of vitamins and minerals, liquified for better absorption. I am SOOO excited to start this raw food week.
I have been having so much fun creating and experimenting with these green drinks. It is like art to me. Anything goes some days; other days they have to meet my taste buds' requirements. My kids are slurping them down too. You can't imagine the feeling of joy and energy that bring while drinking AND making them.

To read what sparked my interest in the green smoothie drinks, please read this

To read a little somethin'- somethin' about how greens and raw food helps the body with energy, health etc, please see this article.

Good luck you raw foody challengeeeez!! Can't wait to hear from you!

BIRTH WARRIOR

2008-05-09T22:41:00.001-04:00

What is a Birth Warrior?

My definition of a birth warrior may differentiate from other's definitions.

My definition of a birth warrior is that of a woman who is strong and powerful. She is in total control of her body. She births inherently, wielding power and strength with total confidence.

A birth warrior possesses knowledge, trust and faith. She combats fear with the opposite...faith.

She obtains total responsibility for her birth, her baby and her body. She makes decisions out of knowledge and trust and to the best of her ability. She shields her body and her baby from harm.

A warrior is a fighter, a battler, a soldier. Standing up for what they believe in.

A birth warrior stands at the heart of birth and doesn't waver. She holds her head high. She withstands the journey and triumphs in the end. She holds the hand of God and uses His power to bring forth life.

I would love to know your definition of a birth warrior, please share...

WHAT DID YOU RUB ON YOUR BABY'S FEET AT HIS BIRTH?

2008-05-09T21:50:00.002-04:00

I was asked, by several people, exactly what it is that I used on my baby's feet after birth. Bach Flower Remedies (Rescue Remedy) is the answer.

History: In the late 1920's a renowned British scientist and physician named Dr. Edward Bach noted that his patients' state of mind were directly related to their physical ills. Unlike traditional medicines' approach to only treating the "symptoms", Bach believed that the way to truly cure an illness was to address the underlying emotional causes of the disease.

Just as Homeopaths believe the infamous "cure like with like"...

He developed 38 natural remedies to alleviate every negative state that he identified. Unlike dangerous drugs and tranquilizers which mask emotional stress, the Bach Remedies act as catalysts to alleviate the underlying emotional causes of stress. They work subtly & gently to restore calm and emotional balance.

Bach discovered in certain flowers vibrations specifically adapted to reestablish balance in stressed individuals. For every human typology and emotion there is a corresponding flower.

Each flower has an energy. This energy is extracted and bottled. Certain emotions such as sadness, fear, confusion, boasting etc... have flower essences that match. Given the proper flower essence, the emotion is balanced out. Hence, emotional balance.

One example is Chicory. A chicory person (in flower-therapese) is one that needs to be over involved in the lives of others, constantly wanting loved ones always nearby or possessive. This type of person would benefit from the Chicory Essence (energy).

The well known Rescue Remedy is a combination of certain flower essences, helping to restore balance, ease stress and sustain trauma. it is used for any unexpected or expected distress.

Nearly every person that I come into contact with has a bottle of Rescue Remedy in their purse or bag. It comes in handy in stressful situations such as taking tests, trauma, birth, envy, public speaking, interviews etc...

I know someone that uses it to combat her not so friendly road rage. She probably has 3 bottles in different handy areas of her car! :) And I applaud her for that!!

So, in speaking of my sons birth, I rubbed Rescue Remedy on his feet and forehead to calm him from the trauma of such an explosive birth. I wanted his emotional needs to be met so he could breathe and pink up. It has been told to me that it is also great for non responsive babies, which wasn't the case in my baby but valuable information none-the-less. Birth alone can cause "shockiness" to the mother and the baby (it's also great for calming anybody involved). All in attendance of my son's birth was sucking down drops of this liquid stress reliever.

Tons of books are out there to help explain the great effectiveness of all of Bach's Flower Remedies, including the combo Rescue Remedy. Do some research for yourself. You may be in need of the valuable information or lacking in this God given energy and help.

In case your wondering what else I did post birth, I administered Arnica (homeopathic remedy for shock and pain) to my baby and myself. I used a great home made perineal salve made from comfrey, sage and Vitamin E. I took doses of home made Alfalfa tincture to get lots of needed vitamins and minerals. I also gave lots and lots of kisses, hugs and love...

PLACENTA

2008-05-05T20:50:00.001-04:00

The Placenta-I am so astonished by this organ. The Creator never ceases to amaze me.

I recently met a couple that were totally displeased when I explained that my placenta was hooked up to my baby for hours, treated with respect just as the rest of my body, then buried outside.

They about fell on the floor when I continued the placenta story by telling them that we later planted a blueberry bush on top of it.

I had to pick them up off of the floor when I told them that we really do EAT the blueberries.

Without that special piece of the life giving whole, our baby wouldn't eat, breathe or grow.

How dare we be disgusted? How can we be so detached from our own bodies, when the placenta is truly detached, we are horrified to look, touch or be in awe of it?

Did we forget that it was just inside of our body?

I wrote a poem about that precious placenta.

PRECIOUS PLACENTA

The placenta; when its job is done, when it is no longer needed to nourish the baby, expels itself from the mama’s body.

A treasured “organ” that its sole purpose is nourishment, leaves when its job is done

Amazing formation with intuition

To know when it is time to leave, know it did its purpose with perfection and now can nourish the earth and vegetation.

Blueberries, will flourish with its nutrients

By: Shawna Sealing Kemp

Breastfeeding

2008-05-05T20:48:00.001-04:00

BREASTFEEDING

SKIN TO SKIN

SKIN TO NIPPLE

LIP TO BREAST

MY BODY LEAKS-

THE FLUID TO

SUSTAIN AN ACHE-HUNGER

PAIN MAKES YOU HUNGER

MY BODY DRIPS THE FLUID

TO KEEP YOU ALIVE

THE HAND OF GOD &

MY OPAL COLORED FLUID

OH, HOW DO YOU BREATHE?

MILK-BUMP BEADED NOSE

FLARING

YOU CAN SMELL MY BREATH

YOU CAN FEEL MY HEART BEATING

THE FAMILIAR SOUND-TO YOU

THE WARMEST PLACE IN THE WORLD

EYE TO EYE, HAND CLASPED AROUND FINGER

WE SETTLE

AND DRINK…

BY: SHAWNA SEALING KEMP

HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THAT TO WOMEN WHO ARE AFRAID OF CHILDBIRTH?

2008-05-05T20:41:00.003-04:00

From WHAT BABIES WANT
This excerpt really touches me:

"These ancient encoded wisdoms and powers and strengths that are released at the moment of birth. I had read about this, but I had never delivered one of my own until twenty years ago, and I had grown children then and I think 8 or 9 grand children by then, but I had another child of my own and I delivered it, I mean I was the only other person present at his birth, the child?s mother delivered it. But I was stunned and astonished at the tremendous energy that filled that whole house, the house shook with that energy and it was an awesome near mystical experience for me, I would say that it was the closest thing to a wide awake mystical experience that I had ever had. Those of us who have delivered our children and made that contact ourselves know that it is an invitation to the greatest intimacy that life ever affords us, offered in that moment; and the infant is the one that offers that total vulnerable intimacy, and if we do not meet it, then the infant feels betrayed by the world, and so they're coming into a world they can't trust because it does not meet their most critical need right at that point."
Joseph Chilton-Pearce, Author

NOW, HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THAT TO WOMAN WHO ARE AFRAID OF CHILDBIRTH?

MY BODY

2008-05-05T20:26:00.001-04:00

MY BODY

...Spoken into existence

...With a mind that has two purposeful sides

...Nine months and slowly throughout it switches

...From the intellectual to the primal

...My neck-the conduit for nourishment

...To the now primal mind

...My shoulders

...Two indentions, one on each side of the neck

...Ever wonder what those were for?

...Perfect for cradling a four year old’s head

...At the same time I’m growing a baby inside of me

...My arms

...Separate is perfect; together is magnificent

...One hand to hold a 12 year olds hand

...One arm to carry a 4 year olds body

...All while creating life inside of me still

...All at the same time

...Those arms, later used together

...Used for reaching down and feeling our

...New creation’s head crown, used for rubbing

...The life into him

...Used for exuberance & exaggeration

...As I flail them around while

...Talking excitedly about what just happened

...Used to touch, sense, lift a new life

...From out of me to…onto me…

...Used to wrap around my womb. To feel his

...Kicks and turns. To feel him grow

...Beautiful to paint, scars and a few

...Freckles-my arms

...My breasts

...They know not only at birth, but in future feedings

...The right time the right temperature

...The right amount to produce for

...Nourishment with milk

...Colostrum no color, no smell

...But full of life saving minerals and

...Vitamins and enzymes. Saving 6 million

...Lives annually that fluid so simple,

...Yet so complex.

By: Shawna Sealing Kemp

KEEP YOUR POLICIES OFF OF MY BODY

2008-05-05T18:52:00.002-04:00

I read a bumper sticker that stated “KEEP YOUR LAWS OFF OF MY BODY”

I am making a bumper sticker that says: “KEEP YOUR POLICIES OFF OF MY BODY!! OFF OF MY MOTHERS, MY SISTERS, MY FRIENDS, MY DAUGHTERS, MY GRANDDAUGHTERS AND ANY FEMALE STRANGERS’ BODIES!!”

I have recently been made aware of a friend’s situation. She had a previous necessary cesarean. She is now pregnant again. She told her OB of her wishes to birth vaginally this time. He told her “no way”

“We don’t do that @ this hospital.” No VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean)!!

“IT’S AGAINST POLICY”

She was made aware of other choices (not by her OB). Home birth, HBAC and so forth. She does not have the money to pay for midwifery services. Her man won’t agree to an unassisted birth.

SHE HAS NO OTHER CHOICE RIGHT NOW THAN TO BIRTH FEARFULLY BY A SURGEON AND A SCALPEL.

How damaging is our society? How mutilating, abusive, evil, altered, perverse, mishandled, miscalculated, misconstrued and ungrounded ARE THESE POLICIES?????

I was speechless. I lost sleep. I have no alternative for her.

I am RARELY speechless.

I dream of her going into labor, entering the hospital at 9 cm, pushing her baby out. How unfair and disruptive is that?

Please, tell me what to advise. Help me pray for her and her baby.

Help me change these policies. Help me make a ripple and cause a wave. We, as women and mothers and sisters and granddaughters and friends and strangers are THE BIRTHING PEOPLE.

HOW DO WE STAND BACK AND TAKE THIS? WE ARE THE CONSUMERS!!!!!

WITHOUT US, THERE IS NO MATERNITY CRISIS. WHAT CAN WE DO??? PLEASE, LET’S GROUP OUR VOICES TOGETHER. LETS CAUSE A TIDAL WAVE…

KEEP YOUR POLICIES OFF OF MY BODY!!!!

Zaccai's birth story. Told by his mama. An unassisted home birth.

2008-05-05T18:02:00.002-04:00

I am going to post my latest birth. The one that gave me some power. The one that amazes everyone. The one that makes people think that I am very strong and brave. The one that made me question my other births. The one that made me so on fire to change this corrupt maternity medical system, one mama at a time. The birth that showed me what "life" is really about.

I am not taking away from my other births, they were very special also. Special in a different way. The awe that I felt from them was from meeting my baby boys when I was able to. When I was "allowed" to meet them. When I was told what to do. That isn't fair to them or to me.

I was, however, given the short end of the "power" stick with those births. I was robbed.

I was not brave or crazy or excessively strong. I am a women just like you. I have doubts and pain too.

I had people asking me how quickly I called 911-never-in case you are wondering. I chose to believe and trust in my body, my Lord and my baby. Just as I trusted those same things to create, nourish and grow my baby, I also trusted them to peacefully release my baby.

I am forever changed by Zaccai's birth. I will never go back to the naive thinking that existed before. I am vocal now. I am powerful now.

The maternity system is failing and I will not GO DOWN with that ship. Oh No!! You will see no WHITE FLAG flying or the Olive Branch waving. I will fight for my future babies and the babies of my friends, sisters, granddaughters, strangers and women.

I pray to give encouragement, love and hope. Here goes:

Home birth? Maybe. Unassisted homebirth? No way. Never say never.

February 11, 2007 PM Cold winter day, snow in the forecast

“Mom, I just had a dream that you just stood up and your water broke and the baby just came out.” my son Izayah said to me a few days before my new son was born. I laughed and dismissed his dream and told him that that never happens, especially remembering my two previous long labors. Little did I know that I would owe him an apology later because he was right on the money.

February 12, 2007 7:00 PM Snow fall begins

“We are probably timing gas pains.” my mother giggled when I came into the room at a whopping 39 weeks pregnant. “Yah, probably.” I thought because of all of the previous preparatory cramping and false calls. We had been timing cramps for about an hour and they just disappeared, ending with no labor. I went to bed and woke in the middle of the night with more cramping. I refused to call my son’s daddy, Willie, to come home from work or my mother or my midwife until there was some type of rhyme or reason with the cramps.

February 13, 2007 6:00 AM Snow and ice accumulating

The snow turned into a blizzard and my cramping turned into contractions and I called my mother. She arrived and called my midwife and Willie. I had five hard contractions and my twelve year old dreamer woke up and came to me. I told him that we had plenty of hours left before the baby would arrive. Thirteen minutes later, I stood up, my water broke and my baby crowned. With urgency in my voice, I started ordering Izayah around to find a blanket, find the Rescue Remedy, and find the phone to call Willie again. He had sleepy but wild eyes and dutifully started running around the room to find the things I was asking for. My mind couldn’t catch up with my body. With the next contraction, his head was out. The pain stopped and the world stopped. I looked out of the window at the snow and ice and was seeing the sun peaking over the mountain. My mind was racing, but everything was so still, so silent. I felt like I was watching this unfold on a movie or reading about it in a book. I quickly said to my mom, “He’s coming now! Catch him!” I was standing up and she was behind me. Prayers went up and hands went out. With the next contraction, he exploded into the world, posterior, just in time to see the sun rise.

February 13, 2007 6:13 AM Snow and ice accumulating

“Mom, do you have him?” I shouted. With a slow, hushed voice she said “Yes, I have him.” Somehow, I got turned around and was sitting on my bed, holding this familiar stranger. I rubbed him, talked to him and poured Rescue Remedy on his feet and forehead until he was no longer blue and was breathing. He slowly looked back and forth, alert and stimulated, temporarily gazing in my eyes. No better time could have been planned for my new baby to invite me into undying, selfless devotion. He barely uttered a sound and began to nurse. I had this little secret lying on me. No one knew he was born, except those present, until I chose to tell them.

February 13, 2007 6:25 AM Blizzard

Willie came rushing through the door, after a 25 minute drive from work, thinking that I was in labor. He busted in the room only to find me lying there nursing our brand new little boy. My step mother arrived and forty five minutes later she talked me through the delivery of my placenta. A few hours later Willie cut the cord and buried the placenta. Since then, we have planted a blueberry bush over it. My four year old son awoke and then returned to sleep for a bit, not quite understanding the extent of what had just happened. We had breakfast and a birthday cake as my family trekked through the snow and ice to visit us. My baby didn’t cry for thirty hours. My midwife told me later that he didn’t have a reason to cry. We did not whisk him away to a plastic container. I realized that we deserved this type of bonding, skin to skin, no rubber gloves and no bright lights. He wasn’t washed of his protective covering and his cord was allowed to continue pumping the oxygen that rightfully belonged to him. I realized things were supposed to be like this. I was connected to women, from thousands of years past who delivered their babies without unnecessary medical intervention. I was proud of my body, in awe of my baby and so thankful that I was now lying in bed with my family watching the snow fall.

The donations are in-RONDA IS GOING TO MONTANA

2008-05-05T17:28:00.001-04:00

Ronda @ Love Is Kind
is GOING TO MONTANA!!! WOO HOO!!
We raised almost $300.00 for her air fare with our dinner Saturday night.

Highlights of the night:

Eric Sandstro m singing his newly written gospel song

Willie Bo Dillie "cooking with soul from the heart" after working a 12 hour shift overnight and never going to sleep.

Fox Hunt music debut-had a knee slapping time-smile

Jonathan playing lullabies to my little Zaccai (who woke up, BY ACCIDENT OF COURSE, after Ryan fell on my porch and banged his head on the door).

Zaccai really fell in love with this musician. He really has a lot to him-Jonathan, if you are reading this, please comment so we can contact you further!!

Zarian singing Johnny Cash "Burn"

Donation counting: almost $300.00!!!!! WOOO HOO!!!

Lots of BFF's (Best Friends Forever)-family,friends and fellowship.

Ronda, I know you will be at your heightened availability of service to people in need on this trip. You will be a light in the darkness and don't you forget it. The Lord has plans for you, He told me. You just have to be still and quiet and hear what He is telling you. Please rise and greet Him every morning for direction, protection and peace.

Love is Kind Missionary Trip Benefit Dinner

2008-05-03T14:34:00.002-04:00

Today is the Love is Kind Missionary Benefit Dinner @ my house.

Willie Bo Dillie is cooking Spaghetti, Garlic Bread and salad for a donation fee to raise money for Ronda to go to Rocky Boy, Montana (a native american reservation) to work with the youth.

She feels honored to be able to serve people and show the love of our Lord through her stewardship.

If you would like to donate for her missionary trip, please visit Project Serve.

If you cannot donate, please pray for Ronda for safety, peace and strength.

Ronda, Shine on you crazy diamond!!!!!!!

Better People

2008-05-02T10:16:00.001-04:00

My sweet friend Ronda aka Love is Kind (featured in the “dirty feet” pic on the bottom right side of this blog-her feet are the pretty ones in the middle! smile) and I are constantly turning each other on to new music. We basically love the same style (hippies with guitars) and are forever falling in love with WORDS. Poetry. Lyrics. They seem to touch us but added with an acoustic string instrument and it gets the vibes a flowin! Makes the hair stand up some times.

So, here is the new guy that has impressed us immensely this week with his life, his music and his songs…

Oh! AND...He speaks of his repect for people-PEOPLE GIVING LIFE TO A BABY -YOU KNOW I FELL IN LOVE WITH THAT LINE !!!

XAVIER RUDD

His lyrics below-the song title is “Better People”-THIS IS JUST ONE GREAT SONG-HE HAS MANY !!

THIS ONE REALLY TOUCHES US

People saving whales,
And giving your thanks to our seas,
My respect to the ones in the forest,
Standing up for our old trees

Them giving food to the hungry,
Hope to the needy,
Giving life to a baby,
Giving care for free,

'Cause there is freedom around us,
We have everything we need,
And I will care for you,
'Cause you care for me.

And we all have opinions,
Some of them get through,
But there’s better people,
With more good to do.
Good to do

And what I have
could be my search
Or just some words
From my heart

My respect to the ones making changes
For all the lives
they’ll give their all

LikeGiving food to the hungry,
Giving hope to the needy,
Giving life to a baby,
Giving care for free,

'Cause there is freedom around us,
We have everything we need,
And I will care for you,
'Cause you care for me.

And we all have opinions,
Some of them get through,
But there’s better people,
With more good to do.
Good to Do

When our world it keeps spinning
round and round it goes
Human nature keeps spreading its disease
And our children keep growing up with what they know
From what they teach and what they see

And it’s only a question of the time we have
And the lives that our children need
Cause they can only keep growing up with what they know

And what we teach, and what they see

Like, Giving food to the hungry,
Hope to the needy,
Giving life to a baby,
Giving care for free,
'Cause there is freedom around us,

We have everything we need,
And I will care for you,
'Cause you care for me.

And we all have opinions,
Some of them get through,
But there’s better people,
With more good to do.
Good to do
Oooo good to do

Okay, you know the words, now listen to it with a little strummin’ and beat! Listen…here
or check out what others say about his music here

I Bet we'll be singing along while trying to figure out what type of activist we are or just trying to figure out how we can be “better people”…

FREE GIVEAWAY!!!

2008-05-01T17:37:00.000-04:00

CHECK OUT CRUNCHY DOMESTIC GODDESS AND REGISTER TO WIN LOTS OF EARTH FRIENDLY GOODIES!!! YA NEVER KNOW-YOU COULD BE THE LUCKY WINNER!!!!

SPIRIT LED BIRTH BLOG

2008-05-01T12:49:00.001-04:00

A VERY DEAR FRIEND (WHOM I haven’t met…yet-SMILE) HAS HELPED ME A LOT DURING THE PAST WEEK OR SO and she has this really awesome blog called SPIRIT LED BIRTH.

She home births, home schools, has home based businesses and is all around home bound with her husband and pretty precious babes. Oh!-and she loves the Lord-AND SHE BLOGS ABOUT IT!!

CHECK HER OUT WHEN YOU GET A SEC

She has a section about Zaccai’s birth (my son) @:
http://spiritledbirth.blogspot.com/2008/04/zaccais-unplanned-unassisted-birth.html

BE A "CHOICE" MAKER

2008-05-01T12:12:00.002-04:00

CHOICES. Do women really know they have choices? Choices when it comes to their bodies? Their health? Their babies’ health?

Do they know they have a choice to not see an MD if their child is not sick (what’s that called a WELL CHILD VISIT?...huh??? The child lives with mama every day since birth, mama inherently knows every whimper, every cry and the temperature of baby’s skin without a doubt and an MD sees the child for 3 minutes, charges $90.00 or more and sends the mama home knowing the same thing that she knew when she went in there…huh??? And I digress; that’s another day’s blog post…)

Do they know their choices& their rights regarding their pregnancy? Their birth? Do they know that they have a CHOICE where they can give birth?

I used to be one that didn’t know that I had choices. I didn’t know that I had a choice when and where to give birth. I thought, once upon a time, that if I didn’t have the baby when the OB told me to, I would have to be cut open and the baby removed.

WRONG!!

We do have choices.

The best choice, the best decision=an informed choice and an informed decision.

I have since learned the difference in trusting a care provider and trusting myself. Trusting THIS body to carry, nourish and bring forth life. Feeling the power that THIS body has, THIS intuition, THIS knowledge.

We do have choices for our lives, our pregnancies, our births and the well being of our children. Please research and find your truth, your trust. Do not go blindly into situations that involve your utmost attention and love. Be knowledgeable, responsible and strong. No one cares for you or your little baby nearly as much as YOU do.

In our society…
HUMAN LIVES are the “endangered species”
Seriously IN…DANGER!!! ~shawna sealing kemp

Let’s advocate on behalf of the animal kingdom, their rights to live and graze and multiply, our earth, our rivers and oceans AS WELL as the HUMAN species.

Birth Truth = Birth Trust
Don’t be just a negative statistic. Be an informed human being.

Be a choice maker.

I AM THANKFUL

2008-04-30T19:43:00.001-04:00

I am a little sad, broken spirit and down lately but I have lots to be thankful for. I was reminded to look around and see what the Lord has given to me. (That needs to be added to the previous blog-be thankful!). Look around! I have an amazing husband, beautiful healthy children, a home and a loving family.

The passion flower in my flower garden has broken through the earth today, reminding me to break out of this funk and listen intently to my true calling. I need to be quiet to hear what the Lord is saying to me. (another note to add to the previous blog –be quiet and attentive, to hear what Lord has to say…)

I am not fulfilled at work and I am having trouble with a good friend. I have decided instead of sulking, to let my light shine on. I am hoping to gather ideas for a home based business and some mentoring from other WAHMs. Please comment with any ideas.

HAPPINESS

2008-04-29T12:40:00.002-04:00

Have you ever noticed that happiness is contagious?? Yawning? What about Dreariness? When someone is laughing and you walk in the room, an indiscrete grin parts your lips. Laughter is contagious, too. These emotions (yes yawning is an emotion too) are things that can make or break your day. A few ways to safe guard your heart from being sad or down is:

- Start the day with prayer. Rise early and ask God for strength and joy.

- Smiles…remember that happiness is contagious too!! Someone might give you a little light in their smile, just when you need it-and vise versa-so put on your grin in the morning. It’s hard to have a frown when you’re smiling! 

- Try seeing the beauty in all things, even the mundane. It’s in there somewhere! Try finding it. Make it an adventure or a goal to see the loveliness in small things that don’t seem to matter, such as…hmmm…the fingerprints on the car windows from where the children have written their names on the fog and steam that collects and erases once the defroster is on. The prints are still there.
Those prints might prove that little “sweetie pie” HAS learned how to make the letter “S” you’ve been working on. It also is beautiful to know that each one of those fingerprints is unique. No other in this entire world, has those individual fingerprints-now that should make you smile!! (Some times we are glad that there aren’t two little “sweetie-pies” just alike, huh?)
What about the color of mud puddles? I contemplated this last week when we had a flood. I thought that it looked like a “chocolate” river. The mud puddles looked pretty also that color. I thought that the color of that chocolate brown would be nice if it were in a box of hair dye, or if it was the color of a pair corduroys.
Well, you get the idea, don’t you? Just try finding beauty in every creature and creation-God makes us all.

-Plans. Maybe we should stop trying to be so strict with plans. Some plans are nice to keep some order, I know, but how about if we not get so bent out of shape when they get changed a little, or totally don’t work out? It may be meant to be that our plans are not Gods plans. Maybe our plans are Gods plans. Our children decide when they are hungry and we may have to change plans to stop and feed them or change them (diapers or go potty). Their may even be bigger bumps in the road, huge dips and even road blocks in our life. Let’s try to not be so shaken up by them. Just go with the flow. Gracefully float over those bumps like butterflies or turn around and light another part of the earth like fireflies.

-Let things unfold…and try not to negatively react
Let little “sweetie pie” wear her brothers sweater because she “wants to”. She may feel pretty and protected by her brother’s sweater and not give two hoots whether or not it matches her pink polka dot pants.

If we tell her “no” to these impulses, her creativity may be stunted, her heart sad-and a sad heart is useless, as you know, I am trying to list things to help us have a less heavy or sad or down heart.

-SUNSHINE-get sunshine during the day. Let it shine on your face at least 10 minutes a day- but more more more if you can. Go outside on your breaks, sit by the window, and soak up that Vitamin D. Sunshine uplifts our spirits.

If you have more ideas to share, please put a comment on this blog. This list is actually for me, I’ve lost a little oomph in my heart lately and I am trying to overcome it. I thought that others could possibly benefit too! Please share your thoughts to add to the list…

-

MY CHIROPRACTOR ROCKS!!!

2008-04-26T15:00:00.002-04:00

I have a family member that is anti-chiropractor. I am giving just 2 examples where nothing else but chiropractic care would have healed my children. (and they haven't been to an MD since)

1st-My oldest son Izayah, when at age 5, lost his hearing. I went to MD after MD, specialist after specialist, only to be told that a) he needed tubes in his ears (no way man!), b) he needed a bone removed from his ear (what bone???) c) he had permanent damage and his father and I would need to learn sign language and deal with him being deaf. (we did buy a book to learn sign language but I still didn't believe it wasn't curable)

So, after much begging from my mama, I took him to my Chiropractor. He nonchalantly said, "Get him off of cow's milk, no sugar and wheat (for a while)" He gave him a few adjustments and in 2 weeks my son had 72% of his hearing back.

Why get him off the milk? Well, he had yeast building in his eustacian tube (the area between the mouth, ears and nose). The milk, sugar and yeast was feeding the yeast in his eustacian tube and causing an impaction. The adjustment gave a little "tilt" so it could drain properly.

He was healed by diet change alone and he is now 13. He has 98% of his hearing back and (of course) no permanent damage.

What bone were they going to remove anyway?

No chemical medicine, no tubes, no permanent damage, no bone removed!!!

My heart goes out to the children out there that may have had such a simple thing wrong with them, that have undergone major surgery or suffered with hearing loss.

EXAMPLE #2:

My son Zarian a few weeks ago starting urinating frequently. Like VERY frequently! Every few minutes. He was getting dark circles under his eyes and looking very tired.

I took him to my Chiropractor and on his second visit, he said "I know what is wrong with Zarian". "Where does he sleep?" I said "With me". He said, "what is plugged up by your bed?" I told him that at the foot of my bed is my alarm clock and cell phone charger. He told me to remove them from the room and Zarian would get better. My chiro uses Applied Kinesiology for muscle testing and Zarian showed obvious signs of electricity absorption. His liver was "hot" and gave me some foods that are healing to the liver. Heal the liver, remove the electricity and the kidneys would fall in line.

Don't believe me yet? Well, three days of no electricity while sleeping, ALL TVs turned off and he was back to urinating regularly and his dark circles were gone!!

Apparently, him being so little while SO much electricity permeating into him while sleeping (8+ hours), was adversely affecting him tremendously. Remove the cause, heal the root of the problem and symptoms disappear! How about that?

Do I know what an MD would have done to my little angel had I taken him for his frequent urination?

Yes, I know that they would have put him through the ringer with aggressive testing, Xrays etc...and they would have put me through the ringer for not ever taking to an MD before now. He would have ultimately been put on an extreme amount of poison, diagnosed with some strange illness that cannot be explained and a donation cup would be sitting at the local gas station for pennies to help me pay for all his extremely high medical bills. He still would be urinating every 5 minutes and the electricity that was affecting him would still be plugged in at the bottom of our bed-the problem still being simply "the problem" and Zarian simply being wasted away.

I am thankful that my Chiro has been taught and is still learning this non-agressive way of healing. I am thankful that the Lord showed us exactly what was happening.

To further prove this to the non-believers of holistic healing: Zarian had a relapse and starting urinating frequently again a few weeks later. I started cranking my brain, trying to figure it out. My husband pointed out that we had recently gotten satellite hooked up and he was watching WAY to much TV, hence...more electricity going into him.

We had the satellite turned off, Zarian stopped urinating frequently and is the healthy boy he once was.

Note-I was wondering how I would get up without an alarm clock, worried about being late for work and I asked my chiropractor how will I get up on time with no alarm clock? He told me that I could try drinking enough water, the proper amount of water, and I WOULD get up. (to go to the bathroom -smile)

HOME BIRTH

2008-04-21T17:42:00.003-04:00

HOME BREWED

HOME GROWN

HOME BORN

IT'S ONLY NATURAL...

MIRROR, MIRROR

2008-04-21T16:51:00.001-04:00

I saw the most wonderful sight Friday afternoon, as I was driving home from work. I really was in a foul mood, talking about lay-offs and gas prices before I left work. I was feeling rather low and debating my choice of wine with myself while on the way to the grocery store. I had to slow down, while waiting for a bus to let children off and low and behold I saw the most awesome sight...

A man, probably a grandparent as he seemed to be an "older" gentleman, with a baby strapped to his back, solemnly standing under an apple tree in his yard.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a mirror. Probably a hand mirror, one that would be used for giving a quick glimpse in the mirror by a teen doing up her hair for a lovely date.

He pulled this mirror out of his pocket and took at peek at the infant strapped to his back. He seemed satisfied at the image he saw of the sleeping babe, probably around 3-5 months old.
He continued to admire her beauty. He grew a smile on his face, knowing all was well with her. He seemed so content, almost honored, to have accomplished the goal of putting this little beauty to sleep while walking around the yard, smelling the apple blossoms.

He did not know that I saw him, and I wish so much that he did. I wanted to give him the 'THUMBS UP"!! I wanted to have my camera handy for that picture.

Baby, content on poppy's back, snuggled like a bug with sweet Spring aromas all around while Poppy, so proud and admirable, of his fresh little grand babe, sleeping on his back.

I wonder how long he let her sleep. I wonder at how he may have went inside, showed the others of his accomplishment, or maybe he didn't. Maybe he kept walking, letting the aromas fill her dreams. Maybe he knew, somehow, that this little miracle needed to rest, and he kept on moving, letting her sleep, letting her feel his beating heart and movement. Maybe he let her feel the sun shine on her face.

I will never know. What I do know is that he taught me a lesson. It really doesn't matter what happened after he pulled out his mirror. He was in awe of this beautiful presence strapped snuggly to his back, smelling the aromas, feeling the sun on her face, asleep against grandpa.

She didn't care about the gas prices, or the economy crashing around her. She was content with the love and comfort she felt. Enough to fall asleep.

I slowed down. I was reminded instantly of what life is really all about.

Isn't that enough for us to know?

BIRTH FREEDOM ADVOCACY PROJECT

2008-04-21T16:15:00.005-04:00

Refuse to be a Womb Pod is introducing a "BIRTH FREEDOM ADVOCACY PROJECT". It is mainly a CESAREAN AWARENESS PROJECT that educates and advocates for our mother's rights and babies rights. She is seeking photos of women holding two fingers up, meaning:

1-peace sign, peace, peaceful beginning for the babe, peaceful birth and empowerment, unhindered with intervention, empowering peaceful birth

2-(from the poem Paul Revere-1 if by land, 2 if by sea) this represents "1 if by fear, 2 if by free" meaning that we choose number 2

3-V-meaning vaginal birth

4-V-meaning VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SEND ME THESE PEACE PHOTOS and I will forward to Refuse to be a Womb Pod.

Please help spread the NECESSITY AND HOPE for birth freedom.

We, as Americans, have given up our rights any many ways, including birth. It's time to take them back. Birth truth equals birth trust.

We trust our bodies to start, grow and nourish our babies; let's also let our bodies birth our babies without fear.

CESAREANS ARE NEEDED TO SAVE A LIFE-NOT FOR CONVENIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT DOES THE CLOCK SAY?

2008-04-20T10:41:00.002-04:00

I told my son Zarian that "the clock says 7:03 and when it says 7:05 we will go take our baths".

He stood there, with his big brown eyes, looking from the left and then to the right and back again as if he is contemplating something. Then, he innocently says, "I don't hear the clock saying anything?"

I thought, well he is right...smile

For those of you that don't really know my little fellow, he is sooo literal. Everything he listens to and says is exactly how it sounds. Wow, I "literally" love this little boy!!

Sometimes I wish I could be so clear cut in the way that he is.

WHAT IS A DOULA?

2008-04-12T21:51:00.002-04:00

Well, I guess from all of the questions that I have recieved regarding the word doula, I need to explain. I am very happy to do so. I am a doula. I am Co-Director of a doula Co-op.

What is a doula?: TWO EXTRA HANDS AND A LOVING HEART

That is my definition, one that I strive to protect.

The word doula is a Greek word, meaning "woman servant" but I love to say that it means "Mothering the mother" Mothering the mother, so that she may mother the baby, and the baby will mother our world.

For one reason or another, and it is not my place to determine why- mothers, partners and caregivers are increasingly unavailable...hence, the doula is needed.

I believe a doula could be a friend, a mama's own mother, a neighbor, a lover or a hired companion.

Doulas are neither male nor female.

Doulas are a support system, maybe striving to be supported themselves, to achieve the same goal. Goals that come to mind are listed as: time to give of themselves as they are needed to the new baby, their families, their world. Creating a space, away from the everyday busy life, to heal, nurture, nurse and fall in love with the new creation/baby/life.

I could list statistics but I don't want to. I have a hard time believing them in comparison to stastitics listed about birth interventions, so I will not ask you to believe doula statistics. I will however say that research shows that there is less intervention, less c-sections and a greater number of empowering births if a birth doula is hired. Less child abuse, less postpartum depression, greater breastfeeding success and greater bonding if a postpartum doula is hired.

So, with that being said, I am striving to be valued doula. I am trained, I have the ambition. I strive to give enough information for my clients to make informed decisions regarding their birth and postpartum care and care of the newborn, while all the while they can't or won't listen to anyone else but the medical establishment, who has the monopoly on their care in a hospital birth, and seemingly darken my concerns. I will not be swayed. I know that the cesarean rate is growing daily, without pathological reasoning. I will continue to teach, to advocate, to learn about the growing crisis in maternalbaby medical intervention.

I am learning to be more fluid, less vocal and more complient but that really doesn't sit well with me. Silence hurts.

A doula not only creates a bridge between what could be and reality, but strives to warn the birthing and postpartum women that a bridge isn't necessary if proper education is being sought.

A doula commits herself to creating a sacred birth space, no matter where the birth is taking place. She/he is a shield for the mother to stand behind, to cower behind if need be, against a belief that is taking over our communities- that birth is a medical emergency. Truth needs to be in the room. Birth Truth. It is a doulas goal, in my opinion, to differentiate between the blind truth to the inherent truth. She/he needs to be able to convey the inherent truth to her client. Protect her client. Protect her sister, daughter, friend, cousin, stranger and client.

Give the client/mother many options to choose from. Let them make an informed decision. Stand firm before them with protection, letting them know that the opposite of fear is faith. Faith that they can grow a baby, push a baby from the womb, make decisions on their own regarding their health and the health and well being of their children. Allow them the space to voice their own concerns, their own rights, their babies rights.

It is incredibly hard to be a doula. A hardness that sometimes weakens when their own experiences from childhood, childbirth and mothering flash before their eyes. No matter what, a doula strives to realize that their own personal choices and decisions and paths are not what matters in the clients life. It is extremely hard to put aside our own beliefs and decision making strategies.

A doula uses their doula "magic" in their own life, their own family and seeks to create a peaceful, loving environment for all.

A doula supports, educates, sometimes voices their opinions, loves, bonds and artfully creates.

She/he may not know it, but this nurturing has been around since the beginning of time. Families, neighbors, friends and tribes have been giving healing teas, protecting, preparing nurturing foods, protecting the new mother/baby and telling stories of passed experiences since the beginning of time. What more is needed in the doula role?

My personal goal, as a postpartum doula (and soon to be birth doula) is to be advised of a hospital birth or home birth, goes to the place of birth and establishes breastfeeding, acknowledges the new mama and baby and gives praise and appreciation. Repeat a visit around 3 days postpartum to answer questions/find answers to problems that have arised, and explain how important the new mama is to the baby and how needed the baby is to fullfill it's purpose. Then revisit to again praise the new mama and baby with respect and be watchful of postpartum depression, go over questions and educate on infant and mama care, to the best of the doulas ability. All the while, be on call for questions and concerns, 24 hours per day. At each of these visits, my goal is to allow time to bond, heal and appreciate the bonding with the new baby and siblings. Be another support role model, not to replace the existing support but be an addition to (mama's own mother or partner or friend) and be valued as a caring, loving and educated human being. All the while, I want this service from doulas to be FREE of charge to the birthing families.

I pray for grants. Any suggestions are appreciated.

More doulas are needed in this world. Mothers and babies depend on their sacrifice and love.

WEEDS

2008-04-12T21:02:00.002-04:00

Today I learned a valuable lesson while comparing weeds to birth. Just as a weed has to push forth, through all of the winter "insulation" of straw and leaves, so does a mother push, through the insulation of the womb, (vigorously) her baby out to see the world, just as a weed in the garden.

I learned this lesson today as my 5 year old son, Zarian, said to me "Mama, that beautiful flower has leaves ALL over it. Move those leaves, Mama, so it can see us!!!" WOW! I was awe-struck.

I pictured, in his little view, this powerful force, with no help from anyone, pushing through the leaves and old mulch and straw to get a glimpse of the sun. I reflected on how a baby pushes forth, through layers of difficulty, to see the sun. To see his mama's eyes. To see the light, his world.

I remember the look in all of my boy's eyes the moment they were born. "So, this is you mama, whose voice I've heard for many months, who's face I longed to see when the time was right, please show me this world, protect me, let me nurse and hear your beating heart" is what I saw in their eyes. I saw wisdom beyond words. I saw a valuable life, a life with a purpose. A life that I just met, yet could not live without.

I saw the dandelion weed, so desparately reaching

While all the while, that troublesome "weed" is sooo valuable to our health. That Dandelion root and leaves are great healers in many ways. Valuable to our health by drinking it's boiled root, eating its leaves in salad and bringing us sunshine in it's flower.

Just as a new soul pushed forth, emerging gently and powerfully in it's own time into our crazy world, so does the weed in our garden, our flowerbeds and our walkways. They both push with determination and struggle and strive to see the light of our world, in their own time, their own space.

I wonder how the weeds determine it is the right time to turn green, with purpose, and bust through the earth? How does a baby know when it is fully "cooked" and strive to leave it's warm, safe place in our wombs? Why do we intervene and try to tell these wise creatures when they are ready? Only they know, touched by God, when it is truly time to break free from it's temporary comforting environment.

Weeds and babies, developing, growing and pushing forth, are similar. Is that a coincidence?

At the time of a birth, no one knows the importance of this new soul. In Spring, no one REALLY understands the reasons for these bothersome weeds. We do learn, of course, over time how healing, how significant, how lovely both creatures are to our world, lives and health.

I can't imagine living without or questioning my sons' births.

Do we need to question their energy?

Do Dandelions have no purpose for existence? I think not. After learning the antioxident affects and healing powers and vitamin and mineral content, taught to me by my mother when I was a small child, I am realizing that the very existence of a mother's power to grow and nourish a baby in the womb, with minerals and vitamins and healing are very similar.

I declare to not take either for granted.

Choices

2008-04-06T19:36:00.003-04:00

Hello! I am new to the blogging world but I feel the need to start out by telling you that our modern maternity care is in a crisis. So…I am having trouble dealing with people jumping off the edge of a cliff and I am supposed to be there to tell them that I will help support them while they heal. Instead, I believe that I should tell them that the cliff lies up ahead and to make sure that jumping is what they really want to do and to help them understand that with jumping, they may not make it and if they do, there will be lots of pain to overcome. Then have them make the choice.
This is what happens, in my thoughts, to people who blindly go into labor and put the birth in another’s hands. We should all know the consequences of giving up our rights while giving birth. We need to know the pros and cons of each intervention, before it is our time to decide, so that we may make informed decisions.

Birth Junkie

2008-04-06T19:35:00.002-04:00

I am a birth junkie. I thought that I was fulfilled while reading birth stories while pregnant, planning a home birth. I was wrong. I cannot stop reading birth stories, causing me to become an aspiring midwife. Thoughts flow through my head. I have decided to share them. My hopes are that the reader finds empowerment from them.

Easter thoughts

2008-04-06T19:32:00.002-04:00

Today I learned that my family tree traced back to the 1600s, to Pocohantas actually. I have read that she was a Christian, which I am too. I realized that the strong beliefs and interest in herbs, nutrition and healing don’t only date back to my ancestry, but maybe to a prayer for the next generations, hence…me.

I am drawn to healing, knowing that no man can create anything better than God! He gave us plants, vegetables and fruits for healing. He told us numerous times throughout the Bible. Why do we continuously believe that “man” can create anything better that Him? We can make “fake” oxytocin, the LOVE hormone, to speed up birth.

The intervention rate after synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) is given is unbelievable in statistics-see Jennifer Blocks new book-PUSHED. You will not be able to put it down, but will be very disturbed by this read also. It describes the unreal crisis in modern maternity care. Our national rate of cesarean is 35%!!! can you believe it???

Where did we go wrong? Our own bodies, produce oxytocin, the LOVE hormone. The same hormone that gets produced from making love, having dinner with loved ones or being patted on the back when sad. This love hormone is produced (among others) and assists the uterus in contracting starting labor. It primes the lungs for breathing outside the womb. Since when do we feel it is “okay” to produce something that is considered comparible with Gods LOVE hormone? C-section babies are not squeezed through the birth canal, hence…suctioning and intubation is usually required. This also requires being separted from the mama. Naturally born babies cause mamas to produce hormones to start the rev of the breastfeeding hormone, primes the lungs and starts the bonding process. Without that hormone, if a fake one is given, causes extreme forced contractions that are inhumane and detrimental to the “proper” start in life.

Unless these interventions are absolutely necessary, why are they being used???? Let’s trust birth, as birth trusts us. It trusts us to form the baby, carry and nourish the baby and deliver the baby. It trusts us to eat right, exercise and be readily prepared for breastfeeding. What are those Breasts for anyway?!? So, research, read and get ready for birth.

Birth counts on us and trusts us…let’s not let it down!