La la la...

The forecast this week calls for a chance of thunderstorms everyday, some days a higher chance than others. Knowing it is hurricane season, I decided to go on a long walk. I was rounding the corner when I decided I might as well walk down to the Birth Center to get my glasses. I had forgotten them after the birth yesterday. I had the time and it was still nice out. I was walking back to my house. And all of a sudden I heard, "Excuse me... and someone was right next to me from the back. I was expecting him to say, "do you have a few dollars?" Instead, He said, "Did you know that Jesus Christ came to Earth and appeared to a man named Joseph Smith?" No, he didn't, I was thinking. It was two teenage boys on bikes both wearing a white shirt, blue pants, ties, and helmets.

I was so caught off guard. I had just been observing my slightly swollen hands from the heat and thinking how I had not brushed my teeth after eating a cone of ice cream earlier. They came out of nowhere. I thought they were supposed to knock on your door. Instead, they came up from behind me. I barely had time to think at all. "I'm not interested" is all I could think of to say. (I was tired and caught off guard- I had worked at the Birth Center for 38 straight hours minus two one hour 15 min stretches of sleep that weekend.) He continued on his mission to convert me. I asked him what made him interested in becoming a Mormon. He was happy to tell me his story briefly. He continued to tell me how to become a Mormon. He spoke of the book of Mormon telling us how God gives wisdom. I was nodding my head yes, because that is what He tells us through the words of James. He then quoted James. He ended the encounter challenging me to pray tonight and to become a Mormon. I told him to have a good day. The other boy piped in, "God bless you." I responded, "You too." They went off on their bikes. I continued on my walk. I prayed for them that the power of deception be broken in them... that in realizing the error they would not turn away from seeking, but turn to God alone.

And I have to say, I did not enjoy my encounter with them at all. And I am so glad to belong to a God who takes me as I am and blesses others through me through the work He does in us, not we in ourselves. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

High Tide on the Bohicket

High Tide. I lose my flip flop getting into the boat. We get it. The beautiful lowcountry marsh. The smell of salt air. The wind blowing in our faces as we move along. The sound of the motor. We check the crab trap. It is caked with mud and dirtiness. Dad asks if I will hold it while he turns back to the dock. "Can I just drive instead?" :). He smiles. I drive. After the dock, we went inland toward the Intercoastal Waterway. There is the Soznosky's. Stay in the middle. Keep away from the docks when people are on them. There is a sand bar over there. Those poles means there's a bank. They are going to develop that land over there. I am sad. Under the bridge. Keep staying in the middle. Head to the right to stay out of the way of the sailboats. Who's house is that? Not sure. Oh, I'm loving this. Oops. Where did the river go? The high tide is making things tricky. No crash. We keep on. It is beautiful. Wow, Wadmalaw goes all the way out there? I never paid attention. Many docks. I point to the right. I housesat somewhere along here. It was beautiful. Keeping on and on staying in the middle and watching the docks for people. Finally, around the bend. Dad says he has never been this way. I have a bad feeling inside. If he who has grown up on this river 61 years and knows it well hasn't why should I? He says, "here, let's turn around." I am glad. Back the way we came. Passing the docks, the sailboats, the Soznosky's. Stop at the dock for a phone call. Head for the dock. Now slow down to stop the wake. Putt in to aim parallel to the dock. To the left. Now a little to the right. Aim for the blue bucket. He gets the rope and ties us up. Got my phone. Back in the boat for a ride the othe way. That is where so and so lives. There is Dougie's. We turn around at Mr. Booths with a wave. Finally, back to pull in some crab for supper. He cleaned them on the dock. Another beautiful ride down the Bohicket with Dad... Thank you, Lord.

Friendship

So, I was thinking today in church how much I appreciate the variety if ways available to us to worship during the service. I realized how I get more out of the different parts of the service rather than simply the sermon. This is not to say it was a bad sermon. It was a great sermon. It is just that the strength and encouragement that fills my soul comes from the singing, the fellowship, speaking His word together out loud, His presence, in combination from the message. I looked back at the different churches I have been equipped by in the past several years and think the same on each one.

Today my favorite part of church was the fellowship. Our friends, Sean and Mallory, are back from traveling. It was nice to sit with them. Then, spending time with everyone after church was fun. We had decided going to lunch after the service would a good way to welcome them back. So, after a time of deciding where to go, we decided on Cabana Cove. It ended up being Gram, Hannah, Sean, Mallory, Kendra, a new freshman at UF named Jeremy, and a guy named Jay that I have met a couple of times. We were all glad to be in each other's company. We had a good time hearing about each other. We especially enjoyed some good laughs. This is what I enjoyed the most.

While we were waiting on our food, something special happened. One of the servers came up to our table where I was sitting at the end. He kneeled down and just looked at me like he knew me. I wondered what in the world he was going to say. Then, he said, "I just wanted to thankyou for delivering my baby...". Then, I recognized him. We continued a brief conversation. It was so neat. They asked me if that has happened before. No, it was the first time. He eneded up giving our table free Momosas. I could not drink my whole drink since I had eaten a light breakfast- it is hard to have a big bowl of cheerios with no milk:(. I did not want to seem unappreciative. So, Gram graciously let me pour a little of mine into his glass. What a pal:). We enjoyed the rest of our meal, conversations, laughs and then went our seperate ways... Friendship is a blessing from the Lord.

In the Middle of the Night

I have been sleeping in the extra room for the past couple of weeks. I guess it just makes me feel more like I am on break, you know? I have enjoyed it. This is where I was sleeping when my phone rang this morning at 3:30. It was the midwife explaining that we had someone coming in for antibiotics (GBS+) in about 30 minutes. I have never heard any of the midwives so tired. I was tired myself. Sometimes it is not hard to wake up. Sometimes it is, but when you get out of the bed it is okay. This time it took me several minutes. I would say by the time I got the Birth Center I was awake. I got there first. I prepared the birth room and the antibiotics. The client and her husband arrived. Then the midwife. We checked how far along she was, her vital signs, fetal heart tones, and administered antibiotics. By the time they left and we finished out paperwork, it was 5:00. The midwife went to the cottage to sleep. I went home.

When I got home I was feeling tired, but I was a little bit awake. I unpacked my bag of food I had quickly grabbed from the fridge on the way out. (You never know how long you may be there). I decided to eat something and to read in my Bible. I did. I changed backed into the clothes I was sleeping in and was brushing my teeth, ready to return to bed. Doest my ears deceive me? What is that noise? Sure enough it was the ringing of my phone. Well, you know, my ringtone - dun dun dun dun dun, dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun etc. The midwife was calling again to tell that yet another client was coming in to be checked. She gave me the choice to wait or to come in. I decided to come in. I would not have been able to sleep anyway. So, I put my scrubs back on. Went back to the kitchen to grab my food out the fridge- the same food I had just put in.

Off to the Birth Center! We prepared the birth room all over again. I began her paperwork. The client came in very much not looking like or sounding like she is really in labor. We checked her vital signs, listened to fetal heart tones, and assessed her progress. No. Not ready. We sent her home. We wrote up the paperwork. It was now daylight. I was finishing up my call time. I am glad. Even though I was up during the night without much to show- no babies out of it- I had a joy inside. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself thinking "I LOVE this so much!" as I walked down the hallway to return back home.

It is the same joy that has filled my heart many times through my life, sometimes just sweeping the floor of the O'dell's house while the kids were asleep. Sometimes with the triplets asleep in my lap. At the Gartners house making cookies with Anna while the boys played video games. Sometimes studying. Sometimes driving in my car in Jacksonville. It is not just the midwifery that I love so much, though I do enjoy it. It is the purpose He gives in being His and the way He is with us. It is the reward not of the fruit of becoming a midwife, but of being His child. What a gift to enjoy being woken during the hours of the night for mundane tasks.

So, I came home pretty awake by now. I almost went running because the weather was so good. Then, I thought better of it, knowing I would be wide awake for sure. So, back to the extra bedroom which is darker than my own room. And, thank you for your night blinders, Annie!

Birth Log

So, you may have noticed that I added a birth log over to the right side of the page in addition to updating my photo. I decided to count out the number of births that I have been to, since one day I may forget them all. Plus, you asked me to, didn't you?

The total number includes the births I was a part of before school. It includes a variety of roles: doula, observer, birth assistant, and managing student.

Home: 14 (plus one transfer)
Hospital: 15
Birth Center: 50

The remaining five births were cesareans that I did not witness, but labored with them and/or provided postpartum support.

A Day at the Beach!

A few of us drove out to St. Augustine Beach after church on Sunday. It was a very HOT day so we went straight to the water. We let the waves break over us, sometimes jumping and other times diving into them. I almost lost my favorite hat, but Kendra saved it for me. After we had enough salt water in our faces, we decided to throw the frisbee some. I thought we did pretty decent for four non-frisbee throwers. At one point a little boy came running through our tossing area with his hands in front of him shouting, "i'm sorry...i'm sorry" over and over. I thought he was super cute and realized he must have sand or sun tan lotion in his eyes. He was running to his parents to get dried off. After frisbee, we ended up playing a game on the sand. It was a cross between hop scotch and bocci. I thought it was a fun game, though I didn't do so great. You win some. You lose some. I lost some:).

We rinsed ourselves off under the outdoor showers. Then, we changed clothes in an old gas station bathroom (better than the beach bathroom, for sure!). Then, we walked downtown to a nice resteraunt called Columbia. I have been wanting to go there. We split a large salad, tapas. and a pitcher of sangria. And you will love this part. Each person gets their own chunk of bread! I thought we got one for the table. When I realized I had my own, I was very happy about this:).

It was a fun trip. I felt like I was on vacation getting to be at the beach and with the fancy resteraunt and all. We took a wrong turn on the way home, but made it back in good time anyway. And today, back to clinic and a birth during the day. I kept thinking, "I'm so glad I got to go to the beach!"

Lord, Hear Our Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace,
where there is hatred let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope,
where there is darkness, light,
where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
and it is in pardonning that we are pardonned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

By St. Francis of Assissi: 10th Century

A Baby Boy is Born

She worked so hard. She found her rhythm though it took a while. Still, no progress. We make our suggestions. She listens and accepts. She continues to work and to wait. Still, no progress. We make an intervention or two on her behalf. It worked. PROGRESS!!! We are so happy for her. We celebrate expecting a birth soon. She sings and worships the Lord in and out of contractions. It is not easy. But, she has accepted this is the way it goes... the way to the end is through the pain. The hours continue. More progress. SLOW but sure. No indications of danger. Finally, stage one is finished. Stage two begins. She works so hard again. She is doing her part. Time goes by. Not much progress. We work with her. We work so hard. No progress. The law says we must contact the doc. We transfer to the hospital. She is too tired now. After twenty hours she does not want to continue. The decision is made. Preparation. Husband and myself put on a gown, mask, and hair covering. Birth team is present. Instruments. Big lights. Sterile. Tile. Masks. She is covered. We are waiting. It is the end.

He is delivered. We wait a long time for the cry. Is he okay? Do they always wait to tell it is a boy or are they worried? We just wait. Expecting... Hoping...Praying. Finally, he cries. This is so different than our births. We are thankful for their help, always are. She is so glad it is over. We are all happy for a healthy boy. I am so glad the operation went well. Not the way she was expecting, but it is the way it went. And it is okay.

This was my first hour in the OR.