A Big Week

Looking back, I would have to say that the week of January 24 - January 30 has been one of the biggest weeks of my life in terms of important events. Not that I feel that elated or overjoyed....for some reason events just run into days and obligations and tiredness and routine...But now I sit here and I think - hmmm, that was a pretty good week.

I'll tell you about it in chronological order.

1. Sunday - I managed my first birth that counts towards certification.

2. Monday - Jennie Joseph and our staff were recognized by City Council and the Mayor for providing prenatal care with the goal of improving infant mortality in Central Florida. Januaray 25, 2010 was named "Heads Up on Infant Mortality Day".

3. Wednesday - Trey Amos landed on Canadian soil and flew that same day to Edmonton, Alberta with his mom and dad. Possibly the hugest answer to prayer ever for our family. I am officially an Auntie.

4. Wednesday night - I submitted my thesis: "Mobile Maternity Care: Providing Health Care to Women Who Lack Access to Prenatal and Postpartum Services." That was almost two years in the making - so a huge weight off my shoulders.

So this week, it really felt like things were "falling into place"...

...I am well on my way to finishing up school...

...we are being recognized at the Birth Place for all the work we do...

...Trey is finally home where he belongs...

...my thesis has become what I was hoping it would be...

Now if only I could sit back, kick my feet up and feel great about life! I WILL feel great about life...but instead of kicking my feet up, I will finish a 10-page paper (feels like nothing compared to Mr. Thesis), I will do the laundry and dishes, I will head over to the clinic this evening for skills verification, I will prepare my lesson for my ESL class tomorrow morning... and that's as long of a list as I care to think about right now.

No Woman No Cry

I spent the day hanging out with Christy Turlington on the set of her new documentary entitled "No Woman No Cry." That's because the "set" was our birth center clinic!

She and her crew have travelled around the world learning about and filming about maternal mortality. Here is the link to a website about the film: http://www.nowomannocrythemovie.com/

Pretty cool, huh? I brought my camera but never took any photos because it just seemed awkward. She was just so normal and friendly, and most of our clients had no idea who she was, so I just acted nonchalant and cool even though I was super stoked about the whole thing.

The film crew will be back tomorrow. I keep trying to get into background shots! :) What a dork. I'll post about it again when the documentary is eventually released!

Haiti

I've had floods of phone calls and emails this week. A lot of folks called on Sunday and Monday asking about the marathon. Thanks for the support! Yes, I finished. No, not an amazing time. Yes, it was the coldest day Central Florida has seen in 20 years. No, I didn't win first place.

But then on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had even more phone calls, emails, questions - "Is your nephew okay?"

My nephew is in an orphanage in Haiti - an orphanage lucky enough to have all walls still standing and no children injured or killed. So yes, he is okay. But time will only tell how things play out in that country. Food and water and medicines are scarce. The number of orphans is said to have doubled. Riots, looting, sex trafficking and slavery are all imminent on the horizon.

This country needs our prayers, people.
Please pray for my nephew, the other orphans and for all those living in Haiti.

I have read the words "people who are affected by the earthquake..." But I keep thinking - shouldn't we all be affected by this earthquake? There is so much in life that should affect us - but sometimes we don't let it. I pray that I will start to be affected by more.

Please join me in praying. And giving.

42 Hours Till the Shot Gun!

And we are having record low temperatures!!!!! YIKES!

A Cat's Christmas

Those of you who know me well know that I used to be a cat-hater. Until, of course, my own little furry friends found their way into my life. Now, I cannot imagine life without these beasts. Even now as I type this, they are chasing each other around the house. One will hide in a very predictable hiding spot and pounce on the other when he gets near. Then the race around the house on the wood floors. No, they are not de-clawed, so yes - it is really loud.

Anyhow, my little guys got stockings again this year. Heidi was saying how her dog, Sam, could go and get her own stocking and get the treats out of it when told to. I admitted that my cats were not the clever. BUT....Christmas Eve, I put their presents in their stockings. They each got a creature with cat nip in it and another fuzzy mouse. Later in the evening, I walked into the living room and the cats were playing on the floor with their new toys - both stockings laying on the floor as well.

"Who gave the cat's their stockings?" I cried, disappointed that I missed it. No one did! Those guys sniffed out that cat nip and got those stockings down themselves. AND, on top of it all, they each got their OWN stocking! I'd like to think they are just super smart.

And here is Fallujah enjoying the Christmas decorations:

Christmas

My sister and brother-in-law (Heidi and Brady) came for a week over Christmas. This was their first time here in Florida, so they had lots to do and see. They did a lot of stuff on their own while Jon and I were working, but we had plenty of fun all together, too.

The first day they were here, we went to NASA.

We also showed them our favorite activity - canoeing on the Wekiva River.

Christmas Ever - we opened stockings, went to the candel-light service, and played games. Enjoy the picture of the men in their new favorite underwear.

Christmas day dinner: I don't think we have ever had that much food on that little table! (I think Atticus really did think he was reserving his spot. He saw four two-legged creatures and four chairs, did the math, and said "this seat's mine, fellas!"