Birth Made Beautiful

Old news to you Facebookers, but I thought I'd post it anyway--I got my doula website up and running!  (And I did it myself!)  Check it out:  //birthmadebeautiful.webs.com/

Real Life

My favorite blog posts to read on others' blogs are usually ones where they share from their heart.  I love humor, too, but I gravitate toward simple honesty, transparency, & vulnerability.  That said, I myself have not blogged much over the past few months.  Partly because something went awry with our USB cable and I couldn't upload any pics for the longest time, partly because Facebook has taken over the nation (I've joined in, too), and partly because I haven't had much of substance to say--or much I felt I could or should share. 

I sometimes feel like I just want to blog...but I don't have anything interesting to write about.  Tonight I decided I would try to just write from my heart and sort of journal about where my life is right now.  I don't exactly where this will go...

Last school year (the first half anyway) was one of the most balanced and enjoyable years I've ever had.  I was pregnant with Courtney, and really felt in a good rhythm with the other 3 kids.  I actually went so far as to say I was feeling like it was easy to parent  three!  (I might have had amnesia, though.)  It was a good mix to have 2 in school and be at home with Nathan.   My then neighbor, Kate, and I would have impromptu playdates in the cul-de-sac as her little boy is the same age as Nathan.  I also had my long time kindred-spirit-stay-at-home-mom friend "J" (& her two youngest) around to do life with, too.  We'd do our grocery shopping together on Tuesdays (my most dreaded weekly task) and then have lunch together at one of our houses.  On Thursdays we'd take turns volunteering in our older kids' classrooms at school while the other of us watched the younger ones.  I liked being able to be involved in Abby & Emily's classrooms.  I also liked being able to serve outside my home, at church for LATTE worship and at Woodwinds Hospital as a volunteer doula.  Wade was also working days (had been ever since we moved back from Indiana 3 years ago) so we had evenings together after the kids went to bed--most of the time anyway.  Life felt very balanced...

Oddly, though, despite how great & balanced my life seemed, the last post I did before Courtney was born was about fear.  I was quite candid about my walk with God, and about how I was wrestling with my view of Him.  Was struggling to see Him as the Father Who loved to give good gifts and instead was used to viewing Him as Someone who's always (lovingly) dragging me through yuck to grow me and shape my character--all for His glory of  course.  ;)  (No, seriously, I do believe that it's all to be for His glory...sometimes it can just sound cliche.)  I shared in that February 2009 post that I was afraid of the other shoe dropping, wondering as I was sitting at the Tasha Schuh conference what terrible thing God might be preparing me for next...and yet knowing God doesn't want me to live in fear.

Little did I know at the time, but my fears were correct.  There was trouble brewing.  My Mom was battling a return of her cancer (Lymphoma) that was going to be repeatedly misdiagnosed until it progressed to stage 4 and was finally discovered this past August.  She has yet to be able to hold now 14 month old baby Courtney without pain in her back from the tumors. 
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My favorite neighbor Kate & her family announced shortly after Courtney was born that they were going to  be moving.  :(  I cried.

Also, when Courtney was about 2 weeks old I found out that some of our best friends would be leaving our church due to a staffing decision (they had been on staff) that I still don't agree with.  For a long time I thought I shouldn't/couldn't talk about that on my blog.  Didn't want to stir up strife or cause division.  But some time has passed, and I want to be honest in saying that it affected me.  Deeply.   It was just poopy all around.  I hurt to see my friends feeling rejected & hurting, and I hurt for me.  It's been quite a loss not to be able to share church life with these friends any more.  Community doesn't feel quite as sweet with their family gone.  Does God work all things for good for those who love Him?  Absolutely.  I know He has and is in this situation as well.  I'm just saying it hurts and that my heart grieves.

Along with our dear friends leaving the church also meant job changes for their family and the need for my dear friend "J" to go from being a stay-at-home-mom to now working full time to support her family.  I lost my weekly pal, the proximity of the friend I most often did life with regularly.  I still get to see her sometimes on Tuesdays (her day off) along with another friend who also has that day off, but it's not the same as having another mom who's home every day--in the trenches beside you, understanding and right there with you.  I do my grocery shopping alone now, and am not able to volunteer in the girls' classrooms regularly this year.

Most recently, Wade started a new job with Delta.  See my post from Feb 28.  He's now working nights and probably will be for the next however many years, unless God does something unexpected (I'm praying).  That means I put the kids to bed by myself most nights, and that Wade and I get very few evenings together.  He's also having to work overtime at his parents' farm--average of one day a week--to make up the difference in pay after the cut he took with this job transition.

I also completed my full certification as a Birth Doula, and have been taking private paid clients in addition to volunteering at Woodwinds once a month.  I really love it, but we're still figuring out how to balance and juggle everything.  Things tend to fall apart a bit whenever Mom is gone!  :)

I have made it sound like everything is bad, sad, or difficult in my life right now.  It isn't.  I have much to be thankful for, and I am still finding joy in life, in Christ.  I love being a SAHM.  I love being a doula.  I love Hudson and my dear FCC community.  I'm thankful for many friends whom I get to see periodically and share life with sometimes.  And I treasure time with my mom, who seems to be on the road to recovery from her battle with cancer.

But, if you've wondered why I haven't blogged much in the last however many months, maybe now you've got a better understanding as to what's been going on in my life.  :)  Oh, and we got a new camera and I'm able to upload pictures again!

Above photo was from a wedding we attended last weekend. One of Wade's long time friends (who was also one of the groomsmen in our wedding nearly 14 years ago) finally tied the knot.  Congratulations Gary and Kim!

Night Shift Sitter Options?

Wanted:  Babysitters for the night shift...

After 5 years with Pinnacle Airlines, Wade is making a job move to Delta Airlines!  This is something he has wanted for a long time and is glad to be getting his foot in the door.  He starts tomorrow.  Congrats, Honey!

With this change will come other changes...he will be working the night shift (leaving at 7:30 pm and returning the next morning at 7:30 am) with different days off each week.  He will also be taking a pretty hefty pay cut and thus will need to work often at his parents' farm to make up the difference.  (Why is he taking this job, you ask?  Because he has wants to work for a major airline and work on bigger airplanes.  His salary with Pinnacle was almost capped out, too, and though this move to Delta as a mechanic's assistant is initially a step back, his hope is that he will eventually be able to move into a better paid mechanic position once internal hires start happening down the road.)

I also plan to continue taking 1-2 private doula clients per month.  With that I'm needing to re-establish my options for childcare with Wade's new hours.  Wondering if anyone knows of anyone--particularly teens or college age gals (paid) whom I might be able to call in the evening and who could potentially sleep here for part/all of the night if I'm called in for a birth?  Or, does anyone have any other ideas I might not have considered?  

Thanks!

I Did It!!!

As you might know, from my previous post, I've been waiting to get the official stamp of approval on my doula certification.  A couple days ago I received a voice mail from DONA (Doulas of North America--the premier doula organization) saying they wanted to talk to me about my application.  Uh-oh, I thought...I wonder what I did wrong...?  Nervously I dialed the phone to call them back and find out...

Well, I just got off the phone with DONA and the Canadian rep who'd reviewed my application informed me that I am officially certified as a Birth Doula with DONA International!  (She had only called the other day to tell me herself--I hadn't done anything wrong!)  She said my references were "raving;" my certification packet was "wonderfully put together and organized," and that she wanted to steal one of my ideas from my resource list. :)

Yippee--I am so relieved!!!  I did it!!! 
My new title is Kara Jo Prestrud CD(DONA)

Patience is a Virtue

Dear Person who is reviewing my application for doula certification:

I conscientiously completed all the requirements...the births, the papers, the classes, etc., and mailed my 41 page application packet on Nov 30th.  You verified that you received my application and that you would try your best to have it reviewed within the standard 2 month allotment.   You mentioned that you are sometimes slow to follow through and to email you if need be.  I emailed you a week ago and still have heard nothing....so here I wait...on the edge of my seat...wondering if I will be considered worthy of DONA's title and credentials.  :)   No, not really. As I've waiting and attended 4 more births in the meantime, I've realized I am a good doula--with or without the title.  This is a gift from God and a privilege to be able to serve in this capacity.  Lord, please let everything I do be for You and to help point others to You.  That includes being patient.  :)

My Calling

(Note: photo is not of the actual delivery in mention.)

Many of you read Facebook, so you already know that I've gotten to attend a couple of births as a doula. But I haven't posted anything about it on my blog, nor have I mentioned the amazing birth I got to be a doula for this past week.

As I've mentioned before, I am on staff at Woodwinds (hospital) now as part of the volunteer doula program. It's one of the only hospitals in the country to offer a doula to any mom in labor who desires one, free of charge. Right now there are about 35 of us on staff, and we each take approximately one 24 hour shift a month to be on call. Well, I've had 2 days where I've been on call, but hadn't been called in for a birth yet. (The one birth I had attended was for a private client, and was a very very quick labor!) I had been excited & ready to put my skills into practice while everything's fresh in my mind, especially since I know that once my baby arrives in a few months, I will probably need to take a good 4 months or so off from being a doula. I wanted some experience under my belt, and the chance to build my confidence in this field before I need to take a break for a while.

Anyway, I had just been praying about all of this, knowing that God has clearly led me to this point. He has opened door after door, and confirmed repeatedly that He has suited me for this role and brought me to this place of readiness. So I placed it in His hands. I told Him I would trust Him to provide a birth in His time, even if it wasn't my time.

And lo and behold I got a call last Tuesday from my supervisor; they needed a second doula that day (more than one mother was requesting one) and it worked out for me to come in. Thank You, Lord!

Upon my arrival, the nurse briefed me on the couple's birth stats (cm dilated, when water had broken, etc.) and also gave me a bit of their background. Said both the husband and wife were medical professionals themselves at another hospital--highly educated and very knowledgeable medically. (The husband is even a doctor himself.) For a minute I was tempted to be intimidated, as I am fairly new, but thought to myself "Well, they are asking for a doula. I know I have something to offer, and I am capable of doing a good job for them as a doula." And that was that. It turned out that they were the most wonderful couple. I was with them for 14 hours--over the span of 3 nurse shift changes, and they were so grateful that someone would stay with them throughout their entire labor. They also expressed that they didn't think the birth would have gone nearly as smoothly had they not had a doula. The husband, even though he had actually performed some deliveries himself in med school years ago, still didn't feel like he knew a lot about labor itself, or how to support his wife through it. I loved working with them as a team, helping the mother cope with contractions, and with pushing. I truly felt honored to be a part of their birth experience. And this just confirmed to me once again that God has designed me to do this--and to do it well.

What joy it brings to use your gifts to serve God, and to bless others.