Things That Make Me Happy

💙

 

I'm Out of Practice

 

So I'll admit, I'm out of practice in remembering to come here lately. Sitting down to write post used to be a regular part of my routine, but, well routine has been ever changing lately. I started a new job a few weeks ago, and I'm still learning how to make it all work together. So far I've just given up on keeping my house clean 😄 BUT! It's Spring Break week for Gwen, so there's a little extra time. I plan to use that to finally do Gwen's birthday interview (whoops), play catch up here, and maybe even vacuum (maybe).

First off, Gwen went in for her 11 year check up and shots, and she is now 4'7"... aka only a little over a half a foot away from my height! My days are numbered. She's healthy and coming around to the idea of being 11, now that the shots involved are behind her.

Its been a pretty crazy few weeks. Amanda Panda (one of my bffs) and her family moved to Arkansas. It's so crazy saying goodbye to them and not knowing exactly when the next time is that we'll see them. Thankfully they are a drivable distance away, but our weekly framily dinners had become such an important touch-point for us in the quarantine, and its been such a joy to watch Penny grow. It is an adjustment... one we can do, and that will be amazing for their family, but its been sad too.

We also just passed through the 4th largest blizzard in Colorado history, which was intense for a day, but fine otherwise. It was over a foot in about a day, but the next day was in the 40s, and everything started melting!

I've had 2 doula babies born in the past 4 months, and have another due next month, and it has been wonderful and intense and beautiful beyond measure. I'm so excited to take a break for the summer, but hoping to fill up for the Autumn!

We've also been the house of dogs lately! We've found ourselves puppysitting for a two coworker's pups, and its been a fun - and exhausting! - treat.

Daisy is not 100% sure on it, but we've been giving her lots of reassuring snuggles and love.

I know there is more... so much more! Some of it I can't share yet, some is still in process, some I just can't think of, and I need to get some work done. But I got here, and that's a start. I'll try to do it more regularly.

Its The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

And by that I mean Autumn, officially, and in feel... plus now, October! 💙

You all know how much I love this time of year, for its food, its weather, its colors, and its reminder to slow down. So much of the beauty in this time of year comes from letting go! And that's been my big challenge. Letting go of control, letting go of expectations, finding that balance between all I'm growing and the needs of my family.

Things are growing! Two new studios, two new doula clients, a handful of one-off classes! I'm keeping plenty busy, but feeling more aligned at home: still meal planning, and chipping away at organizing and cleaning around the house. I taught a class in a park recently, and it was so beautiful!

We ushered in the new season officially on Mabon itself, with our traditional feast, but have been celebrating in little ways ever since.

I made my hair a celebration...

We took part in a Girl Scout day at the local Botanic Garden.

We keep enjoying our weekly dinners with our "pod", and watching Gwen with Penny is just such a joy.

Gwen and I took a drive into the mountains recently, to catch the foliage, and it was an absolutely gorgeous.

We stopped for a picnic, which is one of Gwen's favorite things, and introduced Gwen to the beauty that is hot broth on a cold day.

Excursions like that one make me so grateful for this time of year and this place that we live. We are so damn lucky.

We have more fun planned already: another picnic, with some pumpkin picking, more dinners with our "pod", and fingers crossed, another quick camping trip.

What's your favorite thing to do this time of year?

(Not So) Wordless Wednesday {I Love What I Do..ula}

"They say it takes a village to raise a child. What they don't say is how important it is to have that village prior to their arrival. Megan, was so incredibly vital in preparing for our little ones arrival. An open book for every first time mother to be question. Never judging. Always full of love and light.

Then came the big show. She was so great about conveying a clear, loving, message the entire time. Insuring that mom, baby, and dad understood every aspect of the birthing process.

Hours of coaching and support produced one of the most magical experiences of my life. The birth of my sweet little girl. Knowing I had this calming, strength in my corner made the entire process amazing and I would highly recommend everyone to look into doula's for the birthing process, specifically, Megan."

(I'm so damn lucky... shared with permission.)

Unexpected Benefits to On-Call Life

Between two different trips, and cookie season, February was by in a flash... but the last week of February was one of the busiest in recent memory. I had multiply subbing gigs, one of my once monthly classes fell that week, along with Gwen's Battle of the Books competition, Daisy's check up appointment, my car servicing, our ax throwing, Trav's company employee appreciation event, Girl Scouts, coffee dates, a friend crashing here on her way through town, and goat yoga! And that was all in addition to our normal work/teach/school routine.

So it was almost a relief to go on call for my girlfriend at the beginning of March. Don't get me wrong, it can be semi-stressful to be on call, just waiting for the moment to come... but how very nice to be able to say, "Sorry, I can't agree to that, I'm on call!" And that's exactly what I did. No extra subbing, no big events, no travel.

I'm off call now, that beautiful baby girl is here. But now all that space in my calendar is beneficial for another reason... with our lovely friend COVID19 we find ourselves home. Gwen's Spring Break was extended in either direction, my studios have all closed, and Trav's work is at a standstill. We're being asked to stay in, and gratefully, that's what we get to do. Our normally full Google Calendar has rows of completely empty days ahead, and we didn't have to do much canceling on our own.

That's not to say its all easy... we have our moments of stressing over what is to come, how long it will last, and what this all means for our back account; but we're trying to make the most out of this unexpected pause.

Doula Baby Grown

I've had the privileged of attending birthday parties for a few of my doula babies, and been invited to a few our travels kept us from attending. This last weekend we had the honor of attending the early first birthday party for my most recent doula baby.

He is just such a gem, and his whole family is so wonderful. So it was a real honor to be there!

This blog has become my record keeper, my diary of little moments in time to remember, but so often my words fall short. I've been so lucky in the amazing people that yoga and doula work have brought my way, and I'm often blown away at how rich I feel when I get to continue having them in my life!

Especially when I get to see my own daughter interact with them! 💖

I can't wait to continue watching these beautiful babies grow!