Midwest Midwifery and Misc

Saturday was my last day working as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) at Midwest Midwifery. It was a difficult decision to leave, but I decided to make spending more time at home a priority. The lifestyle of a midwife is difficult, especially with a baby in the mix. I couldn't seem to make it work for me at this time in my life. Saying goodbye was bittersweet, I have many wonderful memories there, and will miss many of my co-workers and patients. Friday was my last day in the office and we had a potluck goodbye party. It was very special! Saturday was my last day on call. It was a pretty busy day and I delivered two beautiful baby girls. I got pretty teary eyed with my last birth, knowing that it was going to be my last birth for awhile.
So, today began my first day of a change in our lives. Benjamin has been having trouble with sleep lately, and I am at a very low point on sleep. Sleep deprivation is NOT good for the soul. I think he is teething, I believe his top 3 teeth are coming in (one is already in), which must be painful. I really hope this is why, because otherwise I cannot come up with any other reason. A few weeks ago, I really thought he had turned a corner and we were heading towards a more rested state. Unfortunately, having had a taste of this makes sleep deprivation all the more difficult.
I will be off work for the next month and will be starting work as a CNM at Lawndale Christian Health Center (LCHC) in June. (see the new links on the right). I worked at LCHC for 4 years from 1996-2000 at which point I left to attend midwifery school. It is a really special place, many of my close friends still work there. I have stayed pretty connected there, and it is where we all go for our healthcare. It is a Christian organization, serving the poor communities surrounding it. The people who work there are wonderful, I look forward to being back in such a great community. They are starting midwifery there, so I have the opportunity to be a part of this also. I haven't yet decided if I will be attending births during my time there...at this point, I think not.
I have also decided to become a Creative Memories consultant. This is a scrapbooking company which is run much like a "tupperware" company, a home-based business. I will be offering demonstration type classes to friends and aquaintances, and hopefully the business will grow from there. As I am not a "salesy" type person, it scared me away initially. The last thing I want to do is obligate anyone to buy anything. More than anything, I hope this will allow me to maintain my scrapbooks and hopefully make a little money on the side. The Creative Memories products are great, so hopefully it will sell itself. Wish me luck! If you have interest in this sort of thing, you can see this link to my C.M. website (where you can also order products from me, if interested).
Blah, blah, blah. I've been out of commission for awhile since my last posting, so I had a lot to say.