Prospective

I have my first prospective MHB client!

As I'd mentioned, my plan was to work on an as needed basis, responding to parents who are either miscarrying or delivering a child that they, most likely, will not bring home with them.  At a later date, when the kids are older, I planned to full expand MHB to labor doula, prenatal yoga, and childbirth education services.  But not today... Not yet...

But, I had an opportunity to send business cards to a birth fair... so I did... and, on Saturday, a mother called me to inquire about doula services.  She lost her first son to SIDS and her next pregnancy to early miscarriage.  Although she has living children, this time around, she's decided to seek out labor support... and she called me!  We talked for a half hour, and this morning, I mailed out my first information packet.  I'm pretty nervous, but I'm totally psyched!  She'd be due in the summer, which gives me time to finish up my coursework for my doula certification and would leave me in the stage of needing births (which, now that I'm thinking of it, any pregnant bloggers out there- IF or loss mamas- who are birthing summer-winter and are interested in helping a doula out?  I'm required several birth attendances for certification and will be looking for clients to make my cert.  You'd be required to evaluate me post your birth; I can provide you with the short form and a postage paid envelope to the school.)

But anyway... So, wow....  I cant believe that this opportunity has presented.  I know that it could go either way: she could decide to not use a doula or to use someone else, but the fact that she called really made me think that yes, there is a need for services for parents who are pregnant-after-a-loss.  It's not just about supporting moms through their losses, because loss colors our lives forever; support afterwards is important to.  So, while it moves up my timeline a bit, I feel like it is the right decision.

I guess I'd better print up more of my information, LOL!  Thank goodness for Peter, who took the time before work to print up the forms I'd prepared (but didnt have copies of!).  I guess I'd better start keeping my expense sheets for tax purposes too!  A lot to think about!

My coursework is going well; I'm actually getting through it quicker than I'd thought, although I'm not surprised.  I've always loved school and education; this has been simply re-evaluating what I do with my "free" time.

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I've got the mind of an 18 month old.  Sometimes it's like having 3 toddlers in this house!  I completely forgot that I was supposed to go with a friend and pray outside an abortion clinic today! UGH!!!  She was a dear and called and told me not to worry with taking the kids out since it is so cold, and that she will go.  But I felt terrible!   I helped organize the schedule!  EEK... So, the kids and I will be praying our rosary at home, while she and her (teenage) kids are outside in the cold. :(  Bobby and Maya have their own rosaries and it's so adorable to see them with them.  They are chunky and large, which is perfect for little hands.

Maya knows the sign for "Jesus" and, whenever we go to church she starts saying "Je-Je-Je" and making the sign.  If I dont take her to an icon or a statue, she will start screaming "JE! JE! JE!".  And, cute of all cutes, the other day, Bobby pointed to an icon of the Blessed Mother we have at home and said "Mama"!  How sweet!

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I've decided that a lot of my weight issues the last 2 weeks are self-inflicted.  This last week, overall, I lost 1/2 a pound.  Which is fine- the week before, it was 0.  But when you think about the amount of activity I was doing (six days of exercise, including that 8.5 mile outing) and then look at my calorie intake (that day alone, my "net" was 995 but my total was well over 2000), it's not hard to see that I've done this to myself.  It's not that I need less than my 1700 calories per day- it's that I dont need more than that!  And I sure as hell dont need to do a good day only to blow it at night.  I've got a nasty habit of keeping in check and then going hogwild at night.  And this, even knowing that, if I'm going to go wild at any meal, it should be breakfast or lunch- not dinner!  I know that it is me... That I am self-sabotaging... That what I've been doing works- and works well- and that it is a healthy place for my life.  I need to get back there.  My motto of "today is a new day" is true.  Every day is a new chance to make better decisions.  My body and health speak for themselves.  I am no longer obese; I no longer have high blood pressure or high cholesterol; I have a normal cycle; my measurements are moving into more normal measurements for my body shape; I am no longer in a size 20, but am a size 8 (although those are only numbers); even though I still have belly fat, I can see and feel a huge difference since I started dedicating 3 hours a week to strength training; I have made these changes and AM healthier because of them.  That is the focus; that is the goal.  I just have to keep sight of that.  I cook well, I eat well, I just need to remember that, when I'm full, I'm done.  If my eyes have been hungrier than my belly, I have to listen to my belly.

Sometimes I forget that...  My poor belly has been telling me, but the last 2 weeks, I havent been listening too well.  I'm sorry, stomach.  I'm back on track now.  Really.