A day off?

I'm not sure I quite remember what a day off feels like... and it hasn't been THAT long! Lately our assignments have been slamming us one right after another... there is no break, no day off between. Currently we had 1 week to finish genetic screening and it's due on friday... but we already have the next assignment emailed to us to get busy on... newborn complications3... we have 3 weeks to finish this one.
I think I must spend too much time in the birth room because most things in life can somehow be related to labor to me... example: These assignments coming back to back remind me of women in transition... the contractions are slamming hard and she feels like it will never end! But... the end is in sight! Then after the assignments are done there will be a small lull before the big push (the NARM examination)! So far I haven't been able to secure tickets to get to the states... pray that I'm able! The NARM is only offered 3 times in a year (aug, oct and feb)... I'd really love to take it in Feb so I don't have to try to study again in October, but we'll see how the ticket stuff works! At one point in my life I had lots of miles and just would have bought seperate domestic flights, but no such luck right now... I'm pushing it to get enough as it is for the international!
Well, March has flown by... twice this month I've caught two babies in a day... pretty sweet! Tonight I have shift again... night shifts seem to be my life (I think I regret telling the director one day that I didn't mind night shifts!) LOL... oh well... all things in life are temporary right!?
Be Blessed (I know I am!)

Longest Zip Line in Asia

The kids had the opportunity to head out to Outland Adventure (operated/owned by the same people who run Mercy)... anyway.... Outland built and opened the longest zip line in Asia this past year... so the older 5 headed out wth our normal Wednesday homeschooling swim group. Mom unfortunately had to do homework... sniff sniff.... but check out the fun they had!

Back online

No, we didn't lose internet this past week... we just took a week off. This week was "prayer and fasting week" at church.. anyone who knows me knows that me and going without food is a very very bad combination... so I fasted something else I love... the internet... there were less physical symptom withdrawals this way! Actually the whole family fasted... no video games, no messing around on facebook, no checkin of email... Joziah took his fast very seriously and even when the long awaited box from Grandma arrived with little electronic games he put a sign on his that said "fasting" and left it on a shelf till the week was over.

Anyway... it's been an interesting week... strange cases at the clinic, decisions, school, assignments, kids... you know.. all the usual! Joe went to General Santos to see about supplies for the team that is coming to finish the clinic... of course it was the ONE day that it POURED all day long... and he rode a motorcycle... so to say the least he was a wee bit wet after 6 hrs of driving (3 each way)...
We had a batch of chicks hatch... 3 new bunnies... working on plans for a fish pond in Kihan, working on plans for a 4X4 jeep that will get us in/out and double up as an ambulance... working on plans for the house... figuring out costs... figuring out how to pinch pennies (or in this case centavos)... just a little of this and that!
I realized we have 2 1/2 months left of the 'hard' school work.. then its just tests, tests and more tests (which amazingly aren't bothering me at this point)... then it's off to the Americas to take the FINAL HUGE test... which I must admit makes me a bit nervous! :) Still working on tickets...
I am in the middle of an assignment and trying to burn the candle at so many ends I'm afraid I might explode before I'm done! No... not really... I'm gonna do it without going crazy! The kids and family are still my top priority and I've enjoyed a lot of family time lately... just means I gotta bust it out when i get the chance... but it's coming together!
So this blog seems to match my mind... a little scattered and a wee bit looney... maybe I best stop now! Write if you get the chance... we love hearing updates from home!

reflecting

Usually Monday prenatals (which is our intake day) is just too busy for any sort of reflecting at all... But today as I did a prenatal on a woman I couldn't help but be amazed... amazed at God's hand in this baby's life. It's not unusual for us to have women pass through the clinic who have attempted to abort their babies (obviously unsuccessfully), then they have to wait and wonder if the attempts have harmed their infant in some way or if they will be presented with a healthy little one. Anyway... today this woman sat at my prenatal bed and we chatted about her pregnancy, her life, nutrition, etc... I saw on her chart about her boyfriend just taking off on her midway through the preganancy, which is why she chose to try to end the life inside... but God has a purpose and a plan for this little one... As I showed her where the butt was, the head, the back, the little feet... she was literally glowing with love for this little one. Yes, all her worries and struggles are still there in front of her, but they were dimmed by the love to her baby. We prayed and she thanked me... and then she left... Maybe 10 or 15 minutes were spent with her total... but she came scared of her pregnancy and the future... and left feeling more confident and more secure in her journey to motherhood. That.... is why I'm a midwife... it's not me... it's God's love.