home again, home again, jiggity jog

hi wonderfuls! i'm sitting in a new jersey coffee shop sipping a soy chai, putzing away on my computer and enjoying the briskness of the weather and the openness of my schedule. i'm really appreciating the luxuries of american life-- how when you turn on the tap here, hot water comes out, throwing toilet paper in the toilet, not having to think about what i'm going to say so i can translate it, xmas season music and lights on houses, throwing clothes in the washing machine, not getting whistled at when i walk out of the house, etc..... but of course, i already miss speaking in spanish, rubbing round bellies, snuggling new babies, being present with mamas, fresh fruit, and my heart-ful mentor, Angelina.....

the last few weeks at angelina's were fabulous and we went to oaxaca to Nuevelunas, a free midwifery school for young people who live in rural communities in the state of oaxaca--the mission is beautiful since having skilled health care workers who are knowledagable about alternative healing (as access to hospitals/meds isn't always possible in remote areas) is so critical to the health of the population. basically, the program is set up so that for a week intensive every month, the students come from thier villages/towns to the city of oaxaca and learn from guest speakers, etc--it was so inspiring and a perfect way to end my trip-- to be reminded of the larger community of midwives (and there were even 3 men in the class) who are so dedicated to thier communities and serving others and learning--so heart-centered--i felt so connected to them all and it was fun to share what i had already learned with angelina with them-- to teach them the different massage techniques, breech-turning techniques, etc. some photos are posted above of angelina demonstrating infertility treatments...i think thier website is in spanish but will soon be in english, too...they need people to donate so they can provide this service free of charge--if anyone wants to, check them out:
http://www.nuevelunas.org.mx/

I also finished my painting that i gave as a gift to the birth center-- well, i probably could have worked on it longer, but had to catch a plane, so.....

Good to be home. Please be in touch. Happiest wintery season to all.....
Lots of love,OMS

1 week and counting......

hey peeps

about one week left here and i'm going to oaxaca next week with angelina b/c she's going to teach classes in one of the 2 midwifery schools in mexico, which should be a fun short trip to another part of mexico.....there's a lot of little ends to wrap up b/4 i leave, which should be fun adn slightly stressful-- well, full, i'll say....gonna paint a little more today ont he painting i'm working on

last night, i caught a little baby boy-- a really quick birth, a 4th baby--he was born with cleft pallet and 6 fingers on his left hand, but totally healthy other than that-- we fed him via nose-tube and he is a sweet little mellow guy-- the family's reaction was intense-in shock, confused, sad- at first the mom cried and wouldn't look at him and didn't want her husband to come into the room to meet thier son...later we learned that he beat her during the whole pregnancy and thus the strange energy between them.....wow! really heavy-- we assured them it is something that is easily fixable with surgery, but wow, felt really bad for this little love enerting the world in such a difficult life ahead...i pray for the best.....

love
o

gobble gobble

feliz dia de gracias amigos!

just want you to know that i'm thinking of all the wonderful people and giving thanks for all of you all over the world and for this opportunity to be learning so much here.

this was my thankgiving dinner this year-- yummy tacos dorodos (like flautas or taquitos we say in the usa)-- i went with my friend daniela .....

loving you from afar
oms

Splish Splash I was taking a bath.....

this is my favortie place in the birth center: sitting on the floor between someone's legs watching them cry and google at thier baby that i just caught...this particular baby literally flew/dove out into my arms...slippery little bugger and then the mom splashed blood all over me, but as you can tell, i couldn't care less (no hemmhorage, it was a normal amount of blood)...she is 16 and such a sweetie; i feel so blessed to be welcoming little people into this world....everytime it is still such a miracle and i am in love with thier little soft faces and love smelling thier birthy smell....two weeks to go, m'dears...love, me

Howdy Buckaroos!

So, there have been lots of volunteers coming and going from this birthcenter and i feel blessed to get to meet them; we currently have a Brasilian obstetrician and a Brasilian doula and an American midwifery student! Here I am watching the Dr. suture; its good to see different techniques. Its great to have community and be able to split the work up a bit. What can I say? I've taken the last two weekends off to go to Tepoztlan (a local town--basically the Boulder of mexico) and chill and hike and get massages and Aztecan steam baths and eat pommegranates (pictured above)...and we're anticipating lots of births around the 20th of this month, so I am gearing up. Life is good; I feel like these last 3 weeks are going to fly and I have a lot I want to get in (like going to museums, etc) in addition to being present in the clinic and for births. Today, I gave a long massage/nutritional counselling/exercise session for a woman who has chronic back pain....like 2 hours; it was fun and I think everything I said will def. help her; we'll see.....just trying to stay present and open-hearted, even when i'm at my most exhausted.....
love
o

Tepoztlan

yay..i met up with my friend from boulder, Topher.....will write more later....only 3 weeks to go...wow how times flies.....

Feliz Dia de los muertos

Greetings wonderful people who are keeping posted....
These past few days have been intense; I have been struggling with maintaining boundaries and feeling overwhelmed with responsibility and exhauested from lack of sleep and tension and giving all the time, but not recharging......but, in that wonderful way that the universe works, there weren't that many clients today (b/c its almost dia de los muertos) and so I spent the day painting one room in the birth center a pale green and painting a floral trim near the ceiling (yay multi-talented me!). It was so fun and I had such good attention for it-- it looks much homier and feminine and calm in there-- less sterile. It was like one of those programs on Home and Garden TV, homemakeover or whatever its called.
We've had some beautiful births lately...the mother pitcured here (below) didn't want any of her family in the room with her during the birth-- she was so intuitive and right before the birth just took off her clothes, started pacing the room and moaning (a great sign!!) and sat on the birth stool like a champ and pushed out her little boy--i was beahind her supporting her, which was amazing; it almost feels like the baby is coming out of your own vagina...almost ;)
......and the other mom pushed out her baby girl and it was such a striking experience-- such a tranquil little soul-- she was so ancient and calm and aware...looked at her mom and everyone in the room...we were all in awe at her preciousness; it was really breathtaking and heart-expanding!.....i have some great photos of births, but i don't think i'll post them due to 'nudity' (oy vay!) so you'll all just have to see my albums when i get home to get the full stories....the families really appreciate when i take photos and then burn them discs of the photos to take home; it is a great gift i feel like i can easily give to them....
There have been other midwifery students from the states who have also been apprenticing here, which has been such a blessing to make such yummy like-hearted friends and have playmates and people to process with (in English!!) and they have finished thier program and I feel a bit lonely now, but I am so grateful to have crossed paths...I am reminded of how community is EVERYWHERE!
Love and Light
oms