If you’ve been a part of this community for awhile, you may have noticed that it’s been a bit quiet on my end for some time now. I apologize for the silence, but I’m happy to be back!
The past six months or so have brought a tremendous amount of personal struggle.
…including a miscarriage, witnessing my mom experience both a heart attack and receive life saving treatment in our own home, a move to Edmonds and the relocation of my mom to Alabama.
The relocation has meant a tremendous loss of support, love and presence in our lives (and especially Will’s) on a daily basis. So, I’ve been quiet, doing my own work to move through the layers of grief in these transitions…which has left little space to communicate on a larger forum.
I’ve actually sat down to write so many times in the last four to six months in an effort to resume my weekly e-mails with information and inspiration, but honestly…it was just too hard.
Somedays, showing up has taken every ounce of strength in courage in my body.
What has not been hard, is feeling love for each and every one of you, feeling gratitude for the work that I do and for the community that not only I support and nourish, but for the community that supports me.
So, thank you!
Thank you to all of you for your friendship, your love, your kindness, your patience while I’ve been a bit quiet.
Thank you for taking the time to share your gratitude for Bodies for Birth, for sharing the work we do with family members, friends, practitioners. You show me such love all the time and I’m so thankful for each of you.
In these challenging times, I’ve been reminded about the importance of community, the importance of honesty and vulnerability and the importance of asking for help.
I’ve asked for so much help in the past few months…honestly, more than I probably have in a lifetime.
It has felt at times, very awkward and anxiety provoking, it’s felt frustrating and even sometimes embarrassing, but something beautiful has happened…
It has deepened friendships, it’s forged new bonds and has allowed me to soften into receiving help, to feel deep gratitude for the help and to then, feel strength in knowing that I needed to ask for it and that it was available.
I saw a “2018 Do It All Moms” calendar and planner at a bookstore the other day it seriously pissed me off.
As if there’s a badge or trophy for the mom who can DO IT ALL. What does that mean anyway? Doing it all?
What about just being present? What about just doing your best?
The truth is, we can’t do it all, we need to ask for help and we should ask for help.
I hope you already do, but if not, try it! And when you do, hopefully, you’ll find there is a community with open arms, eager to support you.
It is one of my greatest hopes that Bodies for Birth can be part of that community for you, providing education, friendships, support, resources, accountability, shared stories and experiences and most of all love.
I’ve been approached and encouraged several times to make the Bodies for Birth community a virtual one, challenged to bring my services on line and each time, I refuse.
Bodies for Birth is about face-to-face connection, about the relationships that evolve over time, showing up on the good days and not-so-good days to support one another.
As the community continues to evolve, I always love to know what will support you best. Please reach out with suggestions or questions as I’m always happy to hear from you!
I will be resuming weekly blogging and you should generally expect to hear from me on Tuesday mornings.
Sometimes the e-mail might include a blog post of my own or one from a guest contributor, a birth story from a member of our community. Sometimes it just might be a quick list of resources, a recipe or an exercise tip.
I’m looking forward to being in touch once again more regularly! If there’s a topic you’d like me to cover or a burning question, please reach out directly. I love being able to delve into those specific topics to deliver a great post with your needs in the moment in mind!
Again, thank you for the love you show me as well as the other individuals in the Bodies for Birth community! It truly “takes a village” and I know I couldn’t do it without mine!