post script

adieu!

2009-03-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

oky doky... www.postscriptgirl.com is now off and running... sort of. it will be fully lovely'ified' within the next day or two with a new post tomorrow morning. adieu blogger!!! i'm off to wordpress land...
xoxo

pssst.

2009-03-15T07:13:00.001-07:00

i'm switching to wordpress shortly and want to make everyone aware. i'll have a new url and i want you all to be able to find me. ;) i'll keep you posted.
ps.
xo

sproost.

2009-03-12T05:26:00.000-07:00

love, love, love http://www.sproost.com/! i was turned on to it when i read this post on one of my favorite blogs, bespoke letterpess boutique. it's a style site that offers you a quiz. the quiz shows you a bunch of rooms and asks you to rate them (hate it, love it, etc.) and then at the end it tells you what your style is. i was 100% vintage modern. no wonder i always feel torn... i love clean lines and hate clutter, but also think thrifting and antiquing are too much fun!!! i'm finally justified! check it out! you can also 'create rooms' on the site by picking and choosing favorite items (couches, lamps, etc.). too, too, fun. xo

*above photos taken directly from www.sproost.com

eye to eye.

2009-03-12T03:57:00.000-07:00

jennette and i went on a hunt for thrift store treasures yesterday that took us to the unique thrift store on lorain as well as the salvation army on euclid down-town. we also had coffee and lunch at gypsy bean & bakery (my favorite!) and visited the sweetest danielle at her store, Room Service (check out her fabulous blog here). also - strangely - i stumbled upon the coolest leather couch, that upon further examination was actually already sold... to an old friend of mine. his name was on the red sold tag. how random is that? cleveland is a small city. i considered calling him and saying, 'thanks for buying the couch i wanted!' ;) after jennette and i finished our delicious beet, fennel and goat's cheese sandwhich, we parted ways - she to teach a yoga class in independence and me to go to yoga teacher training in beachwood.

...

TT was wonderful and inspiring yet again. after a rockin' 75 minute asana practice (during which i sweat so much that a puddle formed around my mat...), we had several hours of group sharing and even began practice teaching the integration series to each other. at the end - just before leaving - we did an unusual meditation practice. tami had us sit, cross-legged, and facing another person. she asked us to then stop talking and quiet ourselves as we stared into that person's eyes for several minutes. as you can imagine - there were lots of giggles... but my partner and i (after smiling and giving into laughter nervously) actually calmed down and began to breathe deeply together. at one point i even felt like crying. after it was over, i asked her, 'did you feel like crying at all?' she said, 'no... but i wanted to hug you the whole time'. it was amazing. we had never even spoken two words to each other, but after 5 minutes of this meditation, we felt connected. many others had similar experiences - some were crying as they shared. what a powerful exercise! i'm constanly amazed at the growth and self-discovery we're all beginning to experience as a group - and it's only week two!!!

...

i hope everyone is having a wonderful week thus far... cheers and namaste. xo

*photo found here.

addiction.

2009-03-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

isn't this little latte bowl so cute??? find it here. ceramist, kim westad made it and many other darling ceramic items - all of which she sells in her etsy shop. check it out! having worked at four different coffee shops over the better part of a decade, i pretty much adore any type of mug that makes my addiction even more... addicting. ;) xo

oracle.

2009-03-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

you spoke to me with fluent words that calmed my imagination
and made my bones sit still.
your intelligence and generosity consumed my shivering fear.
...
you spoke into my destiny with the wisdom of my ancestors
and the insight of an oracle.
...
i came to you with a tea light flickering.
you blew gently on the fire and it burned brighter.
the fragrance consumed my being.
...
your head was covered in a scarf
and your bosom held the wisdom of the world.
...
small waterfalls of poetic confession
brought me to tears
after you called me, "beloved one".
...
like the woman with the issue of blood...
i reached out in hopes of healing
and you told me
my faith
would
make
me
whole.

*photo by elle moss.

sweet candy.

2009-03-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

i made a correction on my blog titled "new paths". the photo of my darling doing yoga in cleveland was taken by the sweet candy koslen... and not jennette zimmerman (as i had previously stated). i must give credit where credit is due. i'm sorry, candy!!! candy's yoga practice inspires me and i'm so blessed to be in teacher training with her.

*candy and her husband own new image photography. the above photo is of candy doing yoga in mexico. xoxo

now.

2009-03-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

this week-end was chill. we had dinner with friends on friday night and went to a two-year old's birthday party on saturday afternoon (who doesn't love walking in on a darling little girl wearing a pink dress and carrying a handful of balloons???). :)
...
yesterday we were at CY all day. i took two yoga classes - a 75 minute class in the afternoon (next to jennette - pictured above) and another 60 minute basics class in the evening. i also finally began my yoga teacher training home-work last night which are questions from a book called "Meditation and It's Practice" by Swami Rama. so far it's excellent. it's a small book and i would highly recommend it if you're at all interested in meditation.
...
along with beginning my written home-work, i utilized my yoga instructor boyfriend and practiced teaching him in our family room on saturday. how lucky am i??? i have a personal tutor! i almost feel like i'm cheating. ;) he would stop me along the way and say, "you may want to say it like this..." or "don't forget to mention the alignment in child's pose" etc. it was exceptionally helpful and it has calmed my nerves for having to practice teaching the integration series to my fellow trainees on wednesday night!
...
i want to share with you an excerpt from Eckhart Tolle's beautiful and life-changing book, The Power of Now. please read it with an open mind. i think it will inspire you this morning.
...
cheers this monday to all of you lovelies out there!!! xo
...
"If you find it hard to enter the Now directly, start by observing the habitual tendency of your mind to want to escape from the Now. You will observe that the future is usually imagined as either better or worse than the present. If the imagined future is better, it gives you hope or pleasurable anticipation. If it is worse, it creates anxiety. Both are illusory. Through self-observation, more presence comes into your life automatically. The moment you realize you are not present, you are present. Whenever you are able to observe your mind, you are no longer trapped in it. Another factor has come in, something that is not of the mind: the witnessing presence. Be present as the watcher of your mind - of your thoughts and emotions as well as your reactions in various situations. Be at least as intererested in your reactions as in the situation or person that causes you to react. Notice also how often your attention is in the past or future. Don't judge or analyze what you observe. Watch the thought, feel the emotion, observe the reaction. don't make a personal problem out of them. You will then feel something more powerful than any of those things that you observe: the still, observing presence itself behind the content of your mind, the silent watcher."
...
go out and buy the book! it's full of powerful teaching... xo

spill.

2009-03-07T08:37:00.000-08:00

i'm curious
and cocking my head
as you speak
with clarity the things i'm thinking...
and i wonder if my consciousness
can meld into yours without invasion.
...
with a stretch and a yawn, your phone sings
and our hearts buzz...
lit up like lanterns in the night
as church lights and neon signs
lead us forward.
...
my hand's on your heart and
and i'm holding back from tipping over
my full cup.
sitting on the edge of my confession and confusion,
it spills...
and my hands find their way to the mess.
like finger paints, i swirl them this way and that...
your red and my blue
create the longing of two.
...
i'll help you drive
and you'll help me center myself
in this spinning world where
we'll both collide
with innocent intention
into each others misconceptions.
...
i'm young
and so are you.
we are self-aware -
my scarf tied neatly on my neck -
your watch ticking like we're running out of time...
...
we are vibrating
timid
and tired.
due-covered and reborn.

*photo found here.

friends and wine.

2009-03-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

i've just gotten around to posting some pictures from a dinner we had over the week-end with good friends. i made ina garten's cesar salad (minus the pancetta) as well as her lasagna (substituting the sweet italian sausage for portabello mushrooms and spinach) - a completely vegetarian meal with fresh produce from the west side market. we spent the afternoon tidying up and cooking together after getting home from the market where we had coffee and wandered the various stalls ticking of the items on our grocery list. our dinner was filled with fun conversation and lots of red wine. the fire was blazing and the dessert (brought by our guests) was scrumptious!!! what more could you ask for on a saturday night? dinner with friends ranks among my favorite things in life... especially when we're giggling and sipping drinks on a chilly february night. xo

calm.

2009-03-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

this morning i woke to six deer in the front yard! by 'morning', i actually mean 1:30 am when i could no longer pretend to be sleeping through the aweful, hacking cough that's been keeping me up the past few nights. looking out through one of the many windows in our family room, there was a small herd/flock/family (?) of deer... three of them bucks and even a baby or two... just sniffing around and nuzzling our trees. what a calming scene to witness when so rudely awakened!
...
the above print is from new zealander Bernadette Sipkes etsy shop, Sugarloop. a printmaker and illustrator, she has many more lovely and whimsical prints to view (and purchase!), so check them out! meanwhile... i'm going to try to get some rest. yawn...
xo

perspective.

2009-03-05T06:34:00.000-08:00

last night was the first class in yoga teacher training. it was a total HIGH to be with so many fabulous people as we began our journey together. our teacher, tami schneider - owner of cleveland yoga - taught an amazing 75 minute asana practice that packed the room out at about 70 people. we also had two wonderful group meditations and did some lengthy introductions that really helped me to get to know the other students. to be honest - i can hardly wait until next wednesday! we typically have saturday class too, but we're off this week. i can already feel myself growing and opening up as i gain a more yogic perspective.

...

while on the topic of new things/perspectives/etc. i want you all to visit cherry coloured's post from yesterday... found here. i don't have an iPhone, but if you do, then i'm sure you'll be downloading this free application right away. it's AMAZING! i loved scrolling through the photos of various countries waking up to the new day... and then going to sleep at night. how cool to be able to check your phone for what the sky looks like in the desert at any given moment??? talk about an instant global perspective!

...

i'll leave you with this poem titled "bound"...

cells energized
and dancing...
too much for this morning.
...
confused.
scanning the room for a clue.
...
you're not my salvation any more than your own.
this heart beating in my chest feels completely stoned.
...
i've never folded into such exotic difference
the way i so naturally do with you.
you're hands are heart shaped
and your breath is brand new.
...
you clear your throat
and speak into the microphone.
i hit the floor
and begin another war.
...
the life force between us -
that criss-crosess our dna
and reverberates within us like
the most dramatic of plays -
will one day
either drift off and leave us dry
or settle on in
leaving us bound and high.

...

ps - i found the above photo here.

new paths.

2009-03-03T21:12:00.001-08:00

today is the first day of my yoga teacher training... and like a kid on the first day of school, i am going to pack my snacks, pencils and highlighters... and head off with hopes of learning something new and exciting. i hope the other kids like me. ;)
...
my life has taken some unexpected, topsy-turvy turns over the week-end and i've found myself on this rather exciting path that will take me to mid-june. i'm hopeful that it will be filled with much personal growth and expansion. i'm sure i'll have lots of treasures to blog about as a result of this sudden change in my life and i'm so happy i'll be able to share them with you all! cheers to new beginnings this wednesday morning... hooray! xo

*the above photo is of my darling sweetie - taken by candy koslen. candy and her hubby own new image photography.

boo!

2009-03-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

okay... because a few of you have requested my commentary on the bachelor last night.... HERE IT GOES... OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a royal jerk! honestly, i cannot believe this dude. he doesn't have in his entire body the character and integrity that my sweetie has in his PINKY FINGER.

...

ummm... "i felt it in that moment..." i believe that's a direct quote. hey, jason! i have news for you: it's not about a 'feeling' in a 'moment'. you were FEELING lust and you had no business professing LOVE!

...

way to go, melissa! that girl made me proud (and what a sexy dress!). she rocked it out with her head-shaking and eye rolling and swift walk out to the car. that chick is going to find herself a man worthy of her heart. jason was not it.

...

poor, poor molly. what is she thinking??? if i knew that my man had treated someone else's heart with such disregard... i'm sorry, but i'm not sure i could take him seriously or trust him with MY heart. could you?

...

wow. enough said. WOW.

p.s. - photo found here... and i'm sorry to all of you who don't watch the show. this isn't the best forum for my ranting about someone i don't even know... but... it HAD to be said. i promise to return to my more tasteful and artful postings tomorrow. just give me this moment to rant... just this once. xoxoxo

carnival friday.

2009-02-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

this photo (of andrea bock's) causes me to crave some fluffy, pink, cotton candy! i thought i'd give you some carnival fun this friday... it's putting me in a happy mood, how 'bout you? enjoy and have a magical week-end. xo

*to view more of andrea bock's lovely work... visit her beautiful blog, Bloom Grow Love or her etsy store to purchase her prints.

polaDroid pause.

2009-02-26T17:19:00.000-08:00

you may recognize some of the above photos from earlier in the week when i posted about our week-end adventures. all of the photos were taken by moi and turned into polaroid-lovely-likeness by visiting this site and downloading FOR FREE the polaDroid application that gives you the ability to lift and drag your photos into a little polaroid camera on your desktop! everyone's polarizing their photos with poloDroid. look here... and here... for examples of my favorite bloggers polaDroiding. i just spoke with my sister - who is a fantastic photographer - and she informed me that they recently stopped producing real polaroid film. i think this news calls for us all to go polaDroid crazy as we bid the production of the classic polaroid film, goodbye! xo

...

ps - i think my sweet dog, thea, looks particularly darling in a polaDroid, don't you???

peel.

2009-02-26T07:07:00.000-08:00

your laugh
is unraveling
like the slow
peeling of an orange...
piece by piece...
covering my fingers
in sticky, fragrant citrus.
...
your walls are covered in art -
cuckoo clocks -
owl motifs -
candid photography -
and i am propelled forward
by your innovation and excellence.
...
we're drinking wine and swapping tales
like ships passing in the night.
i'm a silent observer in some far corner of the room
overcome
with
feverish
delight
and
new ideas
sprouting
like
tiny green buds on the trees outside.

...
you're a rainmaker - in your own way...
planting roots in this desolate place
so that others can be nourished by the fruit
you bare.

*photo found here.

french nesting.

2009-02-25T07:23:00.001-08:00

these are FRENCH TOAST nesting dolls! i'm seriously coveting these adorable dolls that depict the ingredients for making french toast. trish grantham has the coolest stuff in her etsy shop... i just HAD to post another estsy-centered blog today. it's a two-for-one etsy'tastic' wednesday at post script. ;) please, please visit trish's shop here... and view all of her other lovely creations... another amazing portland artist to fall in love with this morning. xo

fabric confections.

2009-02-25T07:01:00.000-08:00

can we all agree to being in LOVE with the above photos found at sarahseven's shop (etsy)??? omg. i neeeeeeeeeeed some clothing with titles such as 'robin's egg dress' (middle blue), 'powdered sugar dress' (bottom white) and 'blackberry jam shirt' (top). according to her bio, sarah is an 'independent designer living in portland, orgeon'. i am so very happy i ran across her shop and i'll be sure to keep checking back for new items and fashion inspiration. a portion (5%) of all sales are divided between two of sarah's favorite charities... so it's fashion with good taste and good heart.

yawn.

2009-02-23T13:34:00.000-08:00

*the nap spot i wish i was snuggling in right now...

*my favortie little asian girl...

...

happy tuesday everyone!!! i wanted to share a couple of quick still-life photos i snapped recently... just for fun. i'm still learning how to use my sweetie's fabulous camera and have A LOT to learn... but so far i'm loving it.

...

i'm still sniffling today and wish i weren't, but 'tis the season afer all, is it not? yesterday i stayed home instead of driving out to amish country for prenatal visits. i made the wild mushroom soup i spoke of recently - with the mushrooms we bought at the west side market and i will say this: it was beyond delicious. my sweetie said, 'it's low-fat, right?' with a wink... and then asked me not to tell him the truth. (psst... it has a whole stick of butter as well as olive oil, half and half AND heavy whipping cream in it... OMG!!! no wonder it was so yummy!).

...

i attempted a yoga class in the afternoon but left half way through as i was just too weak to keep up... and then my sweetie surprised me with a massage afterward - from the lovely christina lamarca at cleveland yoga and boy was it heavenly! i'm going to continue taking it easy and i hope the rest of you will do the same. cheers! xo

...

ps - did you watch the bachelor 'women tell all' last night??? i only made it half way through and recorded the rest... i was too sleepy to stay up for it all!

week-end adventuring.

2009-02-23T04:21:00.000-08:00

*first three images are from reincarnation vintage design where you can meet the lovely cindy and her husband who own the place - which is open only on the week-ends for limited hours.

*my sweetie checking out an old safe at sweet lorain.

*what is it about bolts of fabric???

*the gilded 'sweet lorain' mermaid. i heart her.

*i'm not a big raddish fan, but these beauties could change my mind!

*grapefruit is my favorite!!! i have three of them tattooed on my right arm!

*mushrooms for my soup!

*view of the westside market from above on the balcony...

*i'm a sucker for religious iconography.

despite my cold (that still lingers...), my sweetie and i ran around to a few thrift/antique stores over the week-end where i picked up a fabulous pair of brown suede boots as well as a few little knicknacks for the house (including a wooden acorn plate - so cute!). during a little spree, we popped into my absolute favorite antique store - reincarnation vintage design - on loraine ave. and, as always, the displays were inspring and beautiful with many little treasures to covet.

...

we also popped into the westside market - which i don't typically like to do on the week-ends because it's so crowded... but it was definitely worth it as we snagged some delicious fruit at one of the stands and then enjoyed the famous falafel rolls for lunch! mmm... i even picked up three different types of mushrooms for the cream of wild mushroom soup i plan to make for dinner tonight. xo

yoga and martinis.

2009-02-21T08:35:00.001-08:00

today i'm craving a yoga class... hmmm... i'm feeling a tad bit stressed but i did wake up to home-made sour cream pancakes (made by the darlingest darling there ever was) and a rather leisurely saturday morning snuggling with the kitty and watching t.v.. also, i'm looking forward to a fun birthday celebration for my sweetie with friends tonight. we're going to the basement of pickwick and frolic. there's a fabulously swanky little martini bar there called kevin's martini bar. it's a throw-back to an l.a. loung in the fifties. we're meeting up with some of our favorite people and i'm so excited! but FIRST... yoga.
...
happy week-end everyone! take some time to de-stress'ify' yourself and enjoy some laughing with friends. xo

*picture taken by my sister while in floriday/christmas/2008

LUX.

2009-02-20T06:39:00.001-08:00

i once had a dog named lux. i named her after the main character in 'the virgin suicides' (that may tell you how much of a sofia coppola fan i am... as well as how much i love the name 'lux'). anywhow... i'm already off on a bunny trail... this LUX, that i'm about to share with you, is the photography company of my darling friend and yoga teacher, jennette zimmerman. jennette is a photographer, yoga teacher, mother of six and genuinely beautiful human being in a tiny package! i'm enjoying the great pleasure of getting to know her and i wanted to share her stunning photography with you. the top portrait is of jennette herself.

...

in a world of trendy yogis that mistake the practice for a hot work-out, jennette understands what it means to live yoga... as a lifestyle. she is an inspiration to me. we were out recently for drinks at the wine bar on coventry, la cave du vin, and though it was our first time hanging out, we were instantly chatting and connecting in a way you cannot force. it either happens or it doesn't! she's a true kindred spirit in her philosophy of yoga, her love for family and animals (she has two darling dogs!) and also in her appreciation of all things lovely. i'm thrilled to share her with you on this friday morning.

...

you can check out more of jennette's photos on her website - found here. namaste, jennette!

birth celebration!

2009-02-19T06:33:00.000-08:00

i'm sad to say that i'm a little sick today. my throat is scratchy and i'm a bit stuffed up. i keep joking that michael franti gave me his flu because i kissed him on the cheek just before he shared that he was sick! well... if you're going to catch the flu from someone... it might as well be michael franti!

...

yesterday i was so excited to go home and go 'straight to bed' but alas - i had some birthday shopping to do for my sweetie - and a cake to make once i finally arrived home. tonight we're planning on dinner at my favorite pizza place (Dewey's... try the 'green lantern' pizza - it's outstanding!) and then we're going to see the intriguing and lovely Coraline movie. i adore tim burton! :) another note... between the valentine cheescake a few days ago and this most recent chocolate ganache cake, i'm beginning to think ina garten is involved in a plot to make america chubby! chubby and very, very happy!

...

cheers to all on this wonderful february 19th! i'm smiling today - despite my sore throat - because i'm celebrating the birth of my sweetie. xo

*image found here.

canadian class!

2009-02-18T10:26:00.000-08:00

okay. last night, my favorite bachelor beauty was sent home!!! jillian harris - from vancouver, b.c. - had her heart broken by the most boring bachelor in the history of the show. seriously, this dude was kind of cool and down-to-earth when deanna was stringing him along... but NOW - i think all this bachelor'ness' has gone to his balding head and in my opinion, he's a total snooze attack. when he has nothing to say to the cutesy commentary and gushing from one of the ladies - he just leans in for a kiss. has anyone other than me noticed this??? ANYHOW - jillian totally out-classed (to use my dad's term) jason, and i hope she becomes the next bachelorette! wouldn't that be so much fun? this sweet canadian (maybe it's because i'm also canadian?!) has totally stolen my heart and i was so sad to see her drive off last night. sigh... if she's smart she'll soon recognize he wasn't meant for her anyhow. she needs someone far more adventurous and colorful who has something interesting to say in response to her mature and interesting dialogue. this show is my serious guilty pleasure... i'm not even going to apologize! ;)

photo found here.

franti bliss!

2009-02-17T09:55:00.001-08:00

sunday night was the michael franti concert at the house of blues and it was so much fun!!! my sweetie and i had the pleasure of picking him up at his tour bus downtown and taking him to a cleveland yoga class where we practiced with him. what a down-to-earth and genuine person! the concert turned out to be fantastic and he even gave a shout-out to all of cleveland yoga (half of whom were there!). it was the perfect end to a valentine week-end with all of his fabulous love songs and general good vibes. check out his music here!

*photo copied from here.

v-day!!!

2009-02-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

i'll admit to waking up a little crabby this morning... last night i drove out to a birth an hour and 45 minutes away and found out the client and her husband were only comfortable with one student being present. a. was already there and had been there all day, so they said she could stay... i packed up and drove the whole way home at 11 o'clock at night! growl. moving forward we're going to need to make sure the births we attend are open to a. and i both attending BEFORE one of us drives out into the middle of nowhere. lesson learned. sigh... yesterday was friday the 13th after all!

...

anyhow - on a brighter and much sweeter note - i am currently waiting for a chocolate espresso cheescake to come out of the oven! i gave my sweetie a few options and he chose the cheescake, so i woke up this morning and whipped up this scrumptious smelling confection that i will shortly cover in ganache. mmm... you can check out the recipe here by the fabulous ina garten - the barefoot contessa - who is pictured above.

...

next on today's agenda is a trip to the mall to find something fun to wear this evening at table 45!!! i'm so excited! i hope you all have a wonderful valentine's day full of love. xo

sing healing.

2009-02-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

in keeping with my recent thoughts about creative, talented, inspiring people in my life... i must mention my sister who is a very talented and growing photographer. i love to visit her flickr page (name - 'sing healing') every now and then and see what new abandoned building she's recently explored with her boyfriend... or what haunting self-portrait... or perfectly lit still-life she has captured. i couldn't say my sister's name properly when she was born (i was two!), so i substituted with the next closest thing which happened to come out as 'lolo'. i still call her this - much to her chagrin. here's to lolo and her fabulous photos!

delicious 'yellowcake'

2009-02-12T07:14:00.001-08:00

last night - on my way home from work - i started thinking about how talented some of my friends are... and it is on that note that i introduce you to one of them. she is not only a friend, but also my ex-roomie and i think her art is beyond lovely and her clothes are decadent eye candy!!! i was just speaking with this darling friend, valerie mayen, the other night and discovered she is actually full-time devoted to her business right now and has even recently hired an assistant. i'm so proud of her! her business is called 'yellowcake' and has a store on etsy. check it out!

sweetie's day

2009-02-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

i'm oh-so-ridiculously-excited about valentine's day this year!!! perhaps it has something to do with the fact that i have a valentine like no other. my sweetie is taking me to the fabulous table 45 this year on the 14th and after eating a red velvet cupcake from starbucks last week - i'm suddenly in the spirit of all things pink, red and full of sugar! i'm still trying to figure out what i'm going to buy as a little token gift. i've been browsing etsy as always... check out these darling jewlrey boxes... and the amazing print shown above! happy v-day shopping... xo

one-a-birth, two-a-birth, three...

2009-02-10T06:51:00.001-08:00

i feel so very blessed to have witnessed another birth this week-end... and to top it off, A. is currently at TWO births at the same time! the midwife had to transport one amish couple to the home of another amish couple - both couples in labor - because she can't be two places at once! so as i sit here at my desk, i'm feeling ever-so-slightly jealous... :) last night's birth that i attended was very quick - less than 5 hours from beginning to end. the moon was bright and their laundry was blowing on the line outside the door of the front house. i wish i could have taken my own photos to share but things were very rushed. i'm feeling quite satisfied this tuesday morning. my week-end was crazy busy, but much was accomplished.

...

on that note, i wanted to share a link with you to a website about the amish. after arriving home last last night, my sweetie was asking a few basic questions about the amish way of life and it prompted me to look up something that may interest more than just him. happy tuesday!!!

*photo found here.

first birth.

2009-02-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

last night i witnessed my first birth in over three years. it was a re-connecting experience for me as i've only recently jumped back into my midwifery training after a three year hiatus for personal reasons. the beginning of january marked the re-start of my apprenticeship and i've been patiently - and sometimes not so patiently! - waiting for the first birth i would actually make in time! my expectations were low as i made the drive out to ashland yesteray afternoon. this amish mom was having baby number 12... and the midwife thought it would come fast. i had an hour and a half commute and i got lost twice - so i was half expecting to miss it, but eventually i found my destination farm and made the trip up the long, muddy drive and into the rustic, old home where i found a lovely woman and her cheerful husband laboring away... several hours after my arrival a beautiful baby girl was born and i remembered again - so potently - why i love this job. i bathed and dressed her in front of the wood stove and handed her back to her mom - who smiled and snuggled her under her chin. my heart skipped a beat and time stood still - like it always does in those fresh and holy moments after life has been given. the drive home in the dark had me feeling satisfied and complete in a way that still lingers into this morning... happy sunday to you all!

(ps - the photo above is courtesy of my dear friend, jennette - who is an amazing photographer and whom i will do a post on very soon! the photo is of one of her own little ones being held by her hubby)

yummy baby things

2009-02-06T06:41:00.001-08:00

good morning! i want to share a couple of darling ideas i came across last night while at a pre-natal doula visit. my dear friend is my 'partner in crime' in all things midwifery/doula related. i'll call her 'a.'. :) she happens to have a lovely couple in her capable doula hands right now who happen to be a tad bit past their due date. she invited me along to a final pre-natal at their house and i'm so glad i joined her. not only were this couple a total joy to get to know... but they also had the most darling baby things!!! amongst them were a hand-knitted 'cupcake' baby rattle and cookies (sooo beyond cute!!!) and BABY leg warmers!!! i was smitten! i lurked around etsy this morning in an unsuccessful attempt to find the cupcake rattle (perhaps someone else will have better luck?). i did find some similar items that i wanted to share, however... one being the cupcake hat pictured above and the other being a version of the aforementioned leg warmers. enjoy!

the ordinary/extraordinary cervix

2009-02-05T13:49:00.000-08:00

okay... i'm officially astounded! i stumbled across these photos of a cervix and was blown away!!! PLEASE VIEW AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AS THEY ARE GRAPHIC IN NATURE (aka: real to life and actually quite ordinary - considering how common the cervix is!). nonetheless - if you're a 'birth junkie' and feminist like myself - you'll find these photos to be most intriguing and hopefully they will shed some much-needed light on the "mysterious" female anatomy and cycle. how interesting!!!

1/31/09

2009-02-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

when you're called at 6:00 in the morning to drive over two hours south for an amish birth... you kind of hope to actually make it to SEE the birth. alas, this was not the case in the wee hours of this morning. i made it twenty minutes too late. :( the view along the way and once i arrived at the farm was almost worth it though!