Brief Review

Hello. I know I'm a bad blogger for not having posted about my trip to Taos, but I have excuses. So many excuses. First of all, my trip to Taos lasted for three days and was immediately followed by 1) an 8 page Jung essay, 2) getting ready to drive to L.A., 3) driving to L.A., 4) flying to Maine, 5) settling down in Maine. My other excuse is that I'm with half of my blog-audience anyway, and the rest of you guys are so busy you don't really care about my visit to Taos. But, now that I'm settled in here in Calais, I thought I would share a few of the more interesting moments from the previous week.

Visit to Taos: It is soooo beautiful in Taos. I had a great first couple of days on my visit, following around the three midwives and four students and asking lots of questions. I was impressed that the midwives were actually not very intimidating, that the students were not very hippie-y (by Santa Fe standards, probably not by Columbus standards). Most importantly, I was impressed by the professionalism of their birth center and by the wonderful relationships they have with their clients. I got to see visits ranging from first visits to six-week postpartum visits (their last). I was a little bit bummed the first two days, though, because I had REALLY been hoping to see a birth, but because they had had two the day before I got there I figured I was out of luck. As I was leaving the birth center at the end of the second day, though, there were two phone calls from clients in early labor, and I was invited to hang out the next day and maybe see a birth.
The next day I got up and hurried to the birth center, and there were two women laboring in the birth rooms. The women were all fantastic! The midwives and students were on top of their shit, totally calm, supportive, quiet, and efficient. The laboring women were working hard and I was just in awe of them. One of the women went for a walk at 9 cms! I was invited in to see her daughter be born, which was truly amazing and beautiful and FAST! I loved it, but what appeals to me most about the midwifery center is the work they do for the women throughout the whole course of the labor in terms of emotional support. And they knit! I would have a built-in knitting support system.

Going to California: I always look forward to going to Ben's house, but this time it was a little rushed. I got home Friday afternoon and didn't finish my Jung essay until Saturday afternoon, but then I really wanted to get on the road, so we rushed to pack our things and were on our way by 7:30 Saturday night. We slept over in Arizona and got to Ojai Sunday afternoon. I spent much of my time there worrying about packing and presents, and I can't wait to go back for New Years and properly relax!

Going to Maine: Red-eye. Ugh. I got to Calais and spent the day with Mandy and Dad. Pretty much everything since then is covered in Mandy and Jaime's blogs. It's great having the girls around and having Ben, Jaime, and Mandy to talk to. We finally got the stove and Ben and Dad installed it. The house is actually remarkably comfortable and our living circumstances relatively civilized. The Christmas tree is beautiful and the girls have been running around with ornaments re-decorating the bottom of the tree and our little Christmas tree since we put them up. Cute!