It's no big deal!

I love my job(s) (all of 'em,) but sometimes, you know, it is still work. At the end of the day, when you are looking forward to a long nights sleep, the thought of the phone ringing at 2 AM for a birth is enough to make me want to R-U-N-N-O-F-T to Graceland and never look back. It's sometimes hard to be excited, sometimes hard to remember *why* I do this in the first place.

Right now, I'm taking on more clients than I normally do as a result of some unforseen circumstances, and am happy to do so. It really is an honor to help these women bring forth their children. I realize that every time I attend a woman in labor and birth, I've become a part of their history. It's doubtful that they will be able to retell the story of their births without including something about "Doula Sarah" or whatnot. I'm telling you, it's amazing and humbling stuff.

But it's still work.

Ina May Gaskin is the reason I'm doing what I'm doing. Many, many years ago, someone told me that I had to read Spiritual Midwifery. I think I may have been 16 years old. Never before and never since has any single piece of writing changed my life so. Ina May is the author of Spiritual Midwifery and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, co-founder of The Farm, and midwife to countless women. She is my professional idol - the very embodiment of who I want to be "when I grow up."

That's me and DeeDee with Ina May Gaskin!!

I had the honor of meeting Ina May and spending a few hours in a van with her the first week of May. When I finally got over being "star-struck," I learned something amazing about Ina May. It's work for her, too. BUT, it's work in the context that *everything* in life, if done well, is work, so what's the big deal?

So, here I am, looking at possible 5 births in the next 4 weeks, along with a backload of orders for Kohleidoscope, a birthday party for my son, homeschooling field trips, visits from family coming from out of town, a wedding in another state, and, oh yes, somewhere in there, I'd love to have a nap. But you know, *this is what I do.* It's what I signed on for, it's who I am and what I'm good at, it's my life. Once the coffee kicks in, I am always so overwhelmed with the blessing I have been given by chosing this as my life's work. I realize how amazing it is that I get to see new people take their first breaths, watch as new parents get to see their new babies for the first time. There is nothing like it on earth.

Thanks, Ina May, for being my guide on this long road. It means more to me than you know, and while I'm sure you'll not remember me, I'll never forget you. I owe you so much and I wish you could know that.

I can almost hear her now, saying, "Eh, thanks, Sarah. It's no big deal."