A Dream is Born

Picture this, a 7 year girl, long blond hair, wide blue eyes sitting in the corner of a lamp lit living room, half curious, half bored and full of wonder. Everyone around her is quiet and their attention is not on her, which is quite unusual for her. Instead the focus of everyone in the room is on a hugely pregnant woman on the hide-a-bed, this woman is the little girls favorite Aunt. You see, this is a day the girl has eagerly awaited, months of laying next to her loving Aunt and watched her belly grow, talking to the belly and feeling the baby move. Eventually the boredom the girl feels turns to excitement as several women (strangers to the girl) gather around her Auntie, there is moaning and a new life emerges into the room. Everyone is excited, especially the girl. The year 1981, the girl is me and the birth the inspiration for a lifelong dream of mine to "catch" babies.

(Maggie and cousin Christopher)


I didn't really understand who the women were, I don't recall the actual moment of birth. What I do remember is my Auntie working really hard, the excitement to see my baby cousin and my Uncle in the tub with my cousin, Christopher, after the fact. My memory is a beautiful one, one I suppose if you are a parent or Auntie and are considering having children present at your birth, should definitely inspire you to do so. I was born at home myself in 1975 with the assistance of a naturopathic doctor. So I understood that birth does happen at home, in fact I thought it odd that people had such weird reactions to me telling them I was born at home. For some reason though, I thought that only Dr.'s could accompany the birthing woman. I had forgotten about the midwives gathered around my Auntie. All I really knew was I wanted to become a "baby catcher". Throughout my childhood I also had other dreams, fire-woman, archeologist, nurse, banker, teacher and mom. I have already achieved the mom and teacher roles.

13 years after witnessing my cousins birth and pregnant with my first child I planned my own home-birth. While looking for a naturopathic dr. I discovered a whole new option, a midwife! I knew upon meeting my first midwives Suzie and Marge at Seattle Home Maternity Services that I was in the right place with the perfect people. At that time, I really began to feel the desire or call to midwifery. When I was pregnant with my second child, my midwives, Paula and Charlotte encouraged me to follow that calling. I had no idea that it would be another almost 15 years, 3 states and 3 sons before I would have the opportunity to do so.

(Midwife Paula and my 2nd born)


I finally knew it was time,this summer when God spoke to me through a couple of different prophetic words I was given and spoke directly to my heart. I then asked several people to pray for me to be able to finance the tuition and for wisdom. God has already provided through family and friends enough to begin my course and purchase my first set of textbooks. I signed up for the Via Vita Midwifery Foundation's course about 2 weeks ago and have already received my books. I am really enjoying the history of midwifery and plan to blog about what I am learning. I'm so excited to share what I learn with the rest of the world via my blog. Continued prayers for finances and also for the Lord to provide me with a midwife to apprentice and function as my preceptor. Also for my priorities. I am so excited to be doing this, but I want to make sure the studying balances out with the other things I need to do as well. I tend to get tunnel vision.