Different People

Maybe you have seen the meme going around about how “work me, outside me, and home me are three different people.” I feel this intensely.

Home Me - Mother, Wife, Daughter, Friend. I do my best to give love and time to help grow these little people that my husband and I created. I am fortunate that my husband is a partner and supports me in all my crazy ideas. Home me is comfortable, but busy.

Farm Me - Horse Owner/Rider. I give all I can to make sure my animals are safe and happy, well cared for and comfortable. Vet and farrier visits, feed times, clean-up chores, mucking stalls, and the occasional trail ride or lesson. Horses make my heart calm and peaceful /in the same way the forest does. They are so incredibly sensitive to our emotions and minor body language that they act as giant mirrors. Showing you both the best and the worst of yourself.

Work me - I work full time at a hospital laboratory as the supervisor over the Hematology department. This job is challenging and fulfilling in it’s own ways. A younger me was drawn to the science and technology that is constantly changing and improving our ability to provide answers to the hardest medical questions.

Doula Me - This is new and exciting. And it feels like home for now. Getting my first clients has me looking forward to helping families in ways that I haven’t been able to before.

Baby Steps

I've been busy working towards completing my certification requirements. I passed my exam last month shortly after taking my training and completed my essay portion of my exam as well.

I got an email the other day from CAPPA telling me I passed the essay portion of my exam, which was very exciting. I still need to finish the required reading material, and get written referrals from three professionals. Then finally, I need to serve three families and have them evaluate me. This last bit has been challenging. Like a lot of people, I am not super good at talking about myself. Reaching out to strangers and trying to convince them to hire me to come into their home and help them care for themselves is way outside by comfort zone. I am confident that once I get the first few under my belt, it will come naturally.

So for now, I am taking baby steps, getting things done one at a time, and waiting for the universe to give me what I need, and trusting that it will.

A Vision

One of the scariest things we can do as adults, as we navigate through life, is instigate change. However change is something we are constantly striving for. How boring would life be without new exciting adventures, people, and things. Becoming a doula is something that has been calling to me for a long time. As I reflect on my life, I am realizing more and more, I have always had a “doula heart”. Growing up I was the friend that nurtured, and now as an adult I thrive in an environment where I can truly help others. Acknowledging this strength and need I have in myself, I took the leap this fall and I am opening Bookends Life Services, LLC. I am excited to begin this journey and can’t wait to help families and individuals through some of the biggest challenges of their lives.

My dream is that it won’t stop at helping new families say hello. There is also a great need for care throughout our lives (from beginning to end). My vision is to be able to help those who are welcoming a new family member, assist those who need a little help in mid-life’s challenging situations, and also help families who are saying goodbye. Life is too short, and far to fragile, to have to do this all on our own.