My road to midwifery has been a long one. My grandmothers’ mother delivered in Mexico with a midwife. She shared God’s plan for her life and in the following years my grandmother came to know the Lord. My first two births were hospital births with all the usual interventions and feelings of inadequacy. My third son is adopted but I was able to be in the l & D with his birthmom and was her only support. I did not feel that I helped at all, we both left feeling helpless. I was also present at the births of my niece and nephew, and grandson and 2 other women. With each I gained a little more confidence but still had no practical experience in providing comfort. Then at 38 I became pregnant with our miracle baby and decided to take a more active role. After researching and taking a Bradley class I decided to do a homebirth. What an experience, it changed my life. I have never felt more dependent on God, my creator, and more aware of my body. I had toyed with the idea of a nurse midwife prior to becoming pregnant with my last but now the call toward midwifery was stronger than ever. My husband retired from the military in August, 2006 and he started med school 10 days later and I began studies with Ancient Art Midwifery Institue. Apprenticing began in August 2008 with Laura Hoppel and since then I have attended births with four more midwives at home. I have attended more as a doula and I hope to graduate someday. I have enjoyed breastfeeding all four of my children for a total of six years experience and have enjoyed encouraging women as they began their breastfeeding relationship.Currently I also am the Norfolk coordinator and instructor for the pregnancy and parenting classes for the clients at the pregnancy center. Our dream is to be a team located in a rural, underserved or overseas mission wherever the Lord leads.
