Change is okay

I'm the kind of person who lives life trying to keep everything the same. Change is a very difficult concept for me. I make my family many of the same meals, listen to the same music/artists, wear the same shirts with a certain pair of jeans, have certain undies I wear with certain pants, order the same coffee when I have the chance to get it, etc. I'm set in my ways.

Over the past few months, I've realized the need for change and its been a battle. I've seen areas that were just no longer good for me. This constant homebirth battle has drained me so much. It's like my life was full of negativity all the time. I was hard nosed and I did stay tapped into a lot of negative emotions and the only person it hurt was me. I'm finally able to see that all of my anger was nothing more than depression and grief. I need to work through those somehow and need to surround myself with those who can help me facilitate some kind of healing. Part of this has been trying to look beyond what is on the surface and really searching my heart. This has been and will continue to be a very painful process. Who really wants to look at themselves and see fault? Not me! The fact is we all have them. Nobody is perfect and even in a hurtful situation, we can choose our reaction.

So, I'm going to take this time to apologize to others. I posted a blog a little while back saying I had no sympathy for parents who lost their babies and didn't blame either the midwife or homebirth. I am truly sorry for any feelings I hurt in doing that. I had no right to say that to anyone. Its not my place to question, only support, and I went too far. I should never of allowed my pain to overrule anything. I am also sorry to anyone I've hurt in my "raptor" activities. I know it brought a lot of crap on to myself and I wish I could go back and change it all. Several times I was told that I fed off the negativity and I said "no, this is me". Well, I was wrong. I did. That's not me, at least, not anymore.

So, I'm standing here asking to be given second chances, asking to be seen for who I am now. In regards to the fight, well, honestly, I'm just not feeling it anymore. I love my daughter and hate what happened, but I need to go forward. Having faith in God, I don't believe that's what I'm suppose to be doing. I think it served a purpose for a little while, but that's not what I was suppose to keep doing. I began stepping back months ago and continued to have loss mother's brought across my path. This even happened when I took breaks and tried pursuing new activities. You know, when you are going to the gym and the women you keep meeting are loss moms, it is being orchestrated by a power larger than yourself. I shared this with Heidi and I think she's just been waiting for me to accept it. So, I have and I'm going to try to listen to what God's telling me.

I hurt more than I imagined I would, but I have faith that this change will be a blessing in my life, somehow. And in the meantime, I hope to share more of myself here on a personal level so people get to know me better.

Change is okay

I'm the kind of person who lives life trying to keep everything the same. Change is a very difficult concept for me. I make my family many of the same meals, listen to the same music/artists, wear the same shirts with a certain pair of jeans, have certain undies I wear with certain pants, order the same coffee when I have the chance to get it, etc. I'm set in my ways.

Over the past few months, I've realized the need for change and its been a battle. I've seen areas that were just no longer good for me. This constant homebirth battle has drained me so much. It's like my life was full of negativity all the time. I was hard nosed and I did stay tapped into a lot of negative emotions and the only person it hurt was me. I'm finally able to see that all of my anger was nothing more than depression and grief. I need to work through those somehow and need to surround myself with those who can help me facilitate some kind of healing. Part of this has been trying to look beyond what is on the surface and really searching my heart. This has been and will continue to be a very painful process. Who really wants to look at themselves and see fault? Not me! The fact is we all have them. Nobody is perfect and even in a hurtful situation, we can choose our reaction.

So, I'm going to take this time to apologize to others. I posted a blog a little while back saying I had no sympathy for parents who lost their babies and didn't blame either the midwife or homebirth. I am truly sorry for any feelings I hurt in doing that. I had no right to say that to anyone. Its not my place to question, only support, and I went too far. I should never of allowed my pain to overrule anything. I am also sorry to anyone I've hurt in my "raptor" activities. I know it brought a lot of crap on to myself and I wish I could go back and change it all. Several times I was told that I fed off the negativity and I said "no, this is me". Well, I was wrong. I did. That's not me, at least, not anymore.

So, I'm standing here asking to be given second chances, asking to be seen for who I am now. In regards to the fight, well, honestly, I'm just not feeling it anymore. I love my daughter and hate what happened, but I need to go forward. Having faith in God, I don't believe that's what I'm suppose to be doing. I think it served a purpose for a little while, but that's not what I was suppose to keep doing. I began stepping back months ago and continued to have loss mother's brought across my path. This even happened when I took breaks and tried pursuing new activities. You know, when you are going to the gym and the women you keep meeting are loss moms, it is being orchestrated by a power larger than yourself. I shared this with Heidi and I think she's just been waiting for me to accept it. So, I have and I'm going to try to listen to what God's telling me.

I hurt more than I imagined I would, but I have faith that this change will be a blessing in my life, somehow. And in the meantime, I hope to share more of myself here on a personal level so people get to know me better.

Stillbirthday

E<p>Let me paint you a picture:</p>

<p>Around the first part of March 2011, one of the women I knew on Facebook shared with our group that she was pregnant. We were thrilled for her. Around 6 weeks later, we were discussing ultrasounds and she told us thank goodness for them because she had just learned her baby was dead. Holy cow, not what we were expecting to hear. So, we wrapped our arms around her. We stood beside her sharing all of our loss stories and trying to comfort her in the ways that we remembered helping us. </p>

<p>Shortly after, Heidi, decided that she really wanted to use her son's legacy as a way to help others. What could we do to help? We wanted to do everything in our power to help our friend. </p>

<p>She approached people about being doulas, both those interested and those already involved in the doula world. She set up a phenomenal website that included things that blew my mind! Many of us have given her our stories and pictures of our babies. Awesome, a way to remember and memorialize our children! Then she has the various birth plans. Let me tell you, I would of done many things different with my miscarriages if I knew! With the doula stuff, these women are there to help a mom through the loss. I can't even describe how flipping amazing that that is! Its an honor to hold a mothers hand and a blessing for that mother to have someone who wants to help her through that. Let's face it, too many people are scared of loss. Heidi also has the mentoring program that I am honored to be a part of. We talk to moms and share our journey and give them support after their losses. We talk about things that, honestly, only a loss mom would truly understand. Navigating life after loss is HARD, but having love and support makes it a little easier. I help others in my normal everyday life and it is an area where I know a difference is being made. I'm honored to stand beside a mother and say "I understand". I do cry for every mom and I do cry for myself and my losses. Not too long ago, I thought to myself, "I wish I had the life I was suppose to, this life is too hard". You know what? I'm glad I can be here doing what I do. I'm a believer in making something beautiful out of something ugly, and so I press on. I'm honored to do this for Stillbirthday and the women I've met. I truly wish hospitals and local support groups had this type of program.

Honestly, you really cannot go wrong with Stillbirthday! I recommend it to everyone! There is also a Facebook page. There is also a support group on Facebook, called Stillbirthday Support Group (my phone isn't copying the URL correctly, so this may not work right).