Check out this amazing rock sculpture from Ghost Ranch, NM, where I recently attended an advanced training for Birthing From Within: She looks just like an ancient birth goddess…

I stand here, still and settled,

among my eleven sisters,

and feel the Earth beneath my feet

roots sinking deep

spreading wide

rooted

balanced

secure.

Spine straight and with wooded strength

energy flows

from roots to top

shoulders soft, neck long.

The warmth of the sun shines on my crown,

birds and breezes in my loose, free hair.

Looking at each face

in this circle,

this council of elders,

wise grandmothers, and me,

a circle of twelve.

I am so grateful to sit among them.

- Mary Burgess, October, 2009

A beautiful poem by Jennifer Louden (http://www.comfortqueen.com):

Comfort Wishes

Draw what delights you
in to your heart
Let it dazzle you to tears,
filling your body
with the bearable sweetness of being.

Don’t wait for the scratches and scars to be cured
Don’t wait for something bigger or better
And for pity sake, please please
Don’t wait until everybody else has had theirs.
May the tide of daily delight flood you to happiness.

Love this song…!!!

So sweet – lovely song…

A great Daddy’s song… written when he found out he was having a baby… enjoy this one, Dads.

“With Arms Wide Open”

Well I just heard the news today
It seems my life is going to change
I closed my eyes, begin to pray
Then tears of joy stream down my face

With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I’ll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open

Well I don’t know if I’m ready
To be the man I have to be
I’ll take a breath, I’ll take her by my side
We stand in awe, we’ve created life

With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I’ll show you everything
With arms wide open
Now everything has changed
I’ll show you love
I’ll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open
I’ll show you everything …oh yeah
With arms wide open..wide open

[Guitar Break]

If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he’s not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open…

With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I’ll show you everything
With arms wide open
Now everything has changed
I’ll show you love
I’ll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open
I’ll show you everything..oh yeah
With arms wide open….wide open

I walk my children to and from school each day. Well, walk, ride bikes, scooter, whatever. But we get there slowly, at their pace. It is a great time to connect. Busy life aside, it is our time together: no phones, no computer, lots of fresh air and moving through weather together.

My daughters are getting older, starting to have those interactions at school that, as adults, we might think back to and cringe… you know the kind… my best friend was someone else’s best friend today… I did my math problem wrong and the teacher made me do it over (much to my horror)… or just the new concepts and ideas about life/bodies/gender/sex/grades/sense of self – all that good stuff. And this year, it is certainly more noticeable than other years.

So lately, I’ve been conscious about what seeds I can plant during our morning and afternoon walks. Is there anything I can ask, or say, or stories that I can tell, that give my girls a bit of new self-insight, new strength, new ways of thinking about the world, as they figure it out for themselves?

• I’m always so proud of you.
• I look forward to finding out something amazing that happens in your day today.
• You are wonderful to talk to, wonderful to be around.
• I love holding your hand.
• Let’s hurry to class, so we can see your new project on the wall (and take a picture of it to show Dad later and send to Gramma).
• How did you see that as a learning opportunity? What did you learn from that?
• How is that working for you?
• What is one amazing thing you learned or discovered today?
• What is something new that you learned about yourself today?
• What was the best part of your day?
• Was there anything today that surprised you?
• How did you handle that?

Anyway, planting seeds, seeds of strength and self-awareness and empowerment. Life seeds.

Wanna do something fun on August 8? Join the celebration for the 1st Annual Midwifery Potluck at Lake Padden.

! Past, Current, & Future Midwifery Clients !

! Home Birthers, & Birth-Center Birthers !

! Come Many ~ Come all !

! JOIN US !

for the 1st ANNUAL MIDWIFERY POTLUCK to:

·        honor Christine Gibbs (cofounder of Bellingham Birth Center),

· raise awareness and $ for the MAMA campaign www.mamacampaign.org

· have fun & build community!

Saturday August 8^th 2009 3-6 PM

at Lake Padden Rotary Shelter

https://www.cob.org/eConnect/Facilities/FacilitiesDetail.asp?FacilityId=3

(next to the playground)

With kids’ games

&

with a special performance by The One And Only Jason Quick, Performing Artist, One-Armed Juggler & Home Birth Dad (www.jasonquick.net)

~ please bring a dish to share ~

If your last name begins with …

A – H bring a Main Dish

I – P bring a Salad

Q – Z bring a Dessert

PS: Even if you can’t make it to this year’s Midwifery Picnic, You can help make sure Midwives and Mothers are not left out of National Health Care Reform, visit www.mamacampaign.org and sign up today!

–
Kristin J. Effland, CPM, LM

2430 Cornwall Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
Mobile: 206.498.2750
www.bellinghambirthcenter.com
www.ghmidwifery.com
www.mamacampaign.org
www.washingtonmidwives.org

Thank you to Birth Diva, LLC for this recipe… enjoy, and happy breastfeeding!

This is a recipe that has been floating around for years. I am including options to make it vegan too. If you need a boost in your milk supply, give them a try. It is the yeast and oats that are doing the work here. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 C butter or non-dairy buttery spread (e.g., Earth Balance)
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
4 T water
2 T flax seed meal (no subs)
2 Lg eggs
or Vegan Option 1: 3 teaspoons of Egg Replacer mixed with 4 tablespoons of water
or Vegan Option 2: 4 teaspoons of flax seeds mixed with 4 tablespoons of water
1 t vanilla
2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 C Thick cut oats
1 C Chocolate chips
2 T to 4T Brewers Yeast (no substitutions)

Preparation
Preheat oven at 375.

Mix 2 T of flax seed meal and water, set aside 3-5 minutes.
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs or vegan substitutes.
Stir flax seed mix into butter mix and add vanilla.
Beat until well blended.
Sift: dry ingredients, except oats and choc chips.
Add butter mix to dry ingredients.
Stir in the oats and then the choc chips.
Drop on parchment paper on baking sheet.
Bake 8-12 minutes

Ohh… so good! And if you happen to be feeding a toddler or child at home, they’ll love this, too…  From The Grit restaurant in Athens, GA.

Mac and Cheese

Creamy in the middle, crispy on the top. Try to eat a little, but honk down ’til you pop!

• 4 c (1lb) dried elbow macaroni
• 12 cups water
• 6 T butter, divided
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 4 c wholemilk
• 1 generous teaspoon mustard, dry or prepared
• 2 t salt
• Pinch of black or cayenne pepper
• 1 T plus 1 t hot sauce
• 6 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 c fine breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 425′ F. Grease a 9X13-inch pan or glass casserole.

Bring water to a rolling boil in a large stockpot. Add macaroni and boil 8-10 minutes or just until al dente. Remove and drain well; set aside.

Melt 3 T butter in the stockpot and add drained pasta, stirring to combine. Whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Add to pasta and cheese. Stir mixture constantly over medium-high heat until cheese melts and milk and eggs begin to thicken. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until very thick and creamy. Transfer to prepared casserole.

Melt remaining 3 T butter in a small saucepan and mix with breadcrumbs. Spread mixture evenly over top of macaroni mixture. Bake 10-15 minutes. May be further bronwed by briefly placing under broiler, if desired.

Yields 10-12 servings. Great re-heated. Add a big green salad and tomatoes or steamed greens, some sliced seasonal fruit, and a big glass of pure water, and Mama will be one happy camper.