I did it.

I am now a Licenced Midwife in the State of Arizona!

Passed my final (of four) licensing exam Friday, November 30 (coincidently my sister's 27th birthday). 

Look for more information on Red Mountain Midwifery...coming soon!

Wall Rats

We joined the city recreation center this month - a lovely, newer facility with a gym, fitness center, classes out the wazoo (seriously, 20+ a day), an indoor running track (a mere 14 laps to a mile), child care, a game room for the 8-15 crowd, AND a climbing wall! Sadly, Oliver is too young to climb - they have an age limit of five.

Liam (made it to the ceiling!):

Clara on one of the "medium" level climbs:

And Elfie (also made the top):

They all loved it - and fortunately, can climb many days a week now while I get my run/exercise in!

I was strong, and other tidbits.

• No cats at Saddleback. We came to our senses and decided that despite the cuteness, the kids would get "over" the cat-love, a pet costs a lot of money that we just don't have to spare right now, and with a home-office, I'd rather be "pet-free" for those with sensitivities. Phew.

• The kids are all doing great in school; Oliver is doing three days of preschool at the local high school Child Development Center; Dan and I are plugging away with our work and home commitments, trying not to let four kids take us over completely ;)

• I am headed to NYC on the 18th for a week to visit my sister (and my mom will be there for a few days, too)! Southwest had a smoking deal last month and I jumped on it.

• Still running...my personal bests so far (treadmill) are a 66 minute 10K and a 30 minute 5K. I am definitely looking forward to days cool enough to run outside, but for now thankful to have the indoor options.

The straw that broke...

I thought it would be fun for the kids to "babysit" four kittens for a friend for a few days.

But then they got all cute and snuggly...

...and I might have a soft spot for a kitty...

...and Clara definitely does...

...and they do adorable things like this:

...seriously - does it get any cuter??

...and THEN Dan made the mistake of mentioning the kitties are actually up for grabs...

I'm afraid I might have to give in, finally...Saddleback could use ONE cat, right?

Um...they kill scorpions at least?

To be continued...

Ink

I don't know what the turning point was, but I was recently strongly overtaken by the desire for a tattoo. Not sure if it was the object requiring a canvas, or the canvas desiring an object, but either way it was a no-brainer. I needed a moose.

My moose has the Alaska state flag and the Alaska state flower incorporated into the design.

After the fact, it came across my mind to look into totems; the more I read, the more I realized I never chose to be drawn to moose; it just kept happening. I was gifted with two stuffed moose for my fourth birthday - Barnaby and Melissa (who once upon a time had eyelashes).

These two toys sparked an obsession with all things alces alces for the next 33 years (and counting). I have acquired moose pajamas, socks, shirts, toys, chimes, bells, candles, gag toys, toe ring, hair clip...you name it, I probably have one with a moose! My mom used to tell me stories about a little girl and her moose friend...many a night I fell asleep to tales of their escapades.

Yet for all that time I obsessed about moose, I never looked into the Native and traditional meaning of a moose or a totem. Turns out the moose IS my totem...

(from: http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/moose.htm)

MOOSE
	Giant dweller of forest and marsh-land, I face a time of uncertainty. Fill me with your confidence, your wisdom. Teach me when to speak and when to be silent. Help me find a point of balance and harmony That success may be mine in honor.
Self-Esteem, Primal Feminine Energies Moose is one of the most ancient of the power totems.    A Moose totem gives you sacred and unique energy.  With a Moose totem you will be full of contradictions.  Awkward yet graceful.  Large yet able to move swiftly and silently.  Moose people usually have excellent depth perception.    Moose is also associated with the maternal forces of the world, the primal feminine energies.  This can be awaken through water or the sea, the womb of life.  Mediate using the sounds of water or ocean.  Autumn is the power time of the Moose.  People with a Moose totem instinctively know balance: when to use gentleness, when to use strength.  They know what to say, when to say it and to whom.  Moose people are usually wise beyond their years.

Off they go...

The girls headed over to San Diego this morning for three nights with my Aunt E and Uncle G. They have been counting down the days, and I know will have a ball running around outdoors,  exploring the beach, and going to Sea World (just a little spoiled!).

This pair is becoming quite well-seasoned in the art of travel! I look forward to the day we can make it a family affair...and go international.

Catching up...again...

The sad truth is, Facebook has become my daily media. I want to change that, I really do.

So we moved. We absolutely LOVE our new place! Since day one, this house has felt like home. We have entertained guests more times in the last eight months than we did in five years at the other place - we finally have the room to do so! The kids can spread out, and we even have enough bathrooms to satisfy the most ridiculously well-tuned simultaneous poopers (four bathrooms, four kids...). 

The girls ended up moving to the local elementary at Thanksgiving. It was a very smooth transition, and both did fantastically at the new school. Every morning they biked to school, and every afternoon, they showed back up to the house...no more driving for us! That saves over 80 minutes a DAY for me, and 40 minutes a day for them. I think it was a good trade!

Liam and Oliver spent Spring semester at Bridges Preschool, not far from our new place...it's the same school the girls attended that first Spring after we moved to Mesa! They both loved it...but Liam will be moving on to kindergarten this Fall, and Oliver will attend a different preschool that has better hours/rates for what we need. 

This Fall, Clara, Elfie, and Liam will all be at the same school together - it's so hard to imagine I have THREE kids in elementary school! The kids start back August 8. 

I am waiting for my elusive midwifery license - I have one exam I HOPE will be administered in October - might be November - then I should finally have my Arizona Licensed Midwife license. In the meantime, I'm offering my services as a doula and/or monitrice, and attending a few births with my former preceptor. 

I have started running again...thanks to the Couch to 5K craze and my iPhone. I am in week five - up to running eight minutes at a time, and feeling great doing it (travelled 3.5 miles today!). I have signed up for a 10K race in October, and fortunately have a few friends wanting to run with me. Though I ran cross-country from grade four through my senior year, and track from grade seven through twelve, I have not run since then...so the return is slow and humbling, but I am doing it, day by day. My awesome new headband gave me a little extra oomph today:

My auntie Eye wants me to do a half-marathon with her...I'm thinking maybe by next summer/fall...I never thought that would cross my mind, but it does indeed sound tempting...

Dan continúes to handyman and stays quite busy. It may not be his ideal job, but the flexibility with my insane schedule is necessary. The kids are lucky to see him so much more now than they did when he had a full-time (+) job :)

There is the quick update...I will try to return to blogging and fill in more soon.