A New Approach to Blogging and Likely Much More than you Bargained For!

I have recently been inspired by fellow bloggers to post more. I have a few friends who are so good at blogging. They blog almost every day and they include a lot of day to day stuff, which I really enjoy reading. I realize I could do more of this and not limit my blogging to what I consider to be the most significant things. I can include the details of the week or day - even if it doesn't seem that interesting to me. After all, people can choose read it or skim it or skip it! (although every blogger hopes her posts are read and commented on!). The fact is, when I sit down to write I realize there is some noteworthy stuff going on and I'd like to remember more of it. Time goes by fast and when asked I can't always say what I did in a week but I know I was busy. So I'm gonna try to take better note of what goes on in a week - even if it's just for me. Take or leave it friends. Here are a few things from this past week.

Midwife?
I started referring to myself as a midwife this week. On Monday I received this (long awaited) email from the National College of Midwifery:

You have completed all your clinical and academic requirements for your NCM program. We have issued your Certificate in Midwifery. I have reviewed your file for eligibility to take the NARM exam. You are eligible and we will be happy to grant permission to take the exam.When you send us verification that you have passed the NARM Exam we will issue your Associate of Science in Midwifery Degree.

I shared this with Hilary before our weekly clinic meeting and she immediately said, "You're a midwife now!" It hadn't occurred to me. She then announced to the staff, "Hey everybody! Jen's a midwife!" Everyone cheered and congratulated me and it felt really good. On my student record I noticed a little something - "Graduation date: October 19, 2009." So sure, I'm not licensed yet but I have apparently graduated and am going to start calling myself a midwife.

On a side note. One thing I find funny is when patients at Glory Reborn call me or another staff member "Doc." It happened this past week while I was stitching up a patient. I used to say 'No, no, I'm not a doctor. I'm a just student midwife.' And then I realized there is no reason to say 'just a student midwife' because I do value my profession - student or not - so it's value shouldn't be minimized. So then I started saying, 'I'm a student midwife.' Now I say 'No, no, I'm not a doctor. I'm a midwife' (smiling on the inside). I still can't believe it. I wonder when I'll start feeling like I'm a real midwife. I don't feel it yet but I think it will come.

I started prepping the application for my licensing exam. I plan to take it February 17 in Eugene, Oregon. Now that I got the "go ahead" from NCM, I can now apply and get registered to take the exam. That also means I have to start studying. I plan to officially start once November arrives - so I have a week left of post-midwifery-program, pre-NARM exam, time to do what I want. FYI: NARM stands for North American Registry of Midwives. They grant the Certified Professional Midwife credential.

Still a Nutritionist
The past few weeks have been fun as I've taken on a few nutrition projects. I realize once again how much I enjoy nutrition work. It's nice to remember the work I have put into become a nutritionist (not so nice to remember that student loan every month though!) and that I can help inspire people to take better care of themselves. It occurred to me recently that I should take the opportunity to do more with nutrition now that I'm finished with my midwifery degree. Several opportunities have come up at the right time.

Hilary wanted some brochures made for the clinic so I made a 'Nutrition in Pregnancy' brochure specifically geared toward our clients. I put a lot of emphasis on the importance of nutrition during pregnany and less on the specific dos and don'ts (although it did include basic nurition principles and the components of complete meals). Our women need to understand why it's imporant before they will put effort into improving their diet during pregnancy. I find many have yet to see the value in it.

As I made the brochure I was further convinced of how important it is! The main points of the brochure are 1. Nutrition may save your life (2 of the top 3 causes of maternal death in the Philippines are nutrition-related!) and your baby's life (low birth weight babies have higher risk of death and poor growth and development and a whole host of other negative things) and 2. Nutrition saves money in the long run by preventing expensive complications and need for hospital delivery. I felt good about it and hope it inspires and compels women to do what they can to improve their diets during pregnancy. It's going to be translated into the local language. I also made a newborn care brochure and I would like to make a breastfeeding one as well. These are all topics that are covered in our health teachings during prenatal check ups but what is taught is not firmly established and really just depends on which nurse or midwife does the teaching. Also, it is good to have something in writing that our women can take with them.

I'm also creating a meal plan for my neighbor who is battling cancer and needs help gaining weight. It's a really tough situation for our her and her family so it feels good to be able to help in a practical way.

Other projects in the works include creating a meal plan for an American guy we know who is in a boxing training program and is training for a fight in December. He needs to gain weight, which is not easy since he exercises intensely 6 days a week, and wants to do it without having to rely on fast food all the time (good on him).

Also, recently I was asked by our church leaders to teach a nutrition class to the families in our community. Most of the children (and many parents) are quite underweight and I see a lot of packaged junk food going around all the time. I love teaching and I have tons of fun ideas for the class, which will probably take place sometime next month.

What fun to have two careers that I absolutely enjoy. I was quite happy and content to work in nutrition - especially if it included working with moms and babies and getting to do some doula and breastfeeding education work. Midwifery is the icing on the cake. How did this happen? I feel so blessed to not be limited to only doing jobs that pay. What freedom to be able take on whatever I have the desire and time for. It's really a joy to be doing such practical, useful work. Years ago I could have never guessed I'd be living in Asia doing what I do. The longer I am in Asia, the more thankful I am for this opportunity to live overseas and learn so many new things.

Our Weekend So Far
Yesterday (Saturday) Andrey and I (along with many other IJM staff members) took part in an anti-human-trafficking awareness walk and concert put on by MTV EXIT (End exploitation and human trafficking). Three very popular Filipino bands played and they were so good! It's great that MTV is taking a stand against trafficking and using their popularity among young people to do something about it. I wish I could post a few photos but I forgot our camera.

I also wish I could share in some detail about Andrey's work on this blog but I can't. What I can say though is that in the past two weeks, there has been some exciting work that has gone on that has resulted in arrests and rescue. We are thankful for the success that has occurred on behalf of the oppressed and pray for the work of healing and transformation for those involved.

It's Sunday morning and Andrey left for church a little while ago. I'm so tired this morning. I pulled an all-nighter Friday night at the clinic, then yesterday was busy all day and this morning I'm just not feeling so great so I decided to stay back. I'm gonna have some quiet time and do some journaling and reading and resting. So nice.

The Coming Week
Andrey will be in Manila all next week. He leaves early Monday morning. I've decided I'm going to eat vegetarian all week. I've pulled out some old Bastyr University recipes from my whole foods cooking classes. Some very Fall recipes as that was the season I took the class but hey - it's Fall in many places in the world right now. This week's menu will hopefully include:

• Curried lentils with cauliflower and sweet potatoes with spicy raita (yogurt sauce) and brown rice
• Rosemary red soup (beets, carrots, red lentils), green salad and whole wheat buns
• Mexican bean/corn casserole
• Sweet squash corn muffins
• Honey-glazed tofu

Well, at least the first two meals are sure to be made as I've already bought the ingredients for them. If any of these sound good to you and you want the recipe let me know and I'll send it to you. They are generally pretty easy and very perfect for Fall weather. I'm not going to let the lack of Fall weather stop me from enjoying these foods. I'm working Tuesday and Thursday night shifts this week so we'll see if I have the energy to cook later on but at least I'll get the week started out right and then have leftovers all to myself.

I've really been enjoying meal planning and lately I've been challenging myself to plan meals utilizing stuff I already have in stock instead of always buying more. This month, I have successfully began clearing out our pantry and refrigerator/freezer. Meal planning results in healthier meals and less waste. I buy the produce I plan to use, not hope to use. I only have to shop every 3 to 4 days - sometimes I'll make the meal plan for a whole week with two different shopping lists of what to buy now and what produce I will need to pick up mid-week. I love cooking and the satisfaction it brings knowing I am eating well and using less.

I have uncharacteristically started planning already for Thanksgiving and Christmas. What's wrong with me? I'm slowly conforming to Filipino culture as I plan to put up Christmas decorations BEFORE Thanksgiving this year. Gasp! Our family never did this but Christmas in the Philippines started almost two months ago so the idea of mid-November Christmas decorating is growing on me. I'm so excited about Thanksgiving this year (after all, it IS my FAVORITE holiday of all!). I can't wait to roast a large bird after it sits in brine for about a day. I have learned (from my skilled mother with little credit to Martha Stewart), that this produces the most juicy and flavorful turkey of all. I have been tweaking my recipe the past few years to include some dark beer and brown sugar. Oh Lordy it is good. Maybe in a few weeks I'll post a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. The others that I must make and just can not delegate to others is apple pie (adapted from my Mom's famous recipe!) and a new addition whole wheat butterhorns (thanks Lonna and Mennonite bakers from Intercourse, Pennsylvania - yes that is a real town and yes, that is it's real name. Isn't that awesome?).

Well now that I've gotten started I'm just rambling now so I'll stop here for fear that no one will read or comment on this extremely long post. Hope you all are having a great weekend!