Mother's Day Delight

I know it's been a week, but I had an absolutely superb Mother's Day and have basked in the joy of it since then. Allan was not working (incredibly so, he seems to get all of the holiday shifts it seems) so we planned a day with our families, lunch with my parents and dinner with Allan's parents. However they took a great turn as lunch turned out to be with my Mom's entire family (her mother, her only sister and dh, along with nearly all of my cousins and their families) and dinner turned out to be with all of Allan's family (his siblings and their families). To top it off, it was my Mom's birthday so celebrations abound!

Because of the great turn out, we had lunch at a large restaurant which happened to be having a buffet for Mother's Day. I sat next to my dear Grandmother (furthest right), the matriarch of our family, and across from my favourite cousin-in-law. Originally from Portugal and having grown up in Australia, she is an incredibly fun and optimistic Mom of two sweet and very busy boys. We live in different cities and lean on our husbands to move closer to each other when we are together.

While we were waiting for everyone to arrive someone came up to me said, "Remember me?" It was one of the boys I used to care for in my dayhome which I had when I first started as a doula. He was one of the sweetest boys I ever cared for and though his Mom was concerned about his being "hyperactive" (because of comments from others), we both agreed he was truly just a very busy boy. He is a young man now, all of 12 years old. Sadly his Mom wasn't there, but his Dad and little brother were there... well not so little, he just turned nine himself. His little brother's birth was my first certifying birth! We had an awesome chat and he talked to my boys for a long time too.

No sooner had I finished lunch and was holding one of my cousin's boys when a beautiful young woman came up to me and asked if I knew who she was. Drawing a blank, she introduce herself and I instantly realized that she was one of my teen clients. Behind her were her parents whom I recognized immediately and her two daughters where there also. She had gone on to finish her education degree and is now married. I learned through our discussion that she teaches full time and lives not far from me. I chatted with her and her parents (who are the most wonderful couple), remembering her birth as her mother and I supported her. Talk about icing on the Mother's Day cake to see two of my "doula babies".

We had a BBQ at my in-laws that evening, a wonderful conclusion to the day. They haven't had a BBQ in years because my father-in-law doesn't BBQ, but they purchased one especially for the day so that we could all enjoy the day at their house rather than go to a crowded restaurant where the kids would be bored and the din would make conversation difficult (been there done that last year). One brother-in-law cooked all the hamburgers (including some great buffalo burgers), smokies and more while we all stood or sat around and visited and ate. Summer BBQ's are the best! Next up: Father's Day at another brother-in-law's beautiful place near Drayton Valley. I can't wait...

Can You Say Duh?

So this mama is concerned about noise pollution...

I am wondering if she has stopped to consider the much larger threat to her unborn of smoking? One of those things that makes you go, duh!

Family Ministry

I have been reviewing resources for our Family Ministry. Where once I was grappling with writing a whole ministry program while pulling ideas and information from other resources, I am now relaxing and enjoying the search for great ministry programs already in place. Two such programs are Heritage Builder's Family Ministry in Focus and Christianity Today's Children's Ministry both of which have amazing resources and ideas for slightly differing aspects of a family ministry. I want to do so much and am so excited about the possibilities in our church, yet patience is a virtue as we continue to seek a pastoral assistant who will be overseeing our family ministry programs.

Cesarean Art

Haunting, bold and riveting. Here are two images, with my thoughts below. Don't stop here though, go to Cesarean Art and see through one mother's eyes the effects of surgical delivery.

my first shower
Immediately postpartum, nurses push mothers newly out of surgery to "resume life."
never letting me go
The depression that haunted my every waking moment, every dream, was relentless.

Cesarean Artis the epitomy of how many, if not most, of women who have experienced a caesarean surgery for the birth of their precious children feel. Don't believe me? Ask one of your many friends who have experienced a cesarean.

Total Luxury Spa Package

For my birthday (which isn't for another two months) my sisters and my mother took me to the Marvel College Edmonton Campus for a Total Luxury Spa Package last week. It was amazing. Starting at 9 am with a spa manicure and pedicure, touted as "a facial for your hands and feet." In addition to treatment of callus and dry heels, nail shaping, cuticle treatment, a relaxing foot and leg massage, finished with your choice of OPI polish, you are treated to exfoliation of the feet and a moisturizing mask followed by a paraffin treatment. Next came a full facial with skin analysis, facial cleansing, deep exfoliation, relaxing face, neck and shoulder massage, facial mask, toner and moisturizer.

A break for a light lunch (included in the package) of our choice of sandwhich, salad and drink was followed by a one hour relaxation massage. Then I enjoyed a detoxifying and purifying body wrap to detoxify the skin, deep cleanse the pores and smooth roughness. Showered off in a wonderful, hot Swiss shower and dove right into a Vichy shower (picture below) touted to "stimulate the internal body systems, circulation, metabolism and enhances lymphatic drainage as well as promote a tremendous sense of relaxation." Wrapping up the afternoon was a detoxifying massage focusing on lymphatic drainage. I cannot tell you how luxurious that whole day was, I was being pampered for seven hours with my sister and mother beside me enjoying similar treatments!

My sisters have long wanted this to be an annual event, I am so ready to join them and tell all of my friends that they need to pamper themselves like this. This should be written into that motherhood contract we fall into when the pregnancy test turns pink!

YWCA Women of Distinction Nomination

I mentioned briefly here that I was nominated by a great friend for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award in the field of Health, Social Sciences & Social Services. It is moving from the surreal to reality as a wonderful woman from the YWCA of Edmonton called today to book my photo shoot with complimentary hair and makeup for the Edmonton Sun and the YWCA Gala Presentation promotional literature. I am taken aback as the Avonlea Photography Studio is among the most prominent photography studios in Edmonton and Elysium Hair Body Spirit is one of 20 salons in Canada that have become a Schwarzkopf Essential Look concept salon. Look at me, a homeschool mom!

The Awards Gala will be on June 15 at the Northlands Agricom... what on earth am I going to wear for the pictures and the big event?! I have to go call my sister.