Icy driveway

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
This afternoon I went cross country skiing with Patrick, Gregg and Lisa against my will-sort of. I had to get snow time--especially with training for the Tour of Anchorage Ski race in March. It was really cold and blustery and the thought of exposing my body to the elements for fitness was less than appealing. But we drove to the buskin area and once at the trailhead met up with Gregg and Lisa. At that point, I couldn't back out. I had to go. So I mustered a smile and we headed down the trail. RIght away, I had a great time. Yes-it was cold, but we were moving quickly through the brush and trees and eventually to the frozen river we skiied down.
This was my second time skiing since my lesson in Anchorage, and skiing feels so much easier and faster now. Patrick remarked, "Zoya-you're skiing way better than you used to". It was good to know that the techniques I learned in the lessons are really paying off. Cross country skiing is much more fun than its ever been.

MIDWIFERY PATH
It seems like I"ve been on-call for birth work for almost 2 years non stop. Yes-there have been periods of time when I don't have a client, but this is a rareity nowadays. My new "norm" is to be on call. And I really don't mind it! Its funny, cause at any moment, I think "I could be called right now". The reality is that the majority of the phone calls come at night....:)

I've begun doing midwife assistant work with the midwife, Page Herring, who moved to town this fall. As her assistant, I help with set up, clean up tasks associated with birth...equipment, etc. Since Page moved here, there has been lots of women opting for home birth and I am shifting towards becoming a midwife in the next few years. This isn't a big surprise to close friends--as they see how passionate I am about birth and its a natural transition from the childbirth educator, doula, physical therapist, breastfeeding support roles I have in supporting women during the childbearing years.
It will take about 3 years to become a certified professional midwife, which will include attending 75 births, sitting for the national midwifery exam, completing a self study program (which I've already started) as well as taking neonatal rescuitation and submitting a file to the state for certification. Yes, its a long process, but not really daunting. I figure I"ll take it one chapter and one birth at a time and I'll be there before I know it! Helping moms and catching babies!

Zoya

Oh, and our driveway is icy. Very icy. Like the rest of Kodiak! The other day Patrick somehow convinced me to take the dogs for a walk and I fell 3 times! No injuries, fortunately. Just a chance to practice laughing at myself.