July 20, 2007 by veronica.

And in some ways, it already has.

The new job?  Going fine.  It’s like this total mind warp to get back into the room I started in in 5 years ago.  Some of my little toddlers are still there….but not so little now.  I’m not sure if I like this working every day thing.  I got so used to being able to count on Tuesdays and Fridays to get so much done.  It’s also a massive difference going from an office environment back to chasing kids all day.  So I’m tired, yeah…and I miss Lily.  But thank GOD it’s not permanent.  At least my day to day stress level has decreased a few times over.  It’s strange..people get more messed up when it comes to just making money than when it comes to taking care of kids.  What do you think that says about our country??  Or me, for that fact?

I taught my first Lamaze class last night.  It went swimmingly.  It was fun and I made it through everything in almost exactly 3 hours.  YAY!   I teach again tomorrow for 6 full hours, and then one more night next week.  Then the last thing will be to take the certification exam in October.  Cool, huh?

I did line up a space finally to start teaching regular classes.   It should be nice and fun and hopefully I can fill the classes up.

Because I have been working so hard on writing my curriculum and lining up classroom space (which was FREAKING IMPOSSIBLE IN THIS DAMN TOWN!  Is everyone made of money?  What?  Most of them are?  Oh.), I have not had a chance to finish my marketing campaign to find postpartum clients or find more labor clients.  I did some work on my website, but I need to do more.  I had to put SOMETHING up to get my course design finished.  I should finish it in the next week or so.  I also need to come up with some logo and register with the state and….ugh.  At least I’m not working off of a deadline then.

Thanks God my sister Anna is here to help juggle all of this.  She has been our savior more than once.

Lily is still around.  She got a big girl bed (aka a toddler bed–no twin bed yet, thank you!) last weekend and now finally figured out she can bust into our room in the middle of the night.  The first time it happened, she scared the bejeezus out of me–she came flying in so fast, I thought we were being invaded!

We’ve also entered very serious negotiations now with Lily regarding the use of the potty vs changing diapers.  Things reached a boiling point this morning, but I think Lily now understands that as long as she keeps using her diapers, not changing her diapers is NOT an option.  She’s working very hard to be free of them and into to big girl undies.   Don’t worry–I’m not the potty Nazi, but once the process was explained in detail, I think she’s getting it, and that’s all I wanted.

So I’m hoping I’ll see people outside of work and my house and my clients again.  I know it’s strange and hard to relate to for most people.  I’m really lucky.  I’ve spoken with quite a few doulas whose husbands just don’t get the being gone at the drop of a hat idea and make life kind of tough.  I’ve been blessed with a husband who “got” it right away. But I take what I do very seriously, even though it is unconventional.  I could go back to a normal 9-5 routine, but is it really worth going through life missing out on what your calling is just so your schedule is “convenient”?  I say no.  But it will get better.  I’m not planning on any more certifications or trainings for at least another year, so I’m hoping that once I’m done working 40 hours a week on top of this, I’ll have breathing room and get to have free time again.

Posted in Living la vida Lamaze, The doula journey, Life | 2 Comments »

July 3, 2007 by veronica.

Today marks an exciting new chapter in my professional life.

After much careful thought and planning, I have made the decision to leave my job and my career in favor of a new journey.  I have accepted a temporary position at my old child care employer.  This will allow me flexibility that I need to continue to work as a birth doula as well as time to expand my practice to include childbirth education and work as a postpartum doula. I will start teaching regular classes late summer, early fall (just as soon as I get a facility nailed down), and I will start taking postpartum clients in late October.

My new position begins a week from tomorrow.  I will be working full-time, which will be a very difficult, although temporary, change.  In the meantime, I will be finishing my curriculum and wrap up some loose ends before life becomes very, very different.

Thus begins the life of a sole-proprietorship business.  God help me.

Posted in Living la vida Lamaze, The doula journey, Life | 5 Comments »