my VERY exciting saturday and reflections on the summer

So on top of the didgeridoo festival today (which you can read about below) I finally decided to search around the internet again for midwifery programs...and I think was actually successful!!! There's a new on-line program that I actually came across a few months ago, but has just this month finished it's website and started accepting registration etc. It's called the Aviva Institute if anybody wants to check it out... I'm pretty excited about it!! It's pretty affordable, very timely and I LOVE how user-friendly the website it. There is a 6 week doula certification class offered this fall (a prerequisite for the midwifery program) which is much preferable to the intensive weekend course like they're usually offered. The school's second round of enrollment into the midwifery program starts in September 2008 (the first is in January...a bit too soon for me), which will give me time over the year to complete their prerequisites and maybe even get some work as an actual doula this coming year! :) And I can do it anywhere at least until I get to the clinical part and will need to be attending births under a mentor! ... ooh, I'm really excited, but would like to talk to some of the faculty/staff and think about it before I actually start enrolling in these classes...but I think it's kinda perfect!!! And I'm ready. Especially in case some of you folks decide to start having babies any time soon. :)

Also...as some of you know, I took the Adventure Leadership course that Summit (my employer) offered a couple weeks ago and have been thinking about pursuing being an instructor here next summer. WELL...today they tentatively offered me a position as a co-instructor for a course THIS September 17-23!!! It is a big group of high schoolers, that requires 2 instructors for every 10-12 students (I think...) and I would be instructing with Corinna, who is a very competent and experienced instructor (Summit's program developer and a beautiful friend). How incredibly encouraging that they want to offer me this opportunity! It would really give me a taste of being an instructor and whether I'd like to really invest in doing such things in the future. I think it might compliment my on-line midwifery education over the next few years quite perfectly :)

So, prayers are requested for guidance and courage/confidence in this (in my leadership abilities and the possibilities with the midwifery school)... A lot of my feedback from the leadership course that I took was that I need to have more confidence in myself and in the things that I choose to do and say... although, I've known this it was certainly helpful to hear it repeated throughout the week in one way or another. Though I highlighted some of the course in a blog post below, here's more: It was SO challenging (mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally) and encouraging, especially with Leslie as one of the instructors, since she knows me so well... One piece of feedback that I found particularly interesting and helpful was in regards to being aware and honest about what kind of support one needs from others in any given situation (from a co-leader especially). the example that was used was when my other coleaders on course were frustrating me hugely in how lackadaisical they were being about time one morning that we were meant to meet the people that were coming to climb...and rather than just telling them in that moment that I needed them to be more supportive of my efforts to be on time, I got frustrated, irritated, completely shut-down and walked off... Although I'm generally pretty aware of how I feel, I'm not always aware or able to share in the very moment what I might need in order to respond more effectively/healthily in any given situation (especially when stressful, overwhelming or frustrating)... does that make sense? anyway...lots of good stuff for learning and growing :) ....

I loved being out there backpacking, learning more of the technical side of rock-climbing and navigating. I'm discovering for myself what a good learning environment the outdoors and outdoor adventure can be (even just in my marathon training and biking). I am enjoying learning about more of Summit's philosophies behind what they do - like, learning by doing :) and 'challenge by choice'... allowing people to choose to challenge themselves rather than forcing them into a challenge or forcing them to learn. Leslie has told me this kind of thing many times when I've resisted going rock-climbing with her because it freaks me out so much. It's a good lesson to learn as a leader, that there's only so much you can do and hope for the participants to learn and choose.

The course also gave me a chance to explore a little more freedom in where I am in the Spirit of my Christian faith...being required to bring our Bibles, having devotional time each morning that each of us had to lead (even though I ended up being pretty discouraged after the one I lead), being given time each day to reflect on our own and then share with a great group of people who worked worshiped, learned and played well together. Although, obviously this isn't the first time I've been blessed with amazing people to work, worship, learn and play with (hello, that's probably you!), maybe I'm finally finding peace in seeking the peace and truth of this Triune God and Christian community etc in this outdoor environment... though it isn't quite the same as going to church and sharing in the Eucharist every week as I've been familiar with doing...it certainly isn't void of such intentionality in worship, fellowship, sensitivity to the Spirit and truth-seeking that I desire and have found in other churches. Anyway, I'm rambling...
but, I'm thankful.