It has been very very busy in the land of Heather. I’ve been trying to wrap up estate admin stuff, keep on top of house work, pack for my trip out west and stay involved in our social lives. On top of that, our finances have been extremely tight lately, so it’s been a delicate balancing act.

Last weekend we attended the wedding of one of my University friends, L. She had a lovely 50s themed wedding in Cantley, Quebec. The scenery was incredible, as were the fashions.

Cantley, QC

Me, in my 50s cocktail dress (hurr hurr, yes, those are cocktails all over the dress)

My dress can be found here. It was a super comfortable and perfect for the day. I will admit it’s not the most slimming, so curvy girls be aware of the extra poof on already poofy bits. The wedding was lovely. I was a reader during the ceremony (I didn’t swear! Or cry! or throw up! Victory!) We had an incredible time. Afterwards, our good friends S and K stayed at out place for a sleepover (their home is an hour away in the boonies, so they decided to stay in town until morning).

Since then, I’ve enjoyed a busy and eventful week at work. We have a conference going on right now for all staff, allowing us to take free professional development courses and seminars this week. I’ve now done a couple and really enjoy the two I did today.

The first was about accepting change and being more pro-active in your own life. This is something I’ve been struggling with. I understand that it’s common knowledge that you can change your path and life by having a positive mindset and taking responsibility for your situation. My problem is that I have an issue with negativity = playing the victim, not healthy, unsuccessful. Not that I’m all for being negative all the time, but I think there is a time and a place for it and that venting is healthy if kept in balance. Hell, part of the reason I identify with being a Green witch and why I just couldn’t deal with Wicca is because I really believe in the balance between light and dark. I know in this scenerio, the key is accepting that negative situations happen but that the important thing is to rise above it and move through it. The speaker also rubbed me the wrong way when he asked the audience “What is your passion? Your reason d’etre?” and when a woman responded with “being a mother to my children” he replied that that “wasn’t enough” and that she needs to realize that there is more to life than our families. Ok, yes. There is. That said, don’t ask us what our passion is and then shoot it down because it isn’t employment or career related.

Personally, I work so that I can live. I don’t enjoy working. I don’t enjoy being out of my home and serving strangers. I feel accomplished when I have a good day, but I don’t feel fulfilled. I don’t think I’m a lesser person for that, nor do I think that the person who loves their career and can’t wait to get to the office/store/workshop is less than me either. I think it’s different for all of us.

The second seminar I attended was called “Ayurvedic Approach to Total Health: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times” and was run by a local Ayurvedic doctor. It was really interesting! I definitely want to integrate some aspects into my life, like trying to do Sun Salutations in the morning when I get up. I can definitely see myself looking into this some more.

After my courses today, I came across a campaign online that I feel very strongly about: Bringing a Birth Center to Ontario. I haven’t really talked about birth options and rights much since starting this blog, but it’s something I feel very passionately about. I was/am a volunteer doula/birth companion with a local organization called Mothercraft, which provides information, advocacy and support to women and families in need in the Ottawa area. Through my training with Mothercraft and my own personal interest in the subject, I found myself researching birth options within the city and surrounding areas. I was very disappointed that there are only a handful of birth centres in the entire country.

Birth Centres offer an alternative to hospital or home births. They are community supported, midwife-led centers that focus on supporting families in non-critical birth care. Personally, I know that I am not comfortable with the idea of a home birth for me. I am too uptight about my space and I don’t think I’d be comfortable at home. (This may change, I’m trying to talk myself into it) That said, I am equally as uncomfortable with the idea of having a hospital birth. Birth Centers give you the comforts of home, with the safety and support of a well trained staff and facility. I’m seriously trying to figure out a way to become involved in this campaign and hopefully bringing a birth centre to this Nation’s capital as a milestone and an example to the rest of the country.

If you’re looking to get involved, there is a ton of information on the Ontario Midwives website. They also have a great pamphlet on the campaign.

Overall, it’s been a great week. Lots of things to get me thinking and to keep me busy. I love learning about new things!