A Real Update...

You've probably noticed that I haven't had a "real" update in a while. There has been a reason for that. I have been under incredible stress and relationship issues. There is an intern here who I have a hard time trying to get along with and I feel as if she and I have been at each other's throats constantly. Well, it's actually been more of her at my throat while I try to figure out what I did wrong...again... (Note: I have not been completely faultless, but most of the time, I'm wondering what I did wrong again.) It's been very hard. However, God has been using it for good (at least, I hope it is for good!). Because I have been dealing with this every day, I haven't had much energy to write much. Please pray that our issues will be resolved soon. If they don't resolve (which is a good possibility) she leaves in 10 more days (yes, I've been counting) and I leave in 15 (I've been counting that one too) and we don't have to see each other again.

The other reason is that my laptop has been dead off and on. Thankfully it is working right now, but it's a pain to type on an iPod so the blog has been silent.

There are two new interns and so the amount of births each of us attend has slowed down. I hope to attend at least a few more before I go! :-D

My vacation was amazing! I was sad when it ended. I went to Singapore for 5 days and walked constantly. It was wonderful getting to meet a fellow Swineherd (inside joke from the online class we took together) and her family. I was shocked by how different Singapore was from Manila - for instance, no one smiles. No one. Well, the Americans do, if they're fairly new to the area. But other than that, no one smiles at strangers. It was really weird. Even if they were staring at you and you caught them, they wouldn't smile and sometimes wouldn't look away. Unnerving.

After that I went to Davao for 5 days. That trip was really relaxing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved getting to stay with the Bartel family and playing with their kids. Then I visited Karissa and observed the night shift at Mercy. There were a grand total of 8 births during the shift. It was crazy! :-D

Ok, I need to go now. We are having a going away party for Karissa and I (since we both leave in the next two weeks) with cake and pancit. It supposedly starts in a few minutes and the midwives, knowing that, are starting to complain about being hungry. LOL. :-D

It's great to be back at Shiphrah and I also can't wait to return to the States in 2 more weeks! :-D

Photo Update

Hi Everyone!

Because my laptop is working now, I can *finally* upload pictures to the blog! Because so much has been going on, I'll just tell what's happening in each photograph. :-D

proud daddy showing off his new baby. This is their second child. Their first was premature, born at six months gestation, and died so this family was beyond thrilled with their precious bundle. :-D

Mom in labor at 1am

the baby's finally born (4:30am)!

proud mom and tired baby

mom meeting her baby for the first time

new family marveling over the miracle of life

this old man lives at the bottom of the hill and I pass him almost every time I walk by. He always smiles and waves so I asked him one day if I could take his picture. His smile got even wider and he asked me to wait a sec, then went racing off to find his hat hollering, "American taking picture! American taking picture!" After I took the picture, he gave me a high five. :-D

Jeri brought Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin to Shiphrah with her when she got back from the States and I read it. This is a drawing I made when I was (supposed to be) studying. It's based off the picture from the book (top right).

Abby took this picture of me and Claire and titled it "The Hobbit and the Ent." I've  become pretty tired of people calling me a giant but being called an Ent is rather new and fun. LOL. :-D

Ate Lyds and her daughter Renlyds at a birth day party

Jollibee hosted a birth day party at Shiphrah. Here, he poses with Cuya Ephron, Ate Lyds' husband

several of the midwives kids and staff pose with Twirlie after a birthday party. From left: Claire (in Ate Dina's arms), Ate Dina, Johannah, Twirlie (the princess in the middle), MaiMai (in Ate Helen's arms), Maybel, and Ate Helen

clowining around - notice Ate Grace's face in the back right. LOL. :-D

new family falling in love with their new baby

jeepney! Notice the drawings on the side - most jeepneys are rather brightly painted with anything from religious icons and phrases to princesses to portraits of the driver's family. They're fun to look at. :-D 

Ate Maryvick was checking for lice in Ate Helen's long, gorgeous hair. They thought it funny I was taking a picture.

Ate Maryvick: I got one!

Last week I babysat the Gustafson kids over night. It was a lot of fun.

The Heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the works of His hands. - Psalm 19:1

after church on Sunday, we went to see some 3,000 year old petroglyphs at the top of this mountain. This is one of the highest points in Manila. In the distance is the sea. 

3,000 year old petroglyphs. These certain ones I took a picture of are believed to show birth as they look like women squatting

mega mall - a really (like REALLY) long mall with five floors where I got my laptop fixed. It's a lot of fun to explore.

Ana, my young companion who came with me to Mega Mall. She was adopted by an Australian family many years ago and is coming back to visit her home country. They were visiting the Gustafsons and went with us to church and the petroglyphs but all she wanted to do was go shopping. I offered to take her to Mega Mall with me so she could do some shopping and she flipped at the idea. For those who know my family, she reminded me a LOT of Grace. It was crazy and we had a blast. :-D

a very proud family :-D

Claire's a goose 

look at that smile!

sweet heart!

Praises and Prayer Requests

Hi Everyone!

I thought I'd share some personal praises and prayer requests I've got right now...

Praises (some of these are going to sound really lame or non-significant, but for a girl away from home, they are huge and show me that God really does care for the little things!):

• the weather is no where near as bad as I've expected. I've been able to cope and adjust to it pretty well. :-D
• the birth center has Skype so I've been able to chat with my family once every day
• I've attended several births in the past two weeks and have been thrown in the thick of it!
• I got to feel a baby head born into my hands, something I've always imagined about and it was as wonderful as I've always imagined :-D
• the other interns and I get along really well. In fact, Karissa, who I share a room with, and I have found we have a LOT in common which is really good (large, conservative families, deaf siblings, messy rooms [LOL], doulas and midwifery apprentices back in our respective homes, first births we've attended being within a month of each other's, etc)
• someone from home might be flying home with me from Chicago to RDU and bringing me a jacket for when I land in the dead of winter :-D (even if it doesn't ultimately work out, it's fun and encouraging to think about)
• this is going to sound unimportant, but it was a huge blessing hearing several Gettys songs at church today. It made me feel at home and that God is really watching out for me. :-D
• God has put encouraging people on line, via Facebook, to chat with right when I most need it even if it sometimes means He prompts them to wake up and go check Facebook at 4am their time...  *wink, wink, Mrs. Fuller* :-D
• that there is American food available whenever I "need" it. :-D For instance, today I was really needing something "from home" so I had McDonald's pancakes for breakfast (which someone actually paid for for me, thank You, Lord!) and Pizza Hut for lunch... *sigh* those foods have never tasted so good!
• that the midwives are incredibly gracious and willing to teach
• Ate Grace gave me my first continuity yesterday who seems VERY friendly and sweet. She's due September 25, so chances are, she'll fulfill the requirements, even if I don't end up going that route. (For the NARM certification, each prospective midwife needs 4 continuities. A continuity is when you do four prenatals and are the primary at the woman's birth.)
• I'm sure there's much more, but I can't think of any at the moment. :-D

Prayer Requests:

• that I'd finish getting over jet-lag
• that God would ease my homesickness. It really hurts at times.
• that I'd figure out the language quickly. I feel like I can't connect with anyone really well because they speak a totally different language that I have no concept of.
• that I would learn midwifery skills quickly so I can start actually helping the midwives
• that I won't end up having any problems with finances. Several things have ended up costing more than I expected
• that I will remember to stand tall these next five months even though I'm so much taller than everyone. It's really easy for me to slouch, especially around short people, but I don't want to hurt my posture or my back...
• that I won't waste my downtime, which seems to be plentiful...way more plentiful than I was expecting, or hoping.
• that the births will pick up. The midwives say the birth center has been unusually quiet these past two weeks...I don't want to have come all this way for just a few births... 
• that I will be content with my circumstances. I never realized how good I had it in America until I came out here. For instance, it's a luxury to be able to throw your used toilet paper in the toilet instead of the trash can out here...and also, I'm pining for paper towels that don't shred all over you when you dry your hands...and have I mentioned that it would be nice if the laundry actually dried?
• my plans for the future (as in, past November...) have been "shaken" which is *very* annoying for me, since I'm like my mom in that I *need* to "know" my plans. And now I'm not so sure about what I'll be doing next year for midwifery training. Please pray specifically that God will show me His plan for my future *soon*, since I have two very different options I'm considering at the moment. Actually, maybe you can pray that God will give me patience as He unfurls His will for my life...But I don't want to develop patience, because that means He'll try it in order to grow it...Humph! Life can be so hard at times. :-D

Alright, I think that's about it at the moment. :-D

Thanks everyone for praying for me! God always answers prayers, even if they're not how we expected/wanted, but it's always for our good. :-D

And, as usual, more pictures!

the ceiling of the church I attended today. I thought it was pretty neat. :-D 

some of the scarves, shawls, and hats that the midwives made and are now selling at the market

amazing hand-made jewelry. If you see any pieces you like, you can ask me to check out the price for you and bring some home for you. I also hope to get some as gifts. I especially liked the rings in the bottom right corner, they were 250PHP, about 5USD

I think these would make some pretty awesome gifts also. Especially since they're 4 for 100PHP (about 2USD)!

...the second time in my life I have ever felt short... :-D The first time was when I passed a 6"8 guy in the grocery store a few years ago

this was a hojicha frappuchino I bought at Starbucks today with earl gray jelly. You can only get it in the Philippines....these people put jello in the oddest things. I'm not normally bothered by texture, but I would shudder and gag whenever I'd slurp jello up the straw and then swallow it. Needless to say, the drink went into the trash can only half gone... But it was fun trying something really weird. :-D