It's funny how life works. The year after high school I was a Rotary exchange student in Sweden, and Tralee was another exchange student in my district (she was from another part of the U.S.). We saw each other at various Rotary camps and weekends; she was always wickedly funny and kept all of us students laughing with her stories and (mis)adventures. Our common bonds were forged over a love of Swedish candy and the trials and tribulations of exchange student life.
After we came back to the U.S. Tralee and I kept in occasional touch and even managed to visit a couple times despite being on opposite coasts. The funny thing is that somehow over the past decade we have both independently come to a place where we are very involved in birth/breastfeeding - me through public health and doula work, and Tralee through her experience of becoming a mother and educating herself extensively. I saw her earlier this year when she was pregnant with her second and planning a home birth, and she's now posted her birth story. I love this quote:
To me birth is natural, not painful...yeah a little discomfort but every contraction was helping me, every moment was me experiencing me. I looked forward to each new phase, like a runner trains for a marathon...after so much prep and training you think ”yeah come on, bring it...bring on that hill, I can do this."
Congratulations to the Knapp family! I can't wait to see you guys again.
As for me, I'm back at school, getting ready for classes to start next week...including my lactation consultant course! I am excited and also a little nervous. More posts coming soon!
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