The whirlwind adventures of 2013

I slipped away from my blog for what seemed to be a minute or two. In a blink of the eye so much happened. I started the year with a big surprise—I got engaged to my old lover from 20 years ago, dear friend, and very talented and sweet man, Fred Heltenen.

We built a baby barn in which to store my books—Into These Hands,Wisdom From Midwives—as well as tractors, garden implements, kayaks, homestead tools, building materials and other stuff.

I earned my PADI scuba certification and we went deep sea diving—a lifelong dream of mine—in a marine reserve in the Yucatan, way south near Belize. We visited an underwater fantasia of eagle rays, colorful corals and schools of gorgeous fish of all sizes and interesting shapes.

My daughter Leah got engaged to her sweetheart, JoMo, which was very exciting. I traveled all across the United States working with midwives, and I taught a half-dozen workshops around the country for the Healthy Native Babies Program.

Throughout the year I continued my work as the Executive Director of the Midwives Alliance of North America. Never a dull moment there.

And in the autumn my true love, Fred, and I got married on the Fall Equinox. It was also a full moon and the International Day of Peace. The ceremony was held in a cozy circle of family and close friends in a beautiful grape vineyard overlooking the Grand Traverse Bay.

We went on a honeymoon to St Lucia in the Caribbean Sea that was restful, adventurous, and simply divine. We also did more deep sea diving in the truly astounding underwater world. I am totally hooked!

Whew—and that’s only a small glimpse of the year. As 2013 begins to wind down and becomes a patchwork of amazing memories, I feel gratitude for blessings upon blessings, and for a life filled with both challenges and opportunities for growth and transformation.