Oregon trip!

Well this might just become a yearly trip! You never know with birth schedules though.

A few years back I became a board member for "Perinatal Rescue network". It's an organization that helps people interested in mission trips to teach Helping mother survive and Helping babies survive etc. These are the classes I teach in Africa etc.

So last year they invited me to their yearly conference and I flew to Oregon and got to attend. This year I'm driving. I'm not sure if "conference" is the right word for it, since it's only about 8 people, but it's going to be great this year. They rented an airbnb on the beach in Oregon and we will have 2 full days of classes while there. The person teaching is a full time missionary in Chad. She is an amazing midwife, who has truly has sacrificed her life to God. Chad is not a safe, nice, comfortable place. The heartache is daily. The struggles are incredibly hard. But the work she does there is also incredible and rewarding.

Of course since I'm going on a trip, I needed to make it an adventure! Somehow the adventure has ended up a "plushy" vacation I feel like.

I started my trip with a stop in Spokane for a visit with Annalise. She is a missionary, in a middle eastern country that it's not legal to be a missionary. So she is there as a midwife, doing all sorts of God's work. She is young and very energetic!!! She's been up against a lot of obstacles and yet has persevered. I'm hoping to join her to help teach at some point.

Then I got back on the road again and checked into a very nice hotel, for free! LOL, God blessed me with points and I still can't believe that I have 2 days in a plushy hotel for free!!!

I took a swim the first night, cooked some pasta in the microwave to eat with leftovers I brought from home, and slept well in a comfortable bed with 4 pillows!!!

I have 2 nights here because I also have other midwifery classes that I have to take. We have many continuing education credits we have to get each year, but I also love learning midwifery stuff. I love what I do, taking care of moms and I want to make sure I keep up on all the latest research and best practices. I also love teaching, so I better know my stuff if I'm going to teach!

2 of the classes are coming due and although some parts are on-line I have a hard time focusing at home and not getting distracted. So I decided to take time in my plushy vacation to work on classes. Which I did for several hours today! Whew!!! Still have a long ways to go, but at least I got a good start in!