Archive for the ‘History’ Category


Angel whispers

My mother-in-law was born in New Zealand, the daughter of a transplanted naval sailor cockney, the son of a London midwife named Ann. . . . After I learned of Ann’s profession, my mind started spinning with questions I wished I could ask her… How did she become a midwife? How many births did she attend in her lifetime? What were her own births like? (Click over to read the full post…)

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The birth that changed the world

I love that one of the most celebrated events in earth’s history is a birth. I’ve posted before about what that miraculous event might have been like, based on Jewish laws and customs from Biblical times. Of course we don’t know exactly what happened when Mary gave mortal life to her Son. Sometimes laws and customs are laid aside when circumstances require. How wonderful it would have been to witness that birth! I fantasize about it often.

I love these new videos depicting the events surrounding Christ’s birth. One of my only laments is that we aren’t privileged to see Mary laboring or giving birth. Even so, there were lots of things I loved. Below you’ll find links to the videos and a few of the things I loved about them. Each one is only a few minutes long. If you like them, you can download them to share with your friends and family too. Enjoy!

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Thank you, Sarah

A picture of Sarah Josepha Hale is hanging in my living room. This is because Sarah is one of my heroines. Here’s why…

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Family (birthing) history

I was pondering my ancestors recently and got wondering about their birthing experiences. How cool would it be to get into a time machine and watch our ancestral mothers giving birth?! The closest I could get, however, was to look through some of the histories I have in my family history file. Most of them are sparse on birthing details, but it was still fascinating to imagine-in what the stories lacked. Much of what I found was heartache and loss, but also so much courage and strength as well. Here are a few snip-its…

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Mothering my children, healing myself

I did not choose “Attachment Parenting” because I thought it was superior to other parenting styles or because I was trying to be a “perfect” mother. I fell into “Attachment Parenting” because I literally could not mother in any other way. And it is my hope that my children will grow into parents who aren’t compelled to go to extremes… because they don’t have old wounds to heal… because they grew up with a mother who was always there. Oh how I hope. (Click over to read the whole post.)

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Away in a manger

My mental image of Christ’s birth get’s a major overhaul. (Click over to read the full post.)

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