Sunday, November 29, 2009

Blooma Birth Story: Kara

Sometimes you just have to break the "rules of blogging." One of those supposed rules is to keep posts somewhat short. But you know what, I say bah! to rules of blogging. Sometimes stories are too important and too good to shorten. This birth story is one of those stories. It comes from a mama named Kara, about the birth of her daughter, Phoebe. It's open, honest, and raw with emotion. It gives an inside glimpse into Kara's labor, whether she's finding a way to move through moments of fear, or surprised at her ability to laugh at a joke while pushing. Thanks for sharing your story with us, Kara, and congratulations!

Love,

Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

___


In Kara's words:

I know how important it was for me to read positive birth stories, especially ones with first-time moms, when I was pregnant so I'd thought I'd send you my story...


October 30, 2009 7:44 p.m.

She's here! Before too long goes by, I'm trying to write down the story of Phoebe's birth. It was so incredible in so many ways—and yet so perfectly uneventful and boring as births go, which I'm so thankful for. Blooma was such a place of sanity for me—I always left feeling confident, rejuvenated, and ready to take on the world!


During labor, I found myself repeating "I can do this!" over and over again as a sort of mantra, which really surprised me since I've never
been someone who found mantras especially helpful. As a Labor and Delivery RN, Blooma was also a place where I could actively focus on positive birth stories, and push out of my head some of the more challenging ones I'd seen at work.

On Thursday morning (Oct. 29th), I felt the first real sense of hope that I wasn't going to be pregnant forever (I was 41 and 2 days pregnant)—or at least wasn't going to have to be induced on Monday (which had been a tentative plan)—when I noticed that I had quite a bit of red "bloody show." I'd also had a couple of contractions the night before that had made me pay attention, but hadn't really affected my sleep. I let our midwife know later that morning, but kept the normal routine going. I went to yoga, where Sarah told me that she felt a lot of birth energy coming off of me and reassured me that it would be soon.

We went to bed both excited and disappointed that nothing had happened.


I'm calling the start of my real labor at 2 a.m. on Friday, October 30,
which brings my total length of labor about 16 hours long. I was able to rest through most of the contractions up until that point, when I woke Jim up and asked him to get the bed ready (put on the second set of sheets and waterproof cover) and to let him know things were heating up. After that, though, he went back to sleep since I was able to cope and still rest through some of the contractions and we both knew we should rest while we could.

At 6:30 that morning, I woke Jim up again to call in the troops as I felt things were really starting to get serious. I was still reluctant to consider myself in active labor, but was having to breath through them more and threw up once, so we called our midwife Kim, who canceled a postnatal trip to Wisconsin and told her we'd call her when we wanted her to come over. We also called my mom and sister in law, who we'd invited to attend the birth.


With the introduction of my support folk, I found my contractions slowed down to every 6-8 compared to 4-6 minutes, but their presence energized me and we had a good couple of hours talking. Things I found very helpful coping during these contractions were standing or kneeling and having Jim (or someone else) count during the worst of the contraction. It helped to focus on his voice and to know about when it was peaking. Although they weren't very frequent, they lasted at least a minute, usually closer to a minute and 45.

I finally went
upstairs around 11:45 a.m. to try to get my contractions closer together and to refocus myself a little. Meanwhile, Kim had encouraged us to fill up the tub, since it would take awhile and it would occupy Jim for a long time, which it did.


We finally had Kim come over to check on us at 12:30 p.m., where I was very pleased to find out I was 3-4 cm dilated, 80 percent effaced, zero station with a bulging bag of membranes. I had been worried I wasn't going to be at all dilated and would have to reframe my idea of labor if that was the case. I still knew it could be many hours before this baby came, so I encouraged Kim to leave, which she did—saying I could call her back whenever and she had to renew her tabs anyway, which we
all found pretty amusing.

Knowing I had made good progress gave me renewed energy and I spent an hour or two downstairs again with Amy and my mom, eating lightly on apples, a piece of cheese, and some popcorn. By 2:30 p.m. I was feeling less able to cope and more and more interested in the tub, so we
called Kim and asked her to return to check me again.

By this point, I'd started coping with my contractions by repeating, "I can do this" over and over again, which surprised me but again allowed me to focus on the words and not the pain. I also found it very soothing to have a view of the window and to watch the leaves blowing in the wind.
Kim arrived and checked me at 3:30 p.m., and Jim (and I) were so pleased to find out that I was 6-7 cms, able to be stretched to an 8, again with a bulging bag.

Kim called the secondary midwife, Gretchen, and her apprentice, Laura to get everyone here, and I quickly got into the
tub. The tub was wonderful! It didn't take away the contraction pain completely, but it was so relaxing, and it was such a relief to be allowed to float and rest my body. I got into the tub for 2 hours, getting out occasionally to use the bathroom, but eventually I got too hot and got out.

At 6:20 p.m., I hadn't changed my cervix, although the bag of waters was descending I asked to have my bag of waters broke, which Kim did, and it had clear fluid—this brought baby down to +1
station and made my cervix go to 8-9. The next part of my labor was pretty wild, as the pain got very intense, very quickly and my previous methods of coping were not working.

Things I remember from that hour are:

- Hitting the bed in frustration
- Pushing the ball, which I'd been leaning on, violently away and Jim pushing it back, which made me furious for some reason
- Telling Jim he needed to stop talking
- Feeling very trapped, but having nowhere to go

Poor Jim! He told me later that this part was the hardest because I was in so much pain, and he couldn't do anything. Quickly though, I felt like pushing but was very nervous about pushing too early. It became clear I was pushing, however (I also think I was saying out loud, "Don't push too soon.") and Amy went down to get the midwives who had stepped downstairs for a few minutes.

They had me get back in the tub at 7:20 p.m., where I almost immediately started pushing. On a side note, the midwives had ordered a pizza at about 6:45, which arrived at 7:25, perfectly timed that no one could touch it until
after the birth. The folks downstairs had joked that the baby would arrive before the pizza, and Kim commented that it would be fabulous if it did, since that meant I was so close.

I was oblivious to a lot
of what was going on at the time, but someone made a joke at one point during pushing, and I smiled (and Amy caught it on camera), which was incredible even to me at that point—in between contractions I could interact with people, but was so out of it during.

I pushed in a variety of positions: hands and knees, flipped over over
floating in my back, on just my knees holding the side of the tub. I know I made a lot of noise during this part of labor—the feelings were so overwhelming and I think I was also afraid it would last a long time and I didn't think I could handle it. Jim was right in front of me; I could see he'd been tearing up and that he was so excited we were at this point in labor. Kim was very soothing, reminding me to push in long, steady pushes and I remember her saying "It's not going to be a long pushing stage. You're pushing very well."

I also could feel the baby inside and between nearly every
contraction, I would check my progress. It was very surreal to feel her move down—I could tell she didn't have much hair!

At one point, near the end, Kim was providing counter pressure and I
felt an extremely painful movement down there and I snapped at Kim to "Stop it! What are you doing?" but it wasn't Kim, it was the baby internally. It happened again, and I yelled at her again, but she just calmly replied that she wasn't doing anything—it was the baby, which I didn't really believe at the time.

At around that point,
someone asked me a question, and my answer was, "No, I'm going to catch my baby" and I pushed her head out, paused while Kim checked for a cord, and then pushed her shoulders out.

Kim and I brought her up
together and it was such a relief to have her out! She had her cord wrapped around her back and then twice around her foot, like a little ballerina dancer. She had her eyes open and was pinking up great, but waited about 30 seconds to cry. I looked down and saw she was a girl and a cheer went up. Then, when she did give a nice, lusty cry, Amy burst into tears and jumped up and down. Jim was crying and so happy, and I was so proud and yet still shocked that I had done it. I kept repeating, "I did it!"

I stayed in the tub for a few more minutes, cooing over my lovely
daughter, with Jim at my side, and then after the cord had stopped pulsing, Jim cut it and I handed our new baby to him, while I got out and into the bed. Phoebe was born at 7:44 p.m., weighed 7 lbs 8 oz, 21 inches long.

Her
Apgar scores were 9 at 1 minute and 10 at 5 minutes. I'm not sure how we ended up with a long, skinny baby when we are more like hobbits, but she's here, she's beautiful and she's ours.

NEED features Blooma

NEED magazine, a publication featuring stories about global and humanitarian issues, featured Blooma owner Sarah Longacre in a recent blog posting!

Writer Tamrah Schaller O'Neil posts:

"Would you buy a chicken coop for $500 dollars? That’s exactly what five people did to help raise funds for a birthing center in Uganda, Africa this past Friday night. The Blooming in Uganda Gala, held at the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis, raised over $22,000 through ticket sales, donations and a silent auction. Krista Tippett, host of NPR’s Speaking of Faith and Matthew Sanford, paraplegic yogi instructor and author and founder of Mind Body Solutions, were special guests of the evening with Sarah Longacre."

Thanks for spreading the word, Tamrah! Read the rest of Tamrah's entry here.

Love,
Alisa & the women of Blooma

Friday, November 27, 2009

Full belly, happy belly

Blooma hopes you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. We spent time with loved ones and are thankful for such abundance in our lives. Our yoga schedule is back to normal as of today, so please stop in for a Yoga For You!, BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby), or Prenatal class to work off that big holiday meal and B-R-E-A-T-H-E through a bit of the holiday craziness.

Were there any Thanksgiving Blooma babies born? If so, be sure to send us your story and a photo of baby!

Love,
Alisa, Sara & the women of Blooma


Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Love & congrats

I just had to share the blog posting from Shanti Uganda announcing that Sarah met (and exceeded!) her fundraising goal for the 2009 Off The Mat Into The World African Humanitarian Tour. As Shanti Uganda writes, those individuals who raise $20,000 will go to Uganda to see the work they do and help build the Shanti Uganda Birth House & Learning Centre. Thanks to help from all of you, Sarah will be on her way to Uganda in February. We are so thankful for your endless love and support this holiday season!
http://www.shantiuganda.org/blogs/shanti-uganda


Love,
Alisa & the women of Blooma

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

For zooming, not for ZZZs

I know it’s tempting to leave your soundly-sleeping baby in the car seat after a frenzied afternoon of errand running, but a growing body of research advises that you resist the urge.

A study published recently in the journal
Pediatrics showed that 2-day-old infants placed in their car seat for one hour had lower blood oxygen levels than babies lying on their backs in a crib. Researchers say an infant's chest wall is compressed when placed upright for a long period of time. When that happens, airway size is affected, too.

So even though car seats are essential for safe travel, experts say the car seat should stay where it belongs: in the car, while baby comes inside with you. Read more about it here.

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Thursday, November 19, 2009

More fun photos!

The photos from the Blooming in Uganda gala are rolling in. We adore them! If you were there, see if you spot a photo of yourself. If you weren't able to make it to the gala, perusing these photo albums is a great way check out how the evening turned out.

Below is a link to the gorgeous shots captured by photographer Emma Freeman.
http://www.emmafreemanphotography.com/clients/
-Click on the 'Blooming in Uganda Gala' event
-Password is 'blooma' all lowercase letters

Now sit back and enjoy a slideshow of photos by photographer Sarah Bonvallet. Thanks, ladies for capturing the essence of the evening on film!


Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Blankets for Uganda


Thanks to Blooma yoga teacher Bridgett Erickson, whose recent Sunday morning class encouraged us to donate blankets to the women of Uganda. Below is a post from Bridgett about the experience:

About 20 women gathered to bless blankets to send to Uganda. First we spent about 45 minutes in a personal asana practice. Then we all sat in a circle (shaped more like a uterus!) and sent blessings to the blankets. Each woman took the blanket she had brought with her and after practicing with the blanket in her presence and meditating with it in her loving hands, each woman individually placed her blanket in the center of the circle as she spoke words of blessing and further blessed the blanket with water sprinkled from the petals of a rose.

There was a huge pile of blankets, full of love and blessings in the center of the circle. The women were happy to be a part of something greater than themselves and for the opportunity to give their blankets!

xo,
Bridgett

Monday, November 16, 2009

Success for Uganda!



Congratulations and THANK YOU to every person who donated, attended the gala, volunteered their time or talents, or attended special workshops to raise money for Blooming in Uganda! With your help, Sarah has reached her goal (and more!) of raising $20,000 to help build a birth center in Uganda!


The Friday night gala was a phenomenal success. On that night alone, we raised at least $22,000 dollars. That is downright astonishing. Look what we can do together as a community when we set our minds to it!

Moving, educational, inspirational—and yes, super fun—the gala was amazing.
How about those African dancers and musicians? Talk about talented!

Meanwhile,
I don't think there was a dry eye in the house after speaker, yoga teacher, and author Matthew Sanford spoke. His willingness to share his heart and story so candidly opened all our hearts. MPR "Speaking of Faith" host Krista Tippett reminded us about the ways our personal yoga practices can transcend beyond the yoga studio and into our communities, as is the mission of Off the Mat, Into the World. And Sarah grounded and inspired us all, with her words, her vision, and her dedication to breath and birth.

There are more Blooming in Uganda events to come in the next couple of weeks. Though Sarah has met her minimum goal, all future donations continue to go to Shanti Uganda and the birth center that so desperately needs to be built.

With tremendous love, awe, and gratefulness...

Namaste,
Alisa & the women of Blooma


Friday, November 13, 2009

Giddy about the gala

We're completely giddy about the gala this evening! Tonight's event at the Weisman Art Museum is the culmination of so much work and creativity. If you hope to come but haven't bought your ticket yet, you can buy them at the door!

Even with so much excitement surrounding tonight's wonderful events with MPR's Krista Tippett and yogi Matthew Sanford, let's remember the reason why we're coming together tonight.

In Uganda, Africa, complications related to childbirth kill 150 women every week. That's nearly 8,000 women a year. The price of your $50 ticket tonight, along with proceeds from tonight's silent auction, will directly help birthing women in Uganda.


Even after tonight, Blooma's fundraising goal continues. We have until Dec. 15 to raise $20,000 to support the work of Shanti Uganda. This small-yet-mighty organization is leading the charge to build a birth center, to offer prenatal education programs, and to provide basic, sanitary medical supplies that will save the lives of new mamas and their precious babies.

Sarah will travel to Uganda in February to work alongside local villagers to build the birthing center, along with a school and a sustainable farm. Let's make sure she gets there!


See you tonight.


With so much love & thanks,

Alisa & the women of Blooma

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Silent auction sneak peek!

I've just laid eyes on the amazingly long and incredible list of silent auction items to be available at tomorrow night's Blooming in Uganda gala. Literally, my jaw dropped! (What are you waiting for? RSVP now!)

I can't believe how fantastic these items are. We're talking hot stone massages, one-of-a-kind art work, Aveda gift packages, private yoga parties, Timberwolves tickets, and so much more.
Here's an additional sneak peek from the 150+ item list of silent auction items:

• A night at the romantic Nicollet Island Inn with breakfast the next day

• Guthrie Theater tickets
• Vickings tickets with prime location seats, plus parking passes

• A private dinner party for 8-10 of your nearest and dearest, featuring 7 courses and beverages. The menu will be crafted specifically to your party’s likings!
• Gift certificates to clothing stores such as Hot Mama, bumberShute, and Bluebird Boutique
• Gift certificates to restaurants like Tiger Sushi, The View, Heidi's, and the Birchwood Cafe

• Ballroom dancing lessons for you and your sweetie

• A Prairie Home Companion tickets

• Jewelry and interior design consultations by Blooma teacher Jennifer Colletti

• Enlightened Mama (Lamaze) childbirth prep classes by Blooma teacher Liz Abbene

• Live Savvy bags and headbands by Blooma teacher Shayla Boger


There's so much more, I can't possibly list it all here. If you already have your gala tickets, we can't wait to see you there! If you've been on the fence about it,
buy your ticket now.

We know money is tight, and Blooma so appreciates your willingness to help raise money for a much-needed birth center in Uganda. If it's too late to book a babysitter, leave your partner at home with the kids and enjoy a night out with a friend. Or come solo and make new friends over a glass of wine. See you at the gala!


Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Sarah on WCCO!

If you missed Sarah on WCCO the other day, check out the story online. She was interviewed about her goal to raise $20,000 to build a birth center in Uganda. Go, Sarah, go! For more information about her effort, Blooming in Uganda, click here.

Love,

Alisa & the women of Blooma

Hm, what are you going to wear?

I keep hearing the question, "what are you going to wear to the Blooming in Uganda Gala?" Dress up or dress down? It's not every day we have the chance to put on a cute/sexy dress AND support a fabulous cause. So, here's the scoop. Get all dolled up if you want to. Short dress, long dress, it's your call. I've heard that most people plan to wear a cocktail dress, while I'm flirting with the idea of wearing a long, red dress that I rarely have the opportunity to wear. In short, if you want to be casual, be casual. If you want to dress up, own that sass and do it! Anything goes.

Meanwhile, if you haven't bought your gala ticket yet, what are you waiting for? If you haven't had the chance to hang out socially with your yoga teachers and massage therapist yet, we're a pretty fun crowd to be with. I promise. :)

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Monday, November 9, 2009

Blooma Birth Story: Angela

Thanks to Blooma mama, Angela, for sharing the birth story of her son, Grayson! In her words:

___

"It all started on a Tuesday night...

I woke up Tuesday night bleeding. I called the nurses' station at St. Joe's (where I was going to birth) to see what to do. They told me to come in. I was still not dilated and they said that this was a normal occurance. At this time I was having very mild contractions that just felt like cramps. After a few hours we were discharged.

Wednesday I worked from home and continued to have contractions that felt like cramps. They picked up in intensity a bit by Wednesday afternoon. My husband Cory and I decided to head to the Fair for a distraction. We had just paid to park ($11) and were walking to the gate when my water broke. I ducked into a port-a-potty to see if it was really my water or just my bladder. I couldn't really tell. So we walked back to the car to find something else I could use to soak up some of the fluids and decide whether to turn around or go into the Fair. Just then, another gush of liquids came and we decided that with that we would head home.

It was a long night with me breathing through my contractions throughout the night. We got some sleep, but not much. Now it was Thursday. I knew I wasn't going into work so I emailed my boss to tell him I wouldn't be in that day. We spent the day breathing through contractions, working with distractions and talking to our fabulous doula, Liz! We watched the movie Yes, Man, walked around Long Lake Regional park, took multiple walks around the block and just enjoyed each others' company (all while breathing through contractions).

Around 4 p.m. the contractions picked up again in intensity. I was a bit nervous that we were not at the hospital since the doctor told me to go in immediately if my water broke. I just didn't want to be confined there, but I also didn't want to get an infection. So after talking it through with Liz we decided to wait it out. By that evening the contractions were coming stronger. I was crying for an epidural by 8 p.m. and ready to head out the door as soon as Liz got there. Cory even called the hospital to let them know we were coming in.

But lo and behold Liz came around 9 p.m. We were all stationed in the bedroom with very dim lighting and Liz' peaceful, calming voice encouraging me to work with each contraction. Cory and I would "slow dance" through them—each one lasting about a minute. I was still crying for an epidural. At this point Liz had me jump in the tub.

The contractions came less frequently and I was able to get some rest finally between them. She explained to me what would need to be done in order to get an epidural. I was wanting a quick fix, willing this child out of me right now—no matter what. And that's not what an epidural would have done.

After the tub we were back in the bedroom with me on the birth ball. Cory said that it was here I was a changed person. The contractions weren't as bad. I was much more relaxed and able to handle them by just breathing, hip circling, and imagining how powerfully they were helping to open the cervix. Around 1:30 a.m. I felt a slight urge to use the bathroom (not pee). This was a good sign. It was time to go in to the hospital.

Cory called St. Joe's to make sure they still had a room for us and to let them know we were heading in for real. I climbed in the back seat of the Honda on all fours and did my hip circles with Liz applying pressure on my lower back. In the 15 minutes I only had 2 contractions and was able to breathe through them. I was in my zone now.

When we got to the hospital Cory dropped Liz and I off at the emergency room and parked the truck. We had to wait for a nurse to come escort us up to our room. I had one little pit stop before getting into the elevator for a contraction. But we made it. I was hooked up to the fetal heart monitor and the other monitor for contractions for 20 minutes. They checked me—7 cm dilated!!! We couldn't have been happier!

After my 20 minutes on the fetal monitor were up I was able to get into the awesome tub and work through more contractions. I was getting close. I was now between an 8 and a 9. However, I didn't progress much after this. A shift change occurred and the labor and delivery nurse came into check me. She said either the kid had no hair or I still had a second bag of water in the way of the cervix. We decided to break the water bag. After she did this things progressed very quickly. Within an hour I was ready to push. The doctor had been called and here it was time to push.

They could no longer distinguish between my heartbeat and the baby's so they put a fetal heartbeat monitor in his forehead to pick up his heartbeat. It was low, so they hooked me up to an oxygen tank where I was coached to breathe deeply—once for me, once for baby, and once for my uterus.

It was now time to push. I started pushing around 9:30 a.m. and before long they were were calling the doctor NOW because the baby's head was right there. One more push and it was out. One more push and he was half out. One more push and at 10:01 a.m. on Friday, Sept 4, 2009, Grayson Jeffrey entered the world and was put right up on my chest. All perfect 6 lbs. 2 oz. of him. I couldn't have done it without my AMAZING support team of Cory and Liz and the fabulous nurses at St. Joe's. What a perfect ending to a beautiful pregnancy"

Congratulations, Angela! Thanks so much for sharing your story with all of us.

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Friday, November 6, 2009

The talent behind the design!

Joanne, designer of ALL of Blooma’s stuff — our web site, logo, everything — is a bit more than half way through her pregnancy. She sent out this cute picture of her and her blooming belly that we just had to share. Like many pregnant moms can understand, Joanne wanted a beer after a long day of moving, so she found a tasty non-alcoholic version which she says she "conveniently rested on my belly as I drank it." It's handy to have your own little shelf, isn't it?

Oh, and in case you're on the hunt for a decent NA beer, Joanne says her choice is Paulaner Thomas Brau. Thanks to Joanne for dreaming up such beautiful visuals to represent Blooma with, and happy pregnancy!

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Treat yourself...

Thanks to Tot Yoga teacher Shayla Boger for another guest blog post!
_ _ _

When we were expecting our first child, the thought of having our freezer stocked with food never crossed my mind. Sure, I stocked up in the usual stuff, but that certainly didn't include full meals. I am very blessed to have several wonderful friends who, for our second child, delivered meals to our family the first month post delivery. My two experiences came back to me and made a spark go off when I met this fabulous woman, Molly, who started Tastebud Tart {a catering company}. I just had to share her information with you!


Tastebud Tart offers weekly meals and personal chef services perfect for helping out busy families and new moms! What's more, Molly's meals (think curried pumpkin soup and BBQ black bean empanadas) are healthy, organic, and make use of local ingredients whenever possible.

Specifically, Tastebud Tart offers:

Weekly Meals:
"Tasty food for busy folks every week! New menus are available every Thursday for orders to be delivered the following Monday or Tuesday. We always offer a Kid’s Meal at $5, too, so it’s great for busy families! Fresh + healthy meals delivered to your door... pretty sweet!"

They also use responsible, bio-degradable packaging derived from recycled materials.


Personal Chef Services:
"Tastebud will develop menus especially for you + your family, if you require a more tailored menu or nutritional and allergy considerations. Rates begin at $250/week plus the cost of groceries."

Catering:
"Big or small, Tastebud can turn your party into a sassy soiree! We will meet with you to discuss menu options and create a custom look + feel for your event. We have experienced staff and event planners that we work with to ensure all of your needs are met."


As a busy parent, it's hard to ask for much more than having
delicious meals delivered right to your door! YUM!

Tastebud Tart— Ask for Molly.
www.tastebudtart.com
651.470.1056


xo,
shay

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Veggie chow down

While it comes as no surprise that vegetables are good for you, new research shows that moms-to-be who regularly eat their veggies may reduce their unborn child's risk of developing Type 1 diabetes. The study comes from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. You can read more about it here, then cook up a big, tasty pot of vegetable soup to complement this cozy fall day. Bon Appétit!

Love,

Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

4:30 a.m. and it just hit me

Good morning. Wow, it feels like 2 years ago when I opened Blooma and I would lay awake in bed for hours and hours with my head spinning with excitement and nervousness. It is all happening again as the "Blooming in Uganda Gala" drawers closer and closer.

There are so many things that keep me awake and full of questions about the night.....but like I say to all of my mamas, "trust and breathe and it will all be fine". Hard to take that advice when I am hosting over 200 people at the Weisman to raise the rest of the $20K for the birthing mothers of Uganda and it is less then 2 weeks and away and there is still so much work to be done. And, all of it will be done. From the ordering the flowers, to getting more people to rsvp, to making sure we have enough food and beverages, to wondering what time the volunteers are coming.....wow, it is all going to get done. One day at a time (and god knows I am a procrastinator).

What keeps me grounded at these moments when my head is spinning is thinking about the mom that is home alone while she labors and births her baby in Uganda. She has no accesses to medical care of something were to arise. We all know that Blooma and I trust in birth, but I also trust that woman have the support around them if something were to arise. What about the woman that is walking at 4am to a hospital over 10 miles away so she can be supported? That is the woman that needs the Shanti Uganda Birth Center and needs the $20k that Blooma is raising, so that she can be safe and birth her baby with dignity.

Please read more at:
http://www.shantiuganda.org/pages/birth

OK, let me see if I can try to close my eyes and get a few more moments of rest before the day begins and the things-to-do list is tackled!

Lots of love,
Sarah

Monday, November 2, 2009

Cute clothes, great cause

Don't miss the Hot Mama shopping event of the season! This Wednesday night, grab your girlfriends, your mom, your sister, your neighbor and come to Hot Mama's new Edina store (3914 W. 50th Street) from 4-7 p.m. for a private event to benefit Blooming in Uganda. (RSVP here.)

Not only will you get 15% off everything you buy, but you'll feel extra good knowing that ALL of the proceeds from Wednesday night's shopping event will help build a much-needed birth center in Uganda.


Nibble on appetizers from Broders Pasta Bar, get a make-up touch up from a MAC pro, and indulge in a chair massage.

Whether you're looking for a gorgeous dress to fit your growing belly, a new mom on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans, or a fashionista who's not a mom at all, Hot Mama has something for everyone. (Think brands like Juicy Couture, Citizens of Humanity, Lucky, and lots, lots more.)


Entrance to this event is free, but since it's a private shindig, please RSVP. Hope you to see you Wed. night!


Love,

Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma