The end is the beginning is the end

The year 2011 has been a strange one. One of ups and down, ups and downs and ups and downs again. Ecstatic highs, desperate lows and everything in between.

Although it wasn't really, but it felt like it was, Sheree's  really awesome and amazing man, Steven, suggested she contact Denise Love about going to Cambodia.

Steven had mentioned it before during the year and I had always brushed it off, but this time when he said it, it made my heart sing. It felt perfect. I sent Denise a short and sweet email that went something like 'Hi Denise, I want to Cambodia very soon. Is it safe?  Can my baby come? She has attended births and usually lives in a sling on me anyway'. And I pressed send. And waited. She replied half an hour later with an 'oh yes, yes, yes' and I knew that was it. Screw the logistics. It will all work. My heart was on fire, it was so bright and full. Myah and I are going to Cambodia for a month, in about a month!

I am a Mumma to 5 awesome, wild, freespirited children and Steven will be staying at home with 4 of them. He is a loving, capable father and husband and is very excited about his adventures as stay at home Dad (He has been the stay at home Dad for longer than I have been the stay at home Mum). My baby who is 6 months will be travelling with me on the plane across the water to live and learn amongst the gentle peoples of Cambodia.

I let the people closest to me know of my sudden decision and although some of them reacted very differently to how I was hoping, the majority of people have been so loving, supportive and generous. So loving, supportive and generous in fact, that one of my closest sister women, Courtney, has decided to come with me, along with her 2 young daughters! I was in the cyber world on Facebook when a little message that said 'my partner said I can come to Cambodia!!!!' popped up on the screen, and all I could reply was 'really, are you really coming, is that real, is that really real, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow'.  And so we are going together! Team Smart! (We are called Team Smart because Courtney and I have attended births together and run workshops together and when I told this to my children, one of them said 'Youse should be called Team Smart! And we agree!)

I think Courtney and I first met Denise Love at the same time, which was one week after I had just done an amaaaazing bike ride across Ethiopia to raise money for a hospital and women's cliniic in the Ethiopian Highlands. I went to do a Hypnochildbirth course and Denise was teaching it and I fell in love with her straight away. She was very down to earth, passionate and had the belief that we all have the right to live our lives as we choose, with love, happiness and respect. I knew in my heart that we would journey together one day - and now we will be! Denise is the one who has set up LifeOptions Inc. and has initiated some amazing work and healthcare for the people in Cambodia.

When Courtney and I go there, we are going to live and work in villages in developing countries to share skills, learn new ones, and develop an environment for a healthy sustainable life style. I am a registered midwife and doula and Courtney is a doula so there is plenty for us to share and do there. There is a birth centre, a school, many orphans and many families that will benefit from us going, and for us - it will give us a whole new perspective on life as we get to spend and share some of our life with them. They will change our lives forever.

Stay tuned for our post about what we are doing to fundraise before we go and how you can help us!!

In the meantime, we have events of facebook here, here and here if you are keen to see what we are doing!

Xo