Home is Where the Heart is

Just got back home late last night. I'd left Sunday afternoon to teach a class in Louisiana. This was the first time I had left either of my girls for such a long period of time--it sucked, but not nearly as bad as I was expecting because my hubby is so involved, I had no doubt at all my children were following the exact same routine they're used to. Sedona is keeping up her "verbal explosion" and I heard lots of "miss you so much momma!" this morning.

The teaching itself was fabulous. I had a great group of ladies. I was teaching a CAPPA CLE training, and the groups I get in this particular area tend to already be nurses or peer counselors, so it's like 3 days of breastfeeding continuing education. I like teaching parents and I like working with new babies and their mommies, but I LOVE the continuing education thing. These ladies already have a pretty good background and the basic science knowledge and they come up with fabulous questions...we have a chance to really get into the nitty gritty of the latest research. The best part is that I spend 3 days with a group of 10 women and I know I'm helping to bring evidence-based lactation support to hundreds of families. Even when the training's going really well and everyone is getting along, it's a little nerve-wracking to read the evaluations. Before I read them, I always psych myself up and remember the little lesson I've been told, "throw out the best, throw out the worst--the middle is the honest, helpful critique you need". I've been pleased to see the evaluations lately though--in my last 3 trainings, I have not had one single negative comment. The "harshest" comment I've gotten was "I liked the games, it'd be fun to add more".

I am glad to be home though. It was a 5 hour drive and coming home last night was dark, rainy and SUPER foggy--not fun.

Completely unrelated: I like this. A lot.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

-Prayer of Francis of Assisi