How it all started.....

I was having the worst year of my entire life in 1986. My husband, grandfather, and best friend all died within about 9 months of each other. I was alone with a one year old baby and no idea where to go or what to do next. I was praying that Jesus would order my steps and heal my broken heart. I received social security survivor benefit for me and my baby so I didn't have to work. I was so grateful. My house and car was paid off with a death benefit that I didn't even remember signing up for. I had incredible support from my church family and my earthly family. Some of my friends from church were pregnant and planning on having a home birth. They asked me to come to their home when they went into labor and pray while they were birthing their baby. I became very interested in what they were doing and why. I was on about my third friend birth when I was allowed to be in the room as the baby was born. I was amazed at the peaceful beautiful miracle of home birth. The midwife for these friends was Donna Miller. I began speaking with her about what she did and what it would take to become a midwife. Donna's husband died about 6 months before mine and we had no idea that God's plan was for us to be joined at the hip for many years to come! Donna told me that I would have to move from Bridgeport where I was living at the time and come back to the metroplex where she lived. I was not emotionally ready at that time to leave my church family and I also had so much to take care of before I could go. I was praying and trevailing over whether God was calling me to midwifery or not. It was a dear friend who told me that if I went where my peace was that Jesus would be there. It was about a year later that I knew that I wanted to be a midwife and that Jesus was calling me there. I called Donna and told her I was ready to move and begin my apprenticeship with her. She laughed and said "Well, thats good because my apprentice quit yesterday! I found a duplex around the corner from my parents and moved back to my home town of Grapevine to begin my new life with my sweet 2 year old, Keri. The arrangement was perfect because when I got called out on a birth I could take Keri to my parents house, put her in their guest room, and take off to the laboring mommy. I had now gone from a time of death and grieving to a job and ministry of life! God is so good. Donna & I bonded from the start. We had both lost husbands and knew exactly what the other was feeling and going through. Donna Miller was a gift to me from my heavenly Father. We practically lived together as we were doing 8- 12 births a month. I apprenticed with Donna for 18 months and we assisted each other for all of our births for another year. To this day Donna and I work together on occassion and cover for each other when we need a backup. I took my first client in 1988 and have been catching babies ever since! Now you know how my God took me from a place of death and loss and transformed my life to a place of truth and life!