Kapui Kaayo!

Yes, that means: "Very tired." And THAT I am. Thanks for all the comments, everyone! Tim and I are blessed 'kaayo' with the encouragement and prayers!

Tim is feverishly working on water stuff....as of late, the make-shift roof in the Germain backyard is finished and shielding him from rain, wind, sun and snow....okay, maybe not snow. But it IS Christmas and you never know if there'll be a Christmas miracle....maybe even snow. NOT.

The very first picture posted above is me with....guess who....??? Remember Precious, my dear first catch?? Well, 7 weeks later and she is FAT KAAYO! This is good. It's hard to believe that this little 8 lb 14 oz. goober now weighs over 12 lbs! Even the Filipina midwives asked her if she was "supplementing her breastmilk" with something like salisbury steak and potatoes maybe!?

It was a blessing and a joy to see Precious again. She is very special to me.

Then the last pic posted is of Mary Joy and her new little lady, Mia Alyssa. I was blessed with the opportunity to deliver her Monday night at 2:19 am after many hours of pushing, poking and prodding. Poor Mary Joy labored all day and all night for her girl. Mia is her first pregnancy, first child and she was not well-prepared for the shock her body was to endure in labor.

Ate Elai was my supervisor on shift and she was an incredible blessing. Ate Elai is a peaceful supervisor....but has a great sense of humor and while a skillful midwife, is by far the best teacher I have ever had. Really. I am so blessed to have her as a teacher. She challenges her students to try everything, but gently instructs as she goes. She never assumes, but always encourages. I leave the birth room shifts smiling and feeling more confident than before because I have learned so much!

But this birth was one that left me soooo tired, but full of new knowledge. It required Ate Elai and I to don sterile gloves and apply so much pressure to the top of Mary Joy's birth canal and to the bottom....WE were opening her up for the baby to pass! I kid you not....it was insane....my arms were shaking from the force and after what seemed like forever, the baby's head began to crown.....and then.....Ssstttrrreeeeetttcchhhhhh......a GIGANTIC tear tore through Mary Joy and Ate Elai got to spend a while suturing at 3 am! But the baby was healthy and Mary Joy did an amazing job persevering through the intense pain.

In addition to the crazy births of late.....I just got another A on my last assignment and head into the exam tomorrow....so pray for me! :) Then I start the next assignment to hopefully finish before January 10th so Tim and I can head to Canada without having to fear the mass quantities of homework! ARGH!

Thank you for all your prayers and encouragements....We pray your Christmas is merry and full of the peace of God!
PS. We are trying to get our Christmas Newsletter finished and sent to invade your e-mail inboxes....if you do not wish to acquire one, let us know!
Blessings!