Happy New Year!

It’s been a big year here at Mana Midwifery.  2013 saw a lot of big changes– the biggest being the launching of Mana Midwifery!!  In January, I “hung out the shingle” and put up this website.  Several lovely families chose to have me at their births, and I have been privileged to call them Mana families.  This year also saw some big changes for me personally, as I finished up my midwifery studies.  In February, I took the NARM exam, the board exam for direct-entry midwives in the US (you can read more about the NARM here) and passed!  Then, I graduated from Birthwise Midwifery School in June, and officially became a Certified Professional Midwife.  This felt like a huge and wonderful accomplishment, as I have been working toward this goal for 4 years (6 if you count from my very first birth, when I knew I wanted to be a midwife).  It feels really good to be walking this path.  I know deep in my soul and heart that I am called to be a midwife, and it’s nice to be able to have a diploma and certification that validates that to the outside world.  I even get to put cool letters after my name now– Sky Connelly, CPM!

There have been lots of changes in my plans too.  As they say “(Wo)Man plans, G-d laughs”.  I had the opportunity to help my grandmother walk through cancer this year, and to remember that everything happens at the right time for a reason.  The more I let go to divine timing, the better things work out.  Hopefully, I can carry this lesson into the new year.

Now, it is time to look ahead to 2014.  What will this new year bring?  One of the biggest, most exciting changes will be my move back to Maui, HI!  I have always planned to go back to Maui to serve pregnant and birthing families on the islands, and now that dream is becoming a reality.  I am really looking forward to starting my practice as a midwife, as well as a monitrice and doula.  I will be updating the midwifery page over the next couple of months to reflect the services that I will offer to families as a midwife, so keep checking back.  As always, I welcome feedback or comments!

I hope that all of you have had a lovely holiday season, whatever holiday you do or don’t celebrate, and that your New Year is full of happiness, joy and freedom.  And snuggle all those babies extra for me!