It's been a long road (to shift from the birth metaphor) and we're not there yet but I want to thank the folks who have served as doulas (to shift back to the birthing image) during the labor and delivery of Miss Birdie's book.
Doula is from the ancient Greek and means 'woman who serves.' Nowadays, doula refers to one (often a professional ) who provides support -- physical and/or emotional -- to a mother before, during, and after delivery.
I am blessed in my many doulas . . .
My husband has endured night after night of my creeping to bed and often waking him long after he's fallen asleep; he has taken over the chicken chores and most of the vacuuming; he's made popcorn and pizza, and has seen to so many other odds and ends that I have left undone. He has been very patient with this prolonged labor of mine.
Justin and Claui have pitched in by cooking dinner at crucial moments and by taking up the slack in untold other ways.
All my family and friends have kindly overlooked the perpetual faraway look in my eyes that tells them I'm thinking about the book rather than listening to what they're saying.
Ann, my agent, and Kate, my editor, have been encouraging when they had every right to be impatient.
And no one has said what I'm sure they were thinking "Are you ever going to finish that wretched book?"
And you all -- my constant commenters -- have been the best cheering section imaginable! Now that the baby is delivered, I'm eager to get it cleaned up and presentable so that you all can meet it.
Consider yourselves godparents.
Doula is from the ancient Greek and means 'woman who serves.' Nowadays, doula refers to one (often a professional ) who provides support -- physical and/or emotional -- to a mother before, during, and after delivery.
I am blessed in my many doulas . . .
My husband has endured night after night of my creeping to bed and often waking him long after he's fallen asleep; he has taken over the chicken chores and most of the vacuuming; he's made popcorn and pizza, and has seen to so many other odds and ends that I have left undone. He has been very patient with this prolonged labor of mine.
Justin and Claui have pitched in by cooking dinner at crucial moments and by taking up the slack in untold other ways.
All my family and friends have kindly overlooked the perpetual faraway look in my eyes that tells them I'm thinking about the book rather than listening to what they're saying.
Ann, my agent, and Kate, my editor, have been encouraging when they had every right to be impatient.
And no one has said what I'm sure they were thinking "Are you ever going to finish that wretched book?"
And you all -- my constant commenters -- have been the best cheering section imaginable! Now that the baby is delivered, I'm eager to get it cleaned up and presentable so that you all can meet it.
Consider yourselves godparents.
5 comments:
I'd be happy to stand at the font with Miss Birdie any time. Can't wait to learn her story. Way to go, Vicki. Best to you -Liz
I'm honored.....I will honk the horn loudly to show her off!
You are my hero!
Vicki, the thanks are to you for bringing these wonderful characters into my life - and I do think that Miss Birdie will be the best yet! Anothing thing I can thank you for is that I finally got around to going through all those old pictures - I would probably still be procrastinating had it not been for you and Miss Birdie! And thank you so much for letting me be a tiny part of this "birth"!!!!!
You are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends surrounding you during this time, BUT we are truly blessed to have you fill our lives with such wonderful stories.
As I said, you all were an important part of this birth!
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