Milk Banks

I was reading a Newsweek article about Milk banks.  If you don't know what they are, no worries, it was something new to me as well.  Milk banks are places where parents who cannot lactate ( either because they are adaptive parents, or male, etc...) can get the antibody, vitamin rich breast milk of another woman.  These breast milk products are screened just like blood products are since you can catch viruses and other things through breast milk.  But it cost 3$ an oz and since babies drink approximately 30 ounces a day, it could get a bit expensive.
Fortunately, I guess, some of these parents found other avenues that would cost them...well...nothing.  There are women in the U.S. who want to share freely with others of their milk.  They produce more than enough for their own child and want to give all the excess away instead of it going to waste.  The problem with this is, it's very hard to screen for diseases and other illnesses.  You are not practically guarantee safe nourishment for you child.

I found the concept interesting.  It just never occurred to me before that this was something that occurred. It's true that  breast milk is a baby's best option, but still the idea of getting it from someone else, if I was not able to provide it for my child, is such a foreign concept to me.  I asked myself after reading it whether I would ever purchase breast milk and I cannot imagine doing so.  I myself was only breastfed once.  My mother was sick after she gave birth to me and the doctors advised her that for my benefit, she should not breastfeed me.  I consider myself to be a pretty healthy person.  Perhaps if I was not, I would feel very strongly about using breast banks. Perhaps it's because I am not yet a mother and cannot understand the drive to provide the best of everything for my child no matter what.  Or perhaps it's because being a husbandless/childless independent adult, I've become a bit selfish in my thoughts and feelings. It could be for a number of reasons why I have a hard time imagining myself being one of the parents who use breast milk banks.

I am not against the idea at all.  I think it's great that parents have that option available to them.  And I think it's great that there are people out there who are willing to share so much of themselves to help someone else. I am just saying that I don't know if I would use one.  Would you?  Could you?

Here are a few links if you want to find out some of the benefits of breastfeeding as well as the link to the Newsweek article.
http://www.nrdc.org/breastmilk/benefits.asp

http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/16/others-milk.html#

Mountain Climbing

As some of you might know, I have a fear of heights.  It's not a paralyzing fear, but a fear nonetheless.  Well, a month or two ago, I went climbing indoors.  I was so scared, but it was fantastic!  What a rush.  Friday I took it one step further and climbed and repelled outdoors.  There were many times I was sure I was going to die.  I can be so clumsy sometimes that it was completely foreseeable that I would just accidentally step on a lose rock and fall to my death.  Not only did I not die, but I had an even better time than I did when I did it indoors.  I will definitely do it again! 

The Holi Festival/Festival of colors

http://www.utahkrishnas.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100&Itemid=190

If you have never experienced the Holi festival, where spring is welcomed, then you have been missing out!  check out the website for more info.

Taking Chances

One of the worst things I've feared happened to me a while ago and...I was ok.

When it comes to matters of the heart, I am the kind of girl who likes to sit back and let it happen.  That does not mean that once action is taken towards me I do not reciprocate.  But I do not take chances.  Not when it comes to my heart.  I always thought it was because I was an easy going girl and I went with the flow.  But I've had a chance to look at myself lately and I've realized that I am a complete coward when it comes to love.  That was something interesting to discover about myself after all these years. 

It is ironic that in my quest to protect my heart, I have had it broken.  It was one of the most painful experiences of my life.  I was right, there is no pain that equals a heartache.  Nothing.  I've never cried so much in my life. To my amazement, though, I've learned so much from that experience.  Don't get me wrong, at times I still think, "When will this pain end!  I can no longer endure it!"  But even doing those times, I felt like it was worth it.  I've learned so much about myself as a woman.  And my heart has never been as open as it is now.  I took a leap of faith and have landed in a place I have never been before.  It's mysterious but full of life.  I feel like a new me.  I am no longer the Laureen I used to be.  I am no longer the Laureen that is afraid to love and be loved.  I am now a woman who knows that when she loves, she loves deeply, thoroughly, and faithfully.  And that I want a man with a faithful heart.  Not one that fades away easily and fast.  To me, that is not love.  At least not the kind I want.  Everyone has their own definition of relationships, friendships, and love.  No one person's definition is necessarily wrong.  But not one size fits all.  I cannot impose mine on anyone else, but I can know what fits me best and what makes me feel the happiest.  And being the sassy girl that I am, I know he will have to love me faithfully in order to put up with me for, hopefully, 30 or more years :). There really is nothing that compares to the feeling of being truly, completely, and unconditionally loved and wanted. And nothing to the warmth, fullness, and passion of loving. I feel like giving them the world, even when they make me mad or sad.  I feel like doing everything in my power to make them happy.  I will love again.  Is the pain worth it?  Yes...yes it is.

Mikarose Mother's Day Giveaway!

Mikarose Clothing Company is offering the ‘Marvelous Mother Giveaway.’ The Giveaway offers an exciting grand prize package which includes:

• Two Economy Class, round-trip tickets to Tampa Florida from any major city in the
Continental United States.
• A Five night Western Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Cruise Line.
• Round Trip transportation from Tampa International airport to the Tampa Cruise Terminal.
• A $100 dollar MikaRose Gift Certificate.

The sweepstakes runs from March 08, 2010 through April 12, 2010. To Nominate a Marvelous mother simply go to www.mikarose.com. Visit this same site to view the complete giveaway rules. No purchase is required to enter the Giveaway. Four finalists will be chosen and their stories placed online where individuals will have an opportunity to vote for the mother they feel deserves the giveaway out of the four finalist. The winner will be announced on May 3rd 2010.

25 Fascinating Love Facts

I just read 25 love facts on MSN (http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/articlematch.aspx?cp-documentid=10416019>1=32023) and thought some of the things they mentioned would be great to share.  Especially with those of you I've had similar conversations with. 

1. Men who kiss their wives in the morning live five years longer than those who don't.

4. Feminist women are more likely than other females to be in a romantic relationship.

5. Two-thirds of people report that they fall in love with someone they've known for some time vs. someone that they just met.


7. Falling in love can induce a calming effect on the body and mind and raises levels of nerve growth factor for about a year, which helps to restore the nervous system and improves the lover's memory.


8. Love can also exert the same stress on your body as deep fear. You see the same physiological responses — pupil dilation, sweaty palms, and increased heart rate.
 
9. Brain scans show that people who view photos of a beloved experience an activation of the caudate — the part of the brain involving cravings.

17. People who are newly in love produce decreased levels of the hormone serotonin — as low as levels seen in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Perhaps that's why it's so easy to feel obsessed when you're smitten.


18. Philadelphia International Airport finished as the No. 1 best airport for making a love connection, according to an online survey.


20. A man's beard grows fastest when he anticipates sex.


 
8,9,17- No wonder people are so afraid to fall in love if these are the things that happen.  But the thing I kept thinking about after reading this list is that I NEED TO FLY TO PHILADELPHIA ;)

George

George is one of the people that I met on my trip to Haiti.  He is a Nurse Practitioner that I worked with.  He is an absolutely amazing person.  We had so much fun together.  He inspired me so much with his generous giving.  And his humble attitude.  I am so fortunate to have met people like him on the trip.  I received an e-mail from him and it just made me smile and laugh. 

Here is what he said:

Glad to have found you Easy to tell you are the sunshine in many people's lives, just by looking at the comments. It makes me laugh to think about how I, in a surge of brotherly concern for your safety, rushed to the morgue to protect you from any unknown dangers when you went looking for transportation for the elderly woman who died in our tent. I found you surrounded by those, obviously interested young men. Although you had the situation well in control, I offered to serve as your protction in the form of your husband. Whether or not they got that word or believed it, I felt honored you would allow me the dignity of being your protector.

I absolutely love that guy!