there're here...

The robin chicks started hatching the other day and it didn't take long for all of them to follow the natural pattern of birth and quickly join each other in the nest. It is certainly a wonder to witness and our children are getting a first-hand experience of the whole process. In some cases, it is hard not to be bothered by the incessant "can we go see the chicks again" question. We have had to limit their visits so that the mother can actually feed them! Speaking of mothering, birthing, and visiting, that reminds me of a documentary Ildi and I watched the other night called The Business of Being Born. If you haven't seen it before, and you are in the part of your life where you are still having children, it is well worth your time to watch.

In the past, I have not been an ANTI person. You know those people...anti-taxes, anti-government, anti-this and anti-that. I have not always been resistant either of doctor's and hospitals. However, over the last few years, I have come to a place where I have desired to become more self-sufficient and that has had an effect on my thinking concerning other areas of my life. For example, as a family we rarely see the doctor. When we are sick, we just let our bodies fight off the infection and allow our immune system to do its job. And then there is Gresham. Two years ago Ildi decided that she did not want to go through the whole hospital thing again with giving birth. So, she had him in the comfort of her own home.

This documentary is really eye-opening for many reasons. Besides exposing some of the real catastrophies that happen in hospital situations, it reveals some of the huge benefits of women taking responsibility for their birthing and the power that women possess when accepting it. It also demonstrates how far we have meandered from doing things ourselves. Here is a list of a few things that come to mind.

1. We let the Sunday School teacher teach our children the Bible.
2. We let teachers teach our children how to live.
3. We let doctor's tell us what is best for us having only looked at our throats for a moment.
4. We listen to news and let it influence the way we live.
5. We buy food from a store not knowing where it came from, or what is really in it.

Anyway, before I get ranting and raving about "the way we live" now, (which is a good BBC movie by the way), the documentary is a good one to watch. :) In a few nights, we are going to watch another one that is lighter in content. Frank Lloyd Wright and his influence as an architect.