|
Christina Viera
Hello
Charis Family! My name is Christina Viera. I have been married for 5
years to my husband Fredy and I have three beautiful children: Maya
is 5, Layla is 3, and Sage is 1. We just recently moved to Georgia
from northern Virginia. In my spare time (which, as you can imagine,
is not often) you
will find me reading a book or listening to some great jazz. If
there is one place I would love to be, it's at the beach-- with my
book and listening to some great jazz!
Christina and Fredy
I have always known that I wanted to have a career that involved
helping other people. But it wasn't until the birth of my son that I
really began to
understand what my calling would be in life. It was the experience
with my midwife that drew me closer to my exploration into midwifery
and becoming a doula. Until I began to research
midwifery, I never even knew that doulas existed. But the more I
read and the more I researched, the more I felt peace about making
this my life-long career. I found Charis through a doula/midwife in
northern Virginia who happened to be a friend of Kristin Schuchmann
and the rest is history... here I am with Charis.
It is my goal to complete my training to become a Charis certified
childbirth educator & doula and then to move on and become a
Certified Professional Midwife. My ultimate goal and dream of my
life time is to have my own freestanding birth center with other
Midwives. I want to offer childbirth education classes and
assistance to women and girls who are experiencing crisis
pregnancies as well as Hispanic women, as I am fluent in the
language. I experienced a crisis pregnancy in my own life and I
think that many women like myself are looked down upon and
denied the opportunity to have a wonderful birth. I think that the
fact that a girl is pregnant at 16 or that a woman can't speak
English should not affect her access to excellent care. More
importantly, I believe that it is these women who need to be
educated the most and provided with those extra little benefits,
which include a doula and/or a midwife. I am very passionate about
my decisions and goals in my life and I am excited to be in this
season of my life and to walk this journey that God has blessed me
with. Because, lets face it,
being a part of Charis is a HUGE blessing to have!!
Friendship is a blessing! |
Okra Gumbo
2 Large
Onions
4 Stalks of Celery
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Cups Okra, cut in small round slices
2 cups cubed "clean" chicken pieces
or 2 cups cubed tofu
2 48 Oz cans Chopped Tomatoes
Fresh grated Garlic to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Two cups Uncooked Rice
Sauté'
Onions, Celery, Green pepper and Okra in skillet in butter or Olive
Oil until the Okra is completely soft and tender. Add chicken,
sauté' till chicken is cooked. Stir frequently. If you wish to
replace chicken with tofu, saute the tofu in olive oil and tamari
until edges are browned and then add to veggie blend. Add cans
of tomatoes, heating all ingredients on low while rice cooks.
Add Garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
While
sauce is simmering, cook rice.
Serve
Okra/Chicken sauce on top of a bed of rice.
Have a good recipe? Share it here!
Loud Business
By Elizabeth Lugmayer
On my days in
between school and doula-ing, I am a nanny to a very large family of
five children; ages 12 to 2. I don't have enough space to
share everything, so today I will limit myself to one.
Three year old Glory is so cute! I was
recovering from a horrible head cold when I went back to work.
Head colds and I don't go together very well, mainly because it
means I have to blow my nose. When that happens, those who I didn't
think to warn, jump as if a Navel Carrier Ship sailed up to them and
tooted its horn. Blowing my nose has always been that loud; I still
await the day when I will grow out of it. I am finally
well enough to go back to work. Glory, brave explorer and conqueror,
had been following me around all morning - including going
with me to blow my nose. After getting my tissue, I told Glory to
'close her ears' because Sissy's nose was loud. Glory sent me an
incredulous look and then laughed. Finally
realizing that I was waiting for her to close her ears, she put her
hands over her ears and stared at me with quite the quizzical look.
As Sissy blew her horn, understanding dawned on Glory's face. She
even managed a whispered, "Are you ok Sissy?" afterward.
Glory now covers her ears without being told every time
I blow my nose. And now when I am with her she will not blow Her
Nose until I 'cover my ears' (which is so cute because I can barley
hear anything when she blows). We
have an understanding, she and I, that when
participating in a nose blow- before the blower can blow; the
watcher must 'close their ears'. Because everyone
knows that nose blowing is a Loud Business!
|
