by Rachel | Motherhood
A few weeks before Parker was born, the mother of one of my students gave me a printout of a beautiful poem she had received when she was pregnant for the first time. It hung on our fridge right up until we moved a few months ago, and I’ve been meaning to share it here for a long time.
A Child’s Angel
Author Unknown
Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born.
So one day he asked God:
“They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,
but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?”
“Among the many angels, I chose one for you.
She will be waiting for you and will take care of you.”
“But tell me, here in Heaven, I don’t do anything else but sing and smile,
that’s enough for me to be happy.”
“Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day.
And you will feel your angel’s love and be happy.”
“And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me
if I don’t know the language that men talk?”
“Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear,
and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.”
“And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?”
“Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.”
“I’ve heard that on earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?”
“Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.”
“But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.”
“Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you
to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you.”
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth
could already be heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly:
“Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.”
“Your angel’s name is of no importance, you will call your angel…Mommy.”
by Rachel | Guitars & Granola Bars
I have a lot to learn from Christina Stock, my guest on the podcast this week. She has two kids, a music therapy career she loves, an amazing circle of fellow mama friends right in her own neighborhood, and hobbies she shares with her super-supportive husband.
But as ideal as her life sounds now, it hasn’t always been that way for Christina. She endured two tough pregnancies as well as bouts with depression and PTSD, and I’m so grateful she was willing to open up and talk about those experiences with me.
Christina shares not only her journey through perinatal depression and birth-related PTSD, but also how she handles the “work-life wobble” and the importance of building a local community of support in Episode 9 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Christina, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
Click here to subscribe on iTunes, or search “Guitars & Granola Bars” in the podcast app on your Apple device.
Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher, or download and search the app on your mobile device.
by Rachel | Guitars & Granola Bars
My latest podcast guest has a background in vocal performance, owns a private practice, has a toddler son, and is expecting a baby. Sound eerily familiar!?
No, I didn’t interview myself this week. Erin Lunde and I have tons in common, so it was fun chatting about many of the same challenges and victories as biz-owning mamas with another little one on the way.
Erin shares how she schedules her clinical work around time with her son, her practice of setting 3 big “to-do” priorities each day, and lists quite a few of her favorite podcasts related to motherhood in Episode 8 of the Guitars & Granola Bars podcast.
Be sure to check out the show notes page for more information about Erin, along with links to the resources she mentions in the episode.
Click here to subscribe on iTunes, or search “Guitars & Granola Bars” in the podcast app on your Apple device.
Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher, or download and search the app on your mobile device.
by Rachel | Family Life
The ErgoBaby carrier holds the #1 spot for me as far as baby items are concerned. I used it on a daily basis from the time Parker was just 6 weeks old up until earlier this month.
But my giant belly is making it a little (or a lot) more difficult to wear Parker, not to mention that he is quite the independent toddler these days. I saw our most recent trip as a good excuse to strap him into the Ergo one last time, since it was so early in the morning and I knew he would be sleepy.
I’m planning to wear Baby #2 just as much, if not more, but since she’s a girl, naturally she needs a more feminine-looking carrier ;) Our current Ergo is still in great shape, though, so we are passing it on to my brother and sister-in-law who just had a baby boy. I’m happy to know it will continue being put to good use.
Not surprisingly, Parker’s farewell ride was bittersweet. I love the feeling of having him snuggled up against me, and it’s so nice having both hands free (especially in the airport, where we have plenty of stuff to schlep). I also love the comments I get from other people, especially older ladies who say, “Oh, I wish those had been around when my kids were babies!”.
I know I’ll get to experience that again very soon, but it will be different — just as so many things will be — because it’s not the first time. Parker and I blazed those trails already.
by Rachel | Professional Development
You’d think that I would have gotten into podcasts a lot time ago, considering I’ve been co-hosting one for over 5 years now. But aside from checking out the other great music therapy-related shows* out there, I never really took the time to explore the wide world of podcasts.
Until I had a baby. And expanded my business shortly thereafter. It was then I realized if I wanted to consume any media outside of scrolling quickly through my Facebook feed, I would need to figure out how to do it while multitasking. Podcasts were the perfect solution, because I could listen while I exercise, get ready in the morning, drive, clean up the house, and so on.
Here are some of the podcasts I never miss. I would love for you to add your favorites in the comments!
- Being Boss – a podcast for creative entrepreneurs. This is a relatively new podcast hosted by two women who own their own businesses, and are also moms. They cover lots of relatable topics like work-life balance, daily routines, marketing, gaining new clients, online presence, etc.
- Elise Gets Crafty – a podcast covering such topics as blogging, business, creativity, inspiration and motivation. Elise Blaha Cripe is the host and a creative “maker” who interviews a different guest each week. I have learned a lot about small business and just being a creative professional in general.
- Creative Start – I’m always so interested in learning how people came to be in their creative careers, which is why I am enjoying this podcast so much. It’s inspiring to hear others’ journeys, and how they overcome various obstacles to pursue their passions.
- The Lively Show – I’ve been following Jess Lively for YEARS, and was so excited when she launched her podcast, which is all about living life with intention. She interviews guests about how they live their lives with intention, and I always feel so motivated at the end of each episode.
- The Sarah R. Bagley Podcast – I’m a self-admitted perfectionist, so this podcast, all about “recovering” from perfectionism, is right up my alley. Sarah interviews a different guest each week about their struggles with perfectionism and how they have managed to overcome it.
- Online Marketing Made Easy – As a small business owner, marketing is something I have no choice but to do. I actually really enjoy it, especially learning lots of different techniques and keeping up with all the changes as social media evolves. Amy Porterfield is the host and I really enjoy her friendly, conversational manner.
I have a few other non-music therapy podcast favorites, including Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn, The Tim Ferriss Show, Serial, and Pregnancy Perfect (this one might only appeal to those of you sharing in my current condition!).
*Even though this post is about non-MT podcasts, I can’t not share at least a few MT-centered shows with you. Be sure to check out The Music Therapy Show with Janice Lindstrom, Urban Therapists: Music Therapy, Culture & More, Music Therapy Research Blog, The Music Therapy Round Table, and my new podcast, Guitars & Granola Bars.
