After an extended hiatus from public digital platforms, a prominent childbirth educator and doula has re-emerged, sharing a candid account of the significant family and professional transitions that prompted her withdrawal and ultimately led to a relocation to Asheville, North Carolina. The multi-month pause, initially triggered by her husband’s academic career search and a subsequent cross-country move, evolved into a period of profound professional recalibration, as she sought to realign her digital presence with the foundational principles of humility and service inherent to her work. Her return marks not only a new chapter for her family in Asheville but also the imminent launch of a community-focused childbirth education program.
The Genesis of a Hiatus: Academic Ambitions and Geographic Uncertainty
The events leading to the educator’s absence began in March, when her family initiated the slow process of packing their renovated Victorian rental home in La Grange, Illinois. The impetus for this significant life change was her husband, Peter, who was on the cusp of completing two master’s degrees—an MFA in Film, Video and New Media, and an MA in Visual Critical Studies—from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. His graduation in May, accompanied by the prestigious William Merchant R. French Fellowship, signified a major academic achievement, but it simultaneously ushered in a period of intense uncertainty regarding their future residence. The family, including their children, faced the daunting prospect of a move without a predetermined destination, their ultimate landing spot contingent entirely on where Peter would secure a teaching position. While initial hopes leaned towards returning to their network of friends in Texas, specifically Denton or Austin, the realities of the competitive academic job market would soon steer them in an unforeseen direction.
The decision to temporarily cease blogging and managing her associated Facebook page was a conscious one, made as the mounting pressures of relocation began to intensify. The educator observed that her digital platforms, which were intended as tools for communicating her passions, were increasingly serving as a distraction or even an "escape/excuse from reality." In light of the significant personal uncertainties facing her family, she prioritized their immediate needs, allowing her online presence to take a backseat. This abrupt withdrawal, undertaken without prior announcement, was a deliberate choice to avoid any perception of seeking attention or affirmation for her professional continuation, reflecting a spontaneous and decisive approach to managing personal crises.
Navigating the Rigors of the Academic Job Market
The academic job market, particularly for graduates in the arts and humanities, is notoriously challenging, often characterized by intense competition for a limited number of permanent positions. Graduates frequently face a landscape dominated by temporary, visiting, or adjunct roles, which offer less security but serve as critical entry points into the profession. Peter’s pursuit of a teaching position exemplifies these challenges. Despite his dual master’s degrees from a reputable institution and a significant fellowship, the family’s summer was consumed by an arduous and often demoralizing application process.
After Peter’s graduation in May, the family immediately embarked on a two-day road trip to Arkansas, seeking refuge and financial relief by staying with the educator’s parents in a small town nestled within the Ozark mountains. This temporary arrangement allowed them to save money while Peter diligently submitted application after application. The educator, meanwhile, leveraged her skills by taking on freelance graphic design work to supplement their income. This period, from May through July, was marked by pervasive uncertainty. By the last week of July, despite Peter’s relentless efforts, a concrete job offer remained elusive, leaving the family in a precarious state of limbo.
The emotional and financial strain during this waiting period was considerable. The educator openly described experiencing heightened anxiety and regret over past decisions, such as leaving Denton or not prioritizing graduate programs with full tuition coverage. She grappled with the significant investment—both monetary and emotional—made in Peter’s education, contemplating the potential "what ifs" if these degrees did not yield the desired career outcomes. This period of intense stress profoundly impacted the family atmosphere, with the educator acknowledging a personal struggle to maintain resilient faith and an overall sense of bleakness. During this season of emotional depletion, the capacity for public blogging, particularly about personal difficulties, was entirely absent.
A Turning Tide: Florida Retreat and a New Horizon
Amidst the prolonged uncertainty, a pivotal moment arrived in the first week of August, when the family embarked on a much-needed vacation to Florida, generously sponsored by the educator’s parents. This family gathering, which saw her children meet her brother, his wife, and their cousins for the first time, along with her sister, created a rare and cherished opportunity for extended family connection on Anna Maria Island. The restorative power of the ocean proved immensely healing, particularly for the educator, offering a calming balm to her frayed nerves.
It was on the final day of this rejuvenating retreat that the long-awaited breakthrough occurred. Peter received a phone call offering him a position as a visiting professor at the University of North Carolina in Asheville. The offer was swiftly accepted, triggering an immediate and palpable wave of relief and excitement for the entire family. The educator likened the feeling to "winning the lottery," underscoring the immense pressure that had been lifted.
The acceptance of the position initiated a frantic scramble to relocate to Asheville in time for the academic year. The housing market in Asheville, known for its vibrant culture and competitive rental landscape, presented its own set of challenges. Peter, following a pattern from previous moves, traveled ahead to begin his new role, while the educator remained in Arkansas with their children, diligently searching for a suitable rental property through platforms like Craigslist. Four months later, by December, the family had successfully settled into a cozy craftsman cottage in Asheville. Their daughter, Zoe, was enrolled in preschool, while their son, Noah, remained home with his mother. Peter had successfully completed his first semester of teaching and expressed great satisfaction with his new role. The family, though missing their Texas friends, found Asheville to be a welcoming and wonderful new home, symbolizing the end of a tumultuous but ultimately triumphant transition.
Professional Recalibration: Reaffirming Core Values in a Digital Age
Beyond the logistical challenges of relocation, the educator’s extended break served as a critical period for professional introspection and recalibration. Even after settling in Asheville by late summer, she recognized a deeper need to delay her return to active blogging. This secondary phase of hiatus was driven by a desire to refocus her core motivations, to genuinely reconnect with what she truly valued about her roles as a doula and childbirth educator. She emphatically stated that her passion was not about cultivating a successful blog or Facebook page, nor about crafting "clever memes," but rather about something far more fundamental.
Her reflections touched upon a broader phenomenon within the burgeoning digital content creation landscape of the early 2010s: the potential for ego to infiltrate and distort professional purpose. She observed in some well-known bloggers a subtle "icky egotistical thing" manifesting as an underlying belief that their voice held paramount importance, especially among those with large readerships or significant social media engagement. Recognizing a similar insidious creep into her own Facebook posts, she experienced a strong aversion, describing it as a "blach. Barf. I hate that. Shake it off!"
This self-awareness prompted a deliberate retreat from the digital fray, a "run away!" moment, as she phrased it. Her objective was clear: to avoid ever perceiving herself "more highly than I ought to," and to resist the assumption of being an perpetual expert. Instead, she expressed a profound desire to maintain a "learning and humble" heart, fostering relationships with her audience as peers and fellow mothers, engaging in mutual support.
The Enduring Principles of Birth Support
The prolonged step back was therefore essential for the educator to return to the authentic "heart" of her profession. She reaffirmed that being a doula and birth educator is fundamentally about "support," "comfort," and "being present." It involves "equally wise and still" protection of the sacred space surrounding a woman as she transitions into motherhood. It is about actively "listening to others share their story," "protecting and participating," and the nuanced art of "showing and teaching, not directing and commanding." Critically, it is about "serving mothers and babies without promoting an image of self-importance." This period of introspection allowed her to "center my heart towards that purpose again" and to "detox from all the noise in my head," solidifying her commitment to these selfless principles.
Looking Ahead: A New Community Initiative in Asheville
With her family settled and her professional compass realigned, the educator is now poised to re-engage with her passion, focusing on teaching and writing. Her immediate future plans include the launch of a significant new initiative: a low-cost, six-week childbirth class, hosted directly in her Asheville home, commencing in late January 2014. This program, which she metaphorically describes as her "little metaphorical baby," underscores her commitment to accessible and community-based education.
The establishment of such a program in Asheville is poised to benefit local expectant parents, offering vital support and knowledge in a welcoming, intimate setting. Her return to teaching, grounded in a renewed sense of purpose and humility, represents not only a personal triumph over a period of intense challenge but also a valuable contribution to the maternal health landscape of her new community. Her journey, marked by academic job market pressures, cross-country relocation, and deep professional reflection, stands as a testament to the resilience required to navigate significant life changes while remaining true to one’s core vocational calling.
