Last week I finished up my clerkship, the final placement of the MEP. This morning I wrote the first part of my final exam. It still hasn't fully sunk in yet that I'm done. It's always still seemed so far away, and now suddenly, it's happening. It sneaked up on me when I wasn't paying attention. I'll write the Canadian Midwifery Registration Exam in May, become registered, and will hopefully be working as a Registered Midwife by the fall. It's been a long haul getting here. It's been six years since I first started thinking seriously about midwifery, though my interest had been developing for years. The last four years have been some of the hardest and most rewarding of my life. They have been full of stress, anxiety, challenges, frustration, doubt, second-guessing, heartbreak, tears and ridiculously long days. But they have also been full of learning, elation, excitement, empowerment, love, laughter, confidence and success. I feel incredibly blessed and fortunate to be on this path. To have found something I love and to be able to do it. I feel eternally grateful to the women and families, the midwives and clients I've met along the way who have taught me that women are strong and that birth is beautiful. Who have helped me learn how to trust birth. I am also thankful for everyone who has loved and supported me through this journey: my wonderful family, friends old and new. To all of those who listened to my stories and frustrations. To those who let me cry and shared my tears. I feel honoured and humbled to be joining one of the oldest vocations on the planet, and to be following in the footsteps of wise women throughout history.

"This work we have done all the length of history. We were there in every place, in every language. Doing this work back through all the days and nights and centuries of history." Whitson