I have been  married for 36 years to Gary Rude. We have six children between the ages of 29 and 12. We also added a son-in-law in 2001, a beautiful granddaughter in June 2003 and a handsome grandson in November 2007. We are a Christian family and that is the focus of all we do and who we  are. We have been home schooling our children most years since our eldest was in Kindergarten. The youngest is in public Jr. High this year.

I believe  midwifery is a calling and I feel privileged that God has directed me on this path. I trust in Jesus Christ for every birth and for each of the women I serve. I pray for each one and truly feel that I am a handmaiden of the Lord. He is so faithful to lead and direct in every situation and I praise Him for it.

I earned my  high school diploma in 1970 at Plainview High in West Texas.  I completed over sixty hours of pre-nursing courses at Stephen F. Austin State University,  University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University from 1973 through 1977.  I completed the Texas Department of Health Basic Midwifery Course and  Test in 1993, The Association of Texas Midwives Graduate Midwife Study Course in  1995, and apprenticed with midwife Deborah Perry from 1993-1995.  I am licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services and reapply every two years for relicensure.  I took and passed the NARM Exam in 1999 and am now a Certified Professional Midwife.

Between 1984 and 1993 I worked primarily in labor support as a Doula.  I worked with pregnant couples during pregnancy, labor, birth and early postpartum.  I attended the women at home during early and active labor, determined  the proper time to leave for the hospital, supported the laboring woman in the hospital and acted as her advocate for as natural a birth as possible.

From 1989 through 1993 I worked with several different midwives on an occasional basis, attending home births and assisting.

I began my three year midwifery apprenticeship with midwife, Deborah Perry in 1993, and began New Life Birth Services in 1995. I became a Certified  Professional Midwife in 1999 upon successful completion of the NARM (North  American Registry of Midwives) exam.

Personal

I have six children, the last three born at home with the help of a  midwife. My hospital experiences convinced me that there had to be a better way,  and there is! Home birth. My eldest daughter was born in 1978 and my youngest, a water birth baby, in 1995. We have three boys and three girls. Each is a joy and a gift from God.

Professional

I have attended over 500 births. Of these I was the primary midwife for 420 as of June 2007. I feel that to give each woman the time and care she needs and deserves, I try to limit my practice to about 4 births per month. I have experience with hospital births, home births and water births. The majority of my clientele take responsibility for their pregnancy and birth and opt for home birth, knowing that they would be transported to a hospital in case of a  true emergency as assessed by the skill, experience and knowledge of their midwife.