Because my first initial is p and my last name is roper, I often combine the two to become proper, which it is sometimes nice to be. Basically, I’m just a small-town girl at heart having been born (Mt. Shasta City) and raised (McCloud) in the foothills of Mt. Shasta, Siskiyou County, Jefferson (aka California). I have also lived in Provo, Utah, the Four Corners area of New Mexico, Hubbardston, Massachusetts, and the Panhandle of North Idaho (Bonners Ferry, Moyie Springs, Mt. Hall, Naples). There is beauty to be found both in the people of these places as well as the natural surroundings.
I have eight children, Alisha, Laura, Joanna, Daniel, Amena, Cedric, Seth, and Joseph, ten grandchildren, and three cats. Alisha was born in the hospital when I was just 18 years old and less than two hours after having arrived. I was to have been scheduled for a cesarean but she popped out so quickly there was no time for such things. Due to these circumstances, I began to question the logic of what we have come to accept as normal and commonplace for birth and when the opportunity came to have Laura at home, I took it. Joanna and Daniel were also born at home. Amena was born at our midwife's office/birth center because at the time we lived about an hour from the nearest hospital and our midwife was not comfortable with that in the event of an emergency. Cedric was born in the van on the side of the road in our attempt to reach the same office/birth center. Seth and Joseph were born at home.
As my mother lives with my three youngest and me, we have become a multi-generational family which is nice but certainly challenging.
I like history and learning about the old ways of doing things even as I appreciate modern technology. I believe that humans have the capacity to do so much more than is currently being done and that we sell ourselves short because we lack the ability to properly see and act upon our potential. I believe that more is not always better (in fact, the opposite is often true) and that just because we have the ability to do something doesn’t mean we should.
As a former consumer of midwifery care, I became interested in midwifery care from a provider point-of-view sometime between the births of my two youngest, and began the journey to becoming a provider a few years later. As part of Massachusetts Midwives Association Midwifery Course, I took the toLabor doula training, and then again as a refresher. I’ve also taken the Birth Arts International (BAI) doula training and am currently certified through BAI. I am also CPR and NRP certified and have been certified as a phlebotomist.
I graduated from Midwives College of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery in 2023 and am a North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) Certified Professional Midwife and Idaho Licensed Midwife.
Aside from all things birth related and my family, I love gardening, letterboxing, knitting, sewing, making soap, hiking, Renaissance Faires, etc., etc., etc., and have a soap and period clothing business: Valkyrie Soapworts & Cladas.