What would you wish for from the Diaper Genie?

There is a car seat and a diaper changing pad in the corner of our upstairs room at the house...the first signs of baby, who will be joining us in (hopefully) less than 6 weeks. Granted, we're still a little fuzzy on how to work either of these items, but figure that's why our calendars are wide open beginning in September. New words are entering our vocabulary these days too...like exersaucer, bouncy chair, diaper genie, and pack-n-play. We ask ourselves what it's all for...millions of years of babies coming into the world without a vibrating bed or boppy pillow, and they somehow made it to healthy adulthood. Give a baby the newest toy, and they'll still reach for the measuring cups instead. That'll be our guage - help keep the perspective.

I had a dream that we had a baby girl with a head of bushy black hair. I was also approached by two strangers in two separate situations on the same day last week - both of them gave me the unsolicited prediction that I would have a boy. Charis had a vision of our wild, curly-haired daughter. Chris comes from a long line of boys-only families. Dreams and visions and predictions...we love the anticipation of this biggest life surprise. That our child will be raised by a tribe of family and friends only makes his/her arrival more exciting.

This summer is breezing by with hardly as much time spent at the farm as Chris and I had hoped. We know it's just a matter of weeks before we're out there full-time as well, but during this lush season, that's the only place I want to be... as long as the inner tubes are inflated and the river calls. In my restless sleep last night, I dreamt we were all tubing cross-country! I've been reading Huckleberry Finn and maybe feel more of an affinity for his river raft life with Jim than I realize.

Chris and I are readying the Minneapolis house for sale in August. Projects to finish up and some packing & deep cleaning to do before we put it on the market and before baby comes. Know anyone looking for a darling bungalow in the Twin Cities? We will keep the house through the fall for a slow transition to farm, but are really hoping to have a buyer by end of August/early September.

Though we haven't been living at the farm as much as we'd have liked this summer, many visitors have been welcomed there - it is so heartening to know that and begin to fill the calendar in the coming months with the names of more friends and family. Come see us! Come meet the littlest Newhouse! We want to hear your stories and life news...or just challenge you to a few Scrabble games or ping pong tournies in the barn.

We'll keep you posted with baby news. In the meantime, pray that Chris doesn't fall off the ladder painting the house trim, and that we are able to unload our piles of unwanted junk at our family garage sale. Big goals for August, eh?

Puss och kram,
Becca

p.s. Happy Birthday Corrie! Happy Anniversary Christa and Dave!