Reasons to be grateful

This pregnancy-and-looming-parenthood thing would be a whole lot scarier if we didn'’t have our parents here to walk us through it. My folks spent the weekend in Austin, and their brief visit left me feeling a lot less nervous. We celebrated with Kristin and Joe, shopped for nursery furniture, and resolved various home entertainment/home computing issues. Our embabied friends have warned us that we will be under house arrest for the last month of the pregnancy (and most of the first year thereafter), so I’'m furiously working to make our cell as comfortable as possible. The living room, nursery and bathroom have been painted, and the office is next. Also on the home improvement list: install glass door in the living room (I’ve been talked out of installing a window); tear out corner cabinets in the kitchen; baby-proof the house; create a cramped-but-tolerable home office Anna and I can share. And finish my dissertation (not really a home improvement, but this will be a happier place when I'm done). Yet, I have a hard time feeling overwhelmed, not only because our folks have been so helpful, but also because Anna's doing so damn much that I'm in no position to complain.

For those of you who don’t know, Anna is a force of nature. She works a full-time job, is a music writer for feminist 'zines Venus and Bitch (record and live show reviews, band interviews, etc.), just launched her own music & activism website (GirlstownProductions.com, along with Austin’s other uber-gal, Kim - and don't miss the launch party), and she's on the Board of Directors of NARAL ProChoice Texas. Her résumé includes a master’s degree in English, two European tours and multiple albums as lead guitarist in an all-girl rock band (two bands, actually), and indispensable service to the Ladyfest Texas Collective that went well above and beyond the call of duty. Next week, she’s taking on the dreaded SXSW monster, armed with a press badge, photo privileges, and an armload of writing assignments. If it sounds like I’m in awe of her it’s because I am. She makes this shit look easy, and keeping up with her is whipping me into shape. So, no matter how hectic it gets, I have a hard time letting myself feel overwhelmed. And for that I'm grateful.