more on Moms Rising, and- Houston, we have a NAME!

I'm getting excited to meet this little one. I've loved being pregnant, which I know isn't how it always is. So I'm really grateful for my mellow, healthy experience. It's been amazing already-- I feel like pregnancy has taught me a lifetime's worth of lessons in 37 (going on 38) short weeks. I can look back and see how my views and emotions around motherhood have changed-- how my views of *myself* have changed. I've become a lot more happy to be who I am, not longing for who I want to be in a few years. Ironically, in relaxing into that, I'm finding that opportunities have been emerging in great ways.

For example, I've been working with Joan Blades to volunteer for her new organization, MomsRising. I told her what I think about the concepts of Safe Motherhood and my interest in one day supporting mothers in conflict areas. So exciting to get to join this organization on the ground floor- I think it's going to do great things. Just last week, she and Kristin (co-writer of the Motherhood Manifesto were in Washington DC, presenting the film version of the book to Sens. Obama, Clinton, Dodd, and others. Not just their staffers, but the Senators themselves. Very exciting to have the ear of Congress for such an important and truly wide-ranging topic.

Oh yeah- we have a girl name picked out!! We have two boy names chosen, but could NOT find a girl name we both loved. But we've finally come up with one, and it's not Mink Blister (our late-night fits-of-laughter choice). It's FANTASTIC. Not trendy, not overly popular, but not unrecognizable or difficult to say or spell, and with a great nickname. It's pretty, strong, clean, versatile. I can't wait to share it (and pics of the new one)! Less than a month now!