Movin' up

We have waiting list movement! The #1 family on the waiting list has officially accepted the referral of their baby, so I've moved up from #3 to #2 on the list. I have no idea how long the wait will be from here, but at least there's tangible progress.

In the meantime, I caved in and started to purchase baby equipment. My practical reason for starting on the purchases is to space out my expenditures a bit. Of course, it's exciting and fun to start getting things ready too.

I now have a beautiful crib purchased on eBay. It converts to a toddler bed. I also have a brand spankin' new car seat. I went for one with "infinity slide" shoulder straps that can be used facing forward or back, for 5lb to 50lb kids.

I figured those are things I'll need whether the baby is 1.5 months or 1.5 years old. (At this point, anywhere in that age spectrum is a possibility.) Once we find out the age of this little tyke, I'll start asking those of you with small kids lots of questions about what I should be purchasing for that age and beyond. My buddy Matt has already made me aware of the importance of diaper pails and baby washcloths. Message received.

It's been a busy few weeks since I checked in last time. I've been sick for nearly 3 weeks now. I think the original bronchitis is finally starting to go away, but now my allergies have flared up with a vengeance. I can't catch a break! School started last week, so I'm busy getting used to my fall teaching schedule. We started labs with the freshmen this week, so we're officially now in full swing.

I'm also working with Pearson/Prentice Hall [publishers] and am writing a freshman-level historical geology textbook for them. The acquisitions editor said she really liked my first chapter and is looking forward to reading more. The prospectus, table of contents, and first chapter go out to about 50 reviewers next week if all goes well.