I’m outlining one. Things are going to change in our house, in seven or eight weeks. I’m trying to figure out how it will all play out. Should probably stop doing that, since it’s a futile effort. There’s no way of knowing.

Until then, here’s how I’ve spent time:

I volunteered last week and helped staff the sole water station for the school’s two-mile “fun run.”  When I wasn’t dragging our very heavy hose through bushes to a nice neighbor’s water spout, or avoiding wasps, or filling and lining up dozens upon dozens of cups on a table, I was “tending bar” for thoroughly dehydrated kindergarteners (after the upper grades took all the pre-poured water).  At one point, filling my hundredth cup, I said, “I think this is harder than running.” I made some parents laugh. I was serious, though.

Last week I also helped out in my daughter’s art class. That was great: Hanging out with students, getting to know our daughter’s friends. Tomorrow I’ll read with students in my son’s class. I’m looking forward to that, too.

Our kids like to see me there, they like that their friends know who I am. “There’s M’s mom!” or “Are you D’s mom?” These kids look me up and down and study my face and ask what language I speak or tell me I look like their doctor… and it’s strange and goofy and I hope that with my presence, our kids end up somehow a bit more established in their new environment, a bit more rooted… It’s a delicious feeling:  Their comfort, their ease.

Our basement bathroom addition is done–or at least, there will be no more contractors in the house. I painted the bathroom (and the rest of the finished area of the basement) last week. My husband installed some fixtures. It’s ready to go, just needs a mirror over the vanity and some sealing of the tile work. I’ll schedule final inspections (FOUR!) next month. It’s a good feeling: to have finished this thing, to have made our home cozier and more user friendly.

Things are settling down and falling into place. My husband’s uncle will be here one night next week… and then two dear friends from our last hometown will be here for a weekend visit. Thanksgiving is just around the corner–there’ll be a hoard of people here. We can’t wait.

My husband will venture to South America for a week this month–and miss Halloween. That’s “his” holiday with the kids. He’s always taken them trick or treating, and this year he cannot. He’s not happy about that. He was in Italy last week and missed a couple of the karate classes he takes with the kids. (I’m no substitute, believe me.) He travels a lot in this new assignment — more than his last one. This kind of… sucks.

It gets old, him traveling all over the place, too busy to actually enjoy these places.. And me, hanging out by myself after the kids go to bed.

I’m pretty cool and all, but… yeah. It gets old.

So this new chapter I mentioned earlier? We’re on track to bring a new puppy to our home. Probably right after Thanksgiving.

I’ve never owned a dog before. Our family never had a pet like this (goldfish, frog… not the same thing).

I have no idea what I’m in for, aside from what I’ve read in books or what my husband can recall from growing up with a similar breed when he was a kid.

I won’t be hanging out by myself. None of us: We won’t be by ourselves for a good long time. You cannot get bored or housebound with a growing puppy who will soon reach 110 pounds. Your routine cannot get old when you are learning how to raise a dog by… raising the dog. Right?

We’re going to meet the puppies (there are ten in the litter) on Saturday. I am beside myself with excitement.