T minus 10 days

As I look around at the growing nakedness of my apartment, with boxes shoved anywhere they can be, it's starting to hit me...we're leaving in ten days. No longer are we counting months or weeks, but days. The movers come a week from tomorrow, and I feel like I still have a lot of packing to do, but I've also already done a ton. The good thing about starting this early has been that I've been able to get rid of a lot of stuff! I've hauled about 8 garbage bags of clothes and shoes to the Planet Aid collection box in the last two weeks alone. Add to that the 8-10 bags of papers that have been taken to the recycling and I'm feeling pretty good about the way I'm going about this move.

Last time, we were stuck at the last minute having to just dump whatever I thought we couldn't live without for the time it would take the movers to get to us, but ended up that it wouldn't fit in our car...that's even after we'd purchased a gynormous sky box, which will soon make it's way from loft to the lofty heights of the freestyle again.

While I'm on the verge of tears when I think about what we'll actually be leaving, the prospect of a new home, new places to explore and some permanency are really exciting. To get even more excited, I decided to start nailing down the details of the room in our new home that will be priority Numero Uno; H and Charlie's room. With each box we pack and picture we take off the wall, I can feel H's anxiety rise. When I loaded his dresser into the car which I planned to deliver to someone via craigslist sale after dropping him at pre-school on Friday (his last day of school, no less) I thought he was going to lose it.

I explained that this dresser had just been temporary, but that we were going to use Daddy's dresser in his room because it was bigger, would be painted a cool color, etc. Then we got to start talking about the coveted robot sheets, which he drools over each time the Land of Nod catalogue is delivered to our house. Today, I bit the bullet and ordered them. I also called a Walla Walla furniture store, Walker's Furniture, after finding a great bunk-bed set that can be separated to two twins until H and C are old enough to make the climb. They were nice enough to hold the sale price for us, since we won't order them until next week.

Next up, paint colors. With a light grey (Gentle Rain) base, there will be a center section around the room with fun, bold stripes in Dragon Fire, Southern Blue and Utah Sky. Of course, H can't live without the Ugly Dolls that are pictured in the bed as throw pillows.

I hope that having a fun bedroom will help to make the transition less sad, although I know full well that material things won't take the place of friends it will, at the very least, make him understand that this is his home, and not some temporary resting place.

Last up, but very big news for our family, is that we're going to be making a new addition in August. No, silly, I'm not pregnant! That would give me the gestation period of a dog...which, coincidentally is exactly what we're getting! Since this is my first dog, I'm so excited that we have what I feel like will be the perfect opportunity. We'll be inheriting my girlfriend's seven year old lab, who is an awesome dog. H has been asking for 'a black labrador' for a long time, so I'm really, really looking forward to it.

I've been obsessively reading websites about incorporating an older dog into your family, introducing your children to a pet, and balancing all that will come with having a canine member of the family. I fully admit that I will be learning as I go but, as with having my kids, I'm as ready as I'll ever be! Will there be frustrations and imperfections? Yes. Will I take a little bit to get over myself and my gross-out factor with animal hair? Absolutely! But the most important thing to me is that I'm genuinely excited, and looking forward to having that something added to our family that fills the house with affection, a standing date with a leash as I'll have someone counting on my to move my booty every single day and, yes, a responsibility that keeps you grounded to your home-base.

At the very least, I'm sure my adventures in doggy-rearing will provide some very entertaining blog-fodder.