I perceive myself to be organized. I mean, I think I'm kind of on top of things most days. I've the calendars, notes and lists that demonstrate and scream 'organized.'
Yeah, not always.
If you look at the precious, little, perfectly sized entry way table, you would see stacks of school supplies. There's a beautiful pewter bowl from Mexico holding some, too. And, the monogrammed back packs and matching lunch boxes are on the hooks above the table.
Appearances can be deceiving. Because when you do a quick compare of the school supplies in my home to the list provided by the school district, you will notice a missing item. Four of them.
Red grading pencils. We need two each. We need four.
After visiting three Targets, a Walgreens and an HEB, we've batted zero. These things don't exist.
I should celebrate the finding of all the other items and making the purchase under $50. (Thanks to my sister-in-law and a $50 Target gift card -- the supplies were 'free.') Now, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I did look really hard and far into that horse's mouth to see if there were a few red grading pencils hiding in there. Nah.
The following lists what we were able to buy in one shopping trip to Target. Remember, I've doubled the number because I have two children needing to be supplied up on day one of third grade.
48 number 2 pencils
2 boxes of 24-count Crayola crayons (none of those HEB or Target brands)
2 pair of 5"-pointed Fiskar scissors (again, with the brand name)
4 wide-ruled 70-page composition books (wide-ruled is another challenge to find when you are shopping late in the game, such as two weekends before school starts)
8 spiral notebooks
2 packages of 9"x 12" assorted, loose construction paper
2 boxes Crayola classic broad-tip washable markers (quick reminder there are about 15 variations of markers -- brights, neons, glitter and watercolor among them)
12 pocket folders with brads -- different colors (thankfully, I consider black and white colors because there are only so many colored pocket folders with the freakin' brads)
8 glue sticks (no brand requirement -- we went Target brand because well, cheaper)
2 plastic supply boxes 9" x 6" x 2" (yeah, specific measurements to hold pencils and the precious Crayolas)
2 packages of 12 count colored pencils (No brand requirement? No color requirement? Can you imagine the impact of varying brands and colors?)
4 packages wide-ruled notebook paper (again with the wide-ruled)
2 2" 3-ring binders -- no Trapper Keeper (right, we're spending that kind of money?)
2 sets of 8-tab dividers (conveniently and more frequently packaged in sets of five)
4 boxes 200-count non-scented Kleenex tissues (the brands, the brands)
Please know, we had a few supplies left from last year . . .a package of the loose construction paper, a composition book, a box of brand-name crayons, three pocket folders with the dang brads and two packages of the notebook paper. We also had to supply two rulers and yes, we had those from last year. In fact, I think one is from when Chris was in elementary school. Rulers last.
We did struggle with finding two bottles of 8-oz glue, but our babysitter stumbled upon them one day and scooped them up for us. Whew. Those first-day projects might not have been finished.
Then, there's the red pencils. Where or where are you red pencils?
Throughout the school supply finding and gathering, I've been putting a few things aside for Chris' new apartment in Lubbock. Remember, I'm organized. I had his bed linens and his bathroom supplies -- towels, bath mats, over-the-door hooks for the towels that really won't ever hang up but there is opportunity as indicated by the hooks -- all in those vacuum-sealed up bags. I even had the soap dish and toothbrush holder gently wrapped as to prevent those $1.99 items from breaking.
But where was the shower curtain and the shower curtain hooks. I mean I tore up looking in bags and cabinets. I even had my guys go into the attic because I just knew those two random items were up there in some kind of bin or bag.
Uh, no. I found them. They were deep inside one of the vacuum-sealed bags.
I've been worried about the shower curtain. Not because it was expensive or even a fancy design. It was a kids' shower curtain with a fish design. Chris liked it and because the fish were yellow, orange, light blue and gray, it added a bit of color to his gray towels, gray bath maths, gray soap dish and gray toothbrush holder.
I'm worried because I'm not going with Chris to Lubbock to help him move into this new apartment. It's furnished, so we don't need another car to haul up furniture. He's moved into an apartment before, so there's really nothing new to do except learn a new address and figure out what it is like to live with three roommates and not just one. The dishes, pots, pans, lamps and wall hangings have already been purchased and will be re-used this year. No need to buy new or help organize.
Remember, I'm an organized organizer.
I'm also a mom who wants to hang her son's shower curtain in his new apartment.
I'm not sure he knows how to do that. I don't think he knows how to hook the hooks on the bar and then thread the curtain through the hooks. I mean, these hooks.
I know there is probably a You Tube video or better yet, I know he is perfectly capable of hanging a shower curtain. But, I want to hang it.
He said it was my choice to go help him move in to his apartment. He said he was fine. He said he could do it and it was a long drive for us.
(sigh)
(sigh)
(tear)
Proverbs 22:6 is the verse that so many quote -- 'train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.'
He's not old yet, OK. And, just a few chapters over, there's a lot of verses about the wife of a noble character. So, there isn't a reference to hanging shower curtains or hunting down school supplies, but there are verses on her role. A role that is one to shoot for as long as it isn't being done just to be done or prove out worth, right?
It's about first and foremost, fearing God and demonstrating wisdom. All the work, the spinning of cloth, the getting up early and sewing are simply works. And, we all know what works get you . . . plain ol' tired.
We moms really want to be full of joy as we watch our children grow. We want that reassurance that we have trained them and we want them to arise and call us blessed (Proverbs 31:28).
We want to know that they know how to best use red grading pencils -- gently but firmly -- and that they know how to hang a shower curtain.
'Listen my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.' Proverbs 23:19
Godspeed little man on that path.
Godspeed on hanging that shower curtain.
Godspeed.
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