F. started first grade today at a brand new school. Brand new for him. Brand new for everybody. It was built over the summer and it is gorgeous! LEED certified; two floors; windows in every classroom; tons of natural light; technology lab filled with Macs; student garden. I’m so jealous. I wish I could go to school there. I told other parents that this morning at drop-off and they all laughed like I said something funny. I wasn’t trying to be funny. I seriously wish I was in elementary school.
In case you don’t know this about me: I’m kind of a big nerd. I LOVED school. LOVED it! I love back to school time and shopping for school supplies.
Last week, I came home from work and was totally devastated to see a box of school supplies that had arrived from Amazon. My husband, being the online shopper that he is (my engagement and wedding rings were both purchased from a retailer online, seriously), had ordered the supplies from the list I left on his printer. He thought he was helping, but he stole one of life’s pleasures right out from under me. I could look at pens and notebooks and highlighters for hours. I told you, I’m a nerd.
So the only school supplies I got to pick out were a “school supply box” and pocket folders. I had never even heard of a “school supply box” before, but luckily everyone else on the planet had. There was a huge box of them front and center at Staples. But it was picked over and the only colors left were pink and clear. So sad and boring to get a clear school supply box. I was disappointed with my the box. F., on the other hand, did not even notice. As long as it is not pink, he doesn’t care. Me? I’d pick the pink one.
Back to school time also means I get to pull out my super cool label maker. Do you have one of these things? If not, go out and immediately buy yourself one. You need it. Trust me. Everything is better with a neatly typed label. I added a label to the boring clear box and, voila, all better. This morning, I ironed labels on his lunch bag right before we headed out the door. So quick! So fun!
And so the school year begins.
F. happily sauntered into school with his buddies, leaving me on the curb with tears in my eyes hoping he was prepared to face the blackboard jungle with his number 2 pencils, his wide ruled paper and his name ironed into his underpants.
