Lived To Fight Another Day Or Buy Another Pencil

You would think we were celebrating a holiday.  The floor and furniture look like a small office supply store blew up on them. It's school supply time.

I'm doing okay. I've gotten all but two things on their supplies lists. I didn't want to do it though.  I suppose I should explain.

I sincerely hate shopping for school supplies. I mean I have an actual physical reaction to the thought of it. My stomach gets queasy,  I get an underlying sense of nervousness.  It's not good.  

I usually try to do it in one big swoop. I go in with a plan of attack,  supply lists in hand,  bracing for the onslaught of other parents who are also in search of one red, plastic,  folder, with two pockets and metal prongs. It must have prongs! It must be red!

It wasn't too bad in the beginning.  When it was just for Tori. Back then she had color coordinated, perfectly labeled everything.  Now, with two kids, I feel like I'm on this horrendous scavenger hunt where the outcome determines how my kids will fare in class and life. I know it's illogical, a little irrational but seriously if you don't have a kid you are trying to, "GET ALL THE SCHOOL STUFF!" for you just won't understand. 

If you don't have a kid I challenge you to go stand near the school supply section in any retail store within the next few weeks.  I guarantee you will start to feel a residual sense of nervous dread.

People will walk about aimlessly, they sigh in exasperation over needing two packages of pencil top erasers only to find one and hear from the sales person that, "those are on next week's truck." There is a quiet desperation to the whole scene.

The kids of course think it's great.  They love everything!  The problem is that they have to give you specific details about what they do and don't want from EVERYTHING. 

I actually now refuse to bring the girls with me when I get the stuff.  The bickering over who will get the last pink notebook and their second guessing and questions over whether or not I'm getting the right item is just too much.

So now I just plan my attack and get in and out as best I can,  hoping not to forget anything.  Then I head home where the second battle,  the great supply sort of 2016 or what have you, then commences. I only hope nothing is lost in the shuffle of scattered plastic bags.

Like I said,  so far so good this year.  Just two things left. It's been a good battle.  I even got extra points for my choice of the poop emoji composition book for Gabs and a locker light for Tori. I lived to fight another day, to buy another pencil.  I survived school supply time!