"I looked in Mommy's purse..."

Most places I go, someone comments to me, "I love your purse!"  This always brings me an inward laugh as I thank them for the compliment before moving on.

The evolution of my handbags.

Fashion escapes me.  John has never cared and likely prefers that I not be spending readily on clothing and accessories.  Yet there is one area of this lack of style that did need improvement in his eyes.  Early in our marriage, John announced that I should never again select my own handbag again.  In future either my mother or himself should do that for me. 

Fine with me.  It never mattered anyway as long as it suited my purposes.

When Riley came along and I was spending a great amount of time in hospitals and doctors' offices (yes, even more than now), I carried a tiny wallet sized purse on a long strap.  This was a stylish, I assume, Brighton bag gifted to me by my mom.  It suited me as I never carried much and didn't want anything in my way as I carted Riley around.  It did not even have room for my car keys which dangles from my pocket or the phone shoved in the back of my jeans.

Years later, my mother decided to replace this bag with a dark red leather backpack style handbag.  This bag, goes everywhere.  I sling it over my back or the wheelchair and stuff every necessity and list possible deep into the main pocket.  Occasionally, I will treat the leather.  Somehow, this has become the ultimate mommy purse which swallows up everything.  I do not even remember the designer name though I am certain it is a popular one and well made.

For two months I blamed my husband for the loss of our camera lense cover.  He looked everywhere.   Even admitted (as a good husband should) he had it last.  One day when cleaning out my purse, it was found in the bottom of my purse.... story continues.... Ronan lost his pencil sharpener for over a week (driving us all crazy looking for it).  Jokingly John said to Ronan "Check mommy's purse".  About an hour later Ronan whispers in John's ear "I looked, it wasn't in mommy's purse"

The new school year for Lee County begins this coming Monday.  The organizing and shopping has been complicated.  I do not take Riley out more than necessary, errands are especially avoided for obvious reasons.

Somehow I have managed to gather the majority of the required supplies for Ronan; Riley's list definitely needs work.  Ronan and I surveyed his pile comparing it to his list received from the school.  Some things needed attention and organizing, among these was  "sharpened pencils."  I instructed Ronan to locate his manual red pencil sharpener and sharpen his school pencils.

"Where is the sharpener?" Ronan asked.

This seemed obvious to me, "Check your desk and the pencil box where you keep it."

"It's not there.  I looked everywhere."  I refuse to replace something we already possess.   This was an unsatisfactory answer and over the next several days we searched for the missing bright red sharpener.


All this summer we have also missed a camera lens cover.  For two months I blamed my husband for the loss of our cover.  He looked everywhere.   Even admitted (as a good husband should) he had it last.  One day when cleaning out my purse, it was found in the bottom of my purse.... meanwhile the search for the pencil sharpener continued (driving us all crazy looking for it).  Jokingly John said to Ronan "Check mommy's purse".  About an hour later Ronan whispers in John's ear "I looked, it wasn't in mommy's purse."

So, I have become the massive purse toting mommy.  Who else have I yet to discover through my sons' eyes?

We are all special... by Stacie Wiesenbaugh