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."
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
