"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your ... You've Got Mail
New dress, new shoes, and a school bag, were just the beginning to starting the school year out right. I remember my "first days" of school well. I think back to that 1st day of Kindergarten to last years of college, with the same butterflies, thoughts, and those new school supplies waiting to be used.
My "first days of school" included walking into a sparkling clean school. The dark linoleum square tile floors glistened, as if they had a thin glass layer on the surface. The windows so clean they looked like they had missing glass in their panes. The brass on the water fountains and fixtures gleamed. The peanut machine full of yummy salted peanuts, was in position in front of the main office. Filled and ready for anyone lucky enough to have a nickle.
As I would walk down the halls, an aroma of food being cooked in the basement cafeteria filled the air. I could barely contain my excitement as I entered my new class room, and the smells of new books, crayons, sharpened pencils, and pink pearl erasers, could be distinctly detected in the air. Thought I had died and gone to heaven, when the new pencils, eraser, and crayons were passed out to us. Our crayons had been labeled with our name, written in black magic maker across the top. In perfect teacher handwriting, may I add. I would inspect each pointed tip to make sure I had a perfect set. Picked up the soft pink eraser and turned it over and over to make sure it was smudge free. I would place each object inside my desk, just so. That was what I loved the most about school. No matter what happened the rest of the year, this was the day I remembered the most.
My children will testify to the fact that I carried this first day excitement on to their lives. Could hardly wait to take them shopping for school. I always took them to "Grand Central" after called "Fred Myers" (our old fashion "Walmart.") It didn't matter that these things were already provided for them, they still needed them. (Utah provided all school supplies for Elementary School.) Silly me, I know. Each child got to pick the things they wanted, and they were placed in their new backpacks. Ever ready for that "first day of school", when I would send them out the door.
To this day, I still find myself picking up a few things the start of the school year. I know, it is totally silly, but that is what I do. So as each of my grand kids start school this year, I still feel the excitement of years past. I don't interfere with my extra school supplies, but if I could, I would!
My new stash for this year...
May they have the best of memories of their "first days of school." I hope they have as much excitement over learning, as their grandma does over school supplies. They will do well, if they do!
