Up to my Eyes in School Supplies

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The past 2 weeks have been filled with getting school supplies for the boys.  I’m, unfortunately, not joking.  I don’t really know how to effectively communicate how different life is here sometimes. 

David, Andrew, and Johnny have each been given a long list of the supplies they will need for this academic year.  These lists always arrive home on different days.  Last year I learned that it’s best to wait until I have them all before making the trek to the librería. The lists do continue to arrive in their cuadernos de comunicados, but at least I was able to compile the main items.

Here is a partial example of some things we have needed to purchase:

• Cartuchera completa (A bag of pencils, pencil sharpener, scissors, glue, eraser, colored pencils, liquid paper)

• Un cuaderno de 24 hojas, con las hojas foliadas, rayado, forrado en naranja con alunares blancos, con rótulo con nombre (A 24 page notebook with numbered pages [I have to number them myself since they do not come this way], lined, hard back in orange with white polka dots [I have to cover it myself since, again, they don't come in this particular pattern], labeled with the child’s name)

• Ocho cuadernos de 48 hojas, rayados, perforados según las perforaciones de la carpeta tamaño monitor, forrados de color rojo, con rótulo con nombre.  Similar as the second request except with 48 pages, and red.  Again, this size of notebook doesn't come in red so we have to buy red paper to cover each of the EIGHT notebooks.

• Bolsita de higiene personal con una toallita, un jabón, pañuelitos descartables (A bag of personal hygiene with a washcloth, soap, and tissues)

The lists go on and on and I won’t bore you with the etc.  They are at a great school and so they have extra subjects like swimming, English, Music, Art, and PE.  Each of these subjects requires its own distinct covered, colored, numbered notebook.  Also, each book needs to be purchased at a specific book store. 

The librería (Nueva Kitty) close to our house has become a special place to me.  Seriously.  The owner’s name is Pato and we're friends now.  We hang out.  Over the staplers, glue, notebooks of all sizes, and colored paper.

Since we're intentionally homeschooling the boys in addition to their Spanish schooling, I literally feel like I'm up to my eyeballs with elementary school supplies and planning and children.  I'm thankful for the children part.  And truly, I'm very thankful that I'm able to make choices regarding their schooling. 

Like I said, I'm not always sure how to communicate the differences we experience on a daily basis.  Sometimes it's not a big deal.  Other times, I just get irritable.  Today I am leaning toward irritable....