Discount Shoe Store

If I were to ask you the ONE THING... just ONE THING you are constantly asking everyone around your house to help chip in with "house maintenance", what would your one thing be? 

Truthfully, I would have more than one thing.  We have a "Family Chip in Schedule" that I typed up.  You should see it; boy is it pretty with all kinds of colors for each kid on each day with various chores to help 'chip in' with just well, life stuff; dishes, vacuum, laundry, feeding our fur kids.  When you look at it on paper, simple and easy things to do.  But what happens, as I think happens all too often in homes across America, Andy & I just end up doing everything ourselves due to hectic work schedules, sports schedules and DGR schedules.  SCHEDULES! SCHEDULES! SCHEDULES!!  That in itself is another blog post on how families can help keep things together and still smile through life.  Another post on another day. 

I digress back to my original question of your "one thing" (I am a talker, if you haven't figured that out and can totally go off on a different direction... stay here with me folks).  I am always joking with our family to put their shoes away in this lovely antique wardrobe when they walk inside our home.  All too often, I refer to this 'scene' as our own discount shoe store.  :) 

Best part - I got this beauty  for FREE!!  There she was one morning, sitting all alone next to the road.  Sure, she had some warping and was an aged wood.  But I took one look at her (and yes, I am STILL talking about our antique wardrobe here) and knew I had to have her.  I had to have apparently all nearly 100 pounds of her... They don't make things now a days like they did back this.  This beauty was solid wood, with antique spindle wood legs and dove-tail joints.  Swooning here!!  With a little chalk paint and elbow grease to secure up the inside, she was all ready to go.  Our new "Let's Put Your Shoes In Your Drawer" wardrobe.  I mean, it is right across the front door when you walk in the foyer.  Not difficult, right?  Each little lovey in our home has a wooden drawer inside the wardrobe for their own shoes.

But nearly every morning as I come bouncing down the steps, I see on the foyer floor this.... Our Own Greenville Road Discount Shoe Store!!!  

We got all kinds of shoes.... black sneakers, white sneakers, small sandals, big sandals.  You name it, we got it.

But I have to tell you...  One Saturday morning a few months ago, as I was coming down the steps, for some reason I stopped to look at the shoes.  To some, they are just worn, dirty sneakers and any other morning, I would either remind the kiddos to put their shoes away or sludge over and put them in their drawers myself.  But this particular morning, I don't know what was so different or what made me stop and look at the 'shoe store' differently, but I saw "my loves" right there.  They weren't stinky, dirty shoes anymore.  They were reminding me of how the night before we were out in the dirt, with the kids wearing those shoes, playing kick ball as a family.  They reminded me how the kids walked down the path to their grandparent's home next door, through the mud, to go swimming and the laughter that ensued as they jumped in the frigid pool water.  Or my husband's sneakers with grass clippings on to show how hard this man works for our family, smiling back at me as he is riding his lawn tractor (Which by the way... I always tell him I think his tractor is sexy, LOL!!  A little Kenny Chesney country music humor here).

Maybe I was having a 'mushy' moment but it is a moment I will never forget.

All too often I am overwhelmed at the thought of what needs to be done day in and day out at home... and I am the mom that has to remind each of the kids to put their clothes away, bring down their dirty laundry... list goes on & on.  I'm sure you are the same too..... we are all trying to raise good people here.  But the 'shoe store'..... I don't remind them anymore to put their shoes away.  I don't even think they have noticed that I stopped asking them.  Don't worry kids, this is one chore that I have covered for you... because each stinky, dirty shoe that I pick up & put back in their drawer puts a smile on my face as I wonder what will be the next happy memory they make wearing those dirty, stinky shoes.

Because before we know it... those shoes won't be so small anymore.

So, here's to all your dirty, stinky shoes you have lying around your house or whatever your "ONE THING" would be.  Hopefully after looking at it in a different light, doesn't seem to be "ONE THING" you mind doing for your family anymore.

Until next time.....
Jaime