What Happened to All the Windex?

I have noticed that my laundry piles are multicolored now that Noah is no longer in school uniforms. Forever, it seemed I washed whites and grays, grays and whites, and a lot more whites. Now there is a rainbow of colors and my sorting the laundry has become more challenging as well as the laundry cycles.

Noah is loving the fact that he can wear play clothes to school and also save the black soled shoes for Sundays. His tennis shoes are getting the most wear. They are sketchers with little lights that flash when he takes a step. I hope it is not a distraction in the classroom.  He insists that these shoes help him run extra fast.  Most often, they are strewn in the middle of the floor after school. I am constantly on Noah and Rick to put their things away. My laundry, an array of colors, my home, an array of clutter...Noah's clutter, my clutter, Da Vinci's clutter, and Rick's clutter.  It is enough to make me bonkers.

The other day, Noah asked where I had placed the Windex. I told him it was left in the Master Bathroom (Hint to Rick: It's okay to follow through and clean the bathrooms today) When he came down with the Windex in his hand, he said rather disgustingly..."What happened to all the Windex?" Wouldn't I like to know? It didn't appear that any one was using it at our home. Noah sighed, "This will have to do."  I was thinking, " Yea, my little boy is going to clean the TV, alas."  I kept busy working on a few of my own piles.

Noah asked me to shut my eyes. He had a grand surprise for me. I did as requested and there in the center of the family rooms was a roll's worth of paper towels. Two sheets were spread nicely on the carpet and each of his sketcher light up tennis shoes, had been placed strategically for show. Noah had worked hard on getting those shoes to sparkle...to radiate cleanliness. The Windex, now empty, was used as the magical polish to clean those shoes. I had never thought to use Windex to shine my shoes. It is an all purpose cleaner. The TV still thick with dust and smudges, would have to wait until another time. Though I hoped for a sparkling TV, the smile on Noah's face was enough to brighten any room. He was so proud of the time and effort he put into shining his shoes.

His shoes were clean and life was good for him now.

What I learned from Noah: Shiney Shoes equals happy boy. Windex equals shoe shines. Empty Windex bottle equals no housework :)

Amazing Grace

Just when you think you are at your ends rope, Amazing Grace ties you a knot so you can hold on for one more day. Amazing Grace happens to be the loving HARTS and the helping hands of my parents.   They have served me the whole of my life--even when I was on top of the world, they had a way of finding that little something to make my life even better...but now when times are tough for many, and the Golden Years have greeted them, I find their service even more endearing. It is I that should be serving them.

On more than one occasion, the cupboards have been bare, the pantry scarce, and the fridge lonely and cold, yet we have known no want for food. Amazing Grace arrives in the nick of time and a grocery cart of food finds a place on our empty shelves.

Amazing Grace places extra dollar bills in the strangest of places-- a bit of cash here and a bit of cash there. Sometimes it is slipped in the wallet, sometimes in a book or a card and sometimes...well, it is like magic. Noah is my living testament that Grandpa can blow a coin out of your ear and a credit card out of Grandma's ear:) If I hadn't seen it myself, I never would have believed it.

Amazing Grace appears on our doorstep, "We were just wondering if the Groendykes would like to join us for a bite to eat..." It is always an adventure and every act of kindness is served with a warm smile.

Amazing Grace has filled up my gas tank, wiped my counters, purchased medications, helped me can peaches, paid for appointments and dusted my TV.

Amazing Grace has provided the very books in which bring about such joy and distraction in moments of challenge. So today, Noah and I are busy doing homework. I haven't had a chance to shower yet and the table is still cluttered. I sigh and think to myself "cereal or top ramen?" Noah leaves the table and I am kind of annoyed. I just want to finish up with school work. I hear an interesting noise brush against the carpet. Noah appears with a styrofoam box.Yes, Amazing Grace had been at our door yet again. When Noah opened the box, he shouted for joy "Grandma and Grandpa sent me my very own set of knives." (He has a fixation with sharp objects--eek!!!)  There was a a knife set atop several frozen Omaha Steaks and Hamburgers, Gourmet Hot Dogs, and Potatoes too. Who knew that one could even receive such dignified, classy and quality frozen dinners in such a clever fashion? All I know is that because of Amazing Grace, my manly man will get a manly man's dinner of steak and potatoes...

I bring this up for one reason and one reason only, that Amazing Grace (my Father and Mother) will see and know the delight of their service and so that we, as the receivers of such kind deeds, can be Amazing Gracious.

What we have learned:  Amazing Grace is my Father and Mother...Noah's Grandma and Grandpa Hart...our dearest friends.