This Post Made Possible by Contributions From the Cleaning Fairies

I awoke with a jerk this morning around 4:00 a.m.  The first thought on my mind was the mounds of green beans still waiting to be broken and canned.  I then remembered the state of the kitchen.  I left it so undone that if my own mother showed up unexpectedly I wouldn't have allowed her through the door.  At that moment, I had a thought that I could just give the green beans away to a friend, a stranger, or an enemy.  I didn't care who got them, but I knew that I couldn't do everything that was before me for the day.  I went back to sleep only to wake again around 6:15 a.m.  I once again remembered the green beans and my decision to give them away, and then I panicked wondering what I would do if I couldn't find someone to take them off my hands.  I decided if I couldn't give them to a person I would share the loot with the cows.  My children and husband could never know of the deed since they also spent their time picking the beans from the garden.  I felt pretty safe that the cows wouldn't tell on me. 

With my plan fixed in my mind, I climbed out of bed dreading the chores that I had left undone all day yesterday.  I quickly dressed and headed slowly downstairs in search for a cup of coffee.  As soon as my foot hit the last stair, I noticed that the living room was put together.  The strewn blankets were no longer on the couch.  The shoes that had become an obstacle course were no longer in sight.  Then my eyes slowly glanced at the kitchen table.  It was spotless.  There were no remnants of last nights late dinner to be seen anywhere.  My counters were spotless too.  I then saw one of many garden baskets full of green beans that had all been broken and left as a gift.  There was a beautiful toilet paper bow tied on the handle, and a precious note left by my three cleaning fairies.

 One of my sons, who will remain nameless because he doesn't like anything that he does to be made public, and two of his friends stayed up late last night.  They sat on the front porch  and drank coffee.  This is something that happens almost every night at our home, but my husband suggested that while they sat and talked they could break a few beans.  After they broke ALL the beans, they came in the house and started cleaning.  I have waited all of my life for the cleaning fairy to show up, and quite frankly, last night was much needed.  Those boys couldn't have spent $1,000 on me and made me any happier than what they did for me last night.  The only negative about last night was that I was left with an eerie feeling...if those boys could break all the beans and clean the house without us waking up what might a burglar get accomplished while we slept?  Maybe we need to purchase a better watch dog!

grace and peace,
julie