The tell-tale sign of how much activity is going on in my house is determined by the pile of shoes. Yes, shoes.

At any given time, there could be anywhere from 10- 40 pair of visitors’ shoes.  Men, women, boys and girls.  Boots, sneakers, Chuck Taylors, Timberland and Nike.  Seeing the shoes makes me smile.

This holiday break, I experienced a slight flux in shoe appearances, and scenes of things to come.  Jack was in Germany from December 26^th thru January 8^th, returning in time to see Alabama win the championship, Roll Tide! Only one pair of sneakers appeared in the mud room.

Amelia was home for break spewing shoes up to including three pair of winter boots/shoes. Now, with both of them here, I see seven pair of shoes and boots.  Amelia leaves tomorrow and the pile will dwindle down once again to just Jack’s shoes. Chip and I leave a small foot print of shoes, pardon the pun.

Over the years,

• I have seen 40 pair of shoes, more than half from the German exchange students visiting us in the U.S.
• In the morning when I come downstairs on a Saturday or Sunday, I count the pairs of shoes sitting by the front door, so I know how many kids spent the night in my basement.
• Miscellaneous shoes have appeared on the front walk which meant someone drove home that night shoe-less.  (She shall remain nameless!)
• One of Jack’s friends, working hard to keep up with the pack, threw me for a loop leaving only one shoe…. he was on crutches and in a boot.
• Over the years, we have had Christmas parties with upwards of 70 pair of shoes and no one left with the wrong shoes. However, one year, someone did take the wrong coat….and never returned the scene of the crime to come clean.

And now the times have changed.  Amelia lives in a house with roommates and when I go in her back door, I see shoes!  Shoes that are now telling a tale in her life.

Soon, Jack will be at the University of Alabama, in a suite with 3 other guys… and their shoes. Better not be too many pair of visitor shoes in the morning!

God willing, Chip and I will one day look at a pile of shoes at our back door and see our grandchildren’s sneakers, Crocs and flip flops.  I look forward to that “shoe smile”!