Desperate Housewives

Housewives are sometimes mistaken for lazy women who simply don't want to "work." If you are a housewife, then you don't hold a job. Your job is to stay home and watch soap operas. Right? You aren't out there earning your keep and contributing to society. And you must have TONS of time on your hands. You simply sweep a broom and load the dishwasher.

Housewives are becoming extinct because of this stereotypical impression society has placed upon them. Being a housewife is no longer a title held in pride; a position known to be very productive. You are no longer considered to be doing your part, or even ENOUGH, for your family if "all you do" is stay home all day....letting your husband do all the "work."

I'd like to dispel this injuring thought process. Being a housewife is one of the toughest, most noble positions in the history of time. Being a housewife is an honor and should be taken very seriously. It's not glamorous. It's not easy. It's not even fun some of the time. But it's worthy.

To answer that age-old question, "Do you work, or do you stay home?".....

If you see me on Sunday morning at church, you might noticed the slight smell of house-cleaning-spray I surely still have all about me. And, if my dress allows, you'll notice red, sore knees. Saturdays, I try to clean our floors. I also try to wash our HUGE dog. My whole body gets doused in a lot of different soaps and solvents and it takes a good 24 hours for it to finally disappear.


If you see me on Monday, you might notice my lack of motivation. It's not because it's Monday. I love Mondays. They are like a new page in a journal or the first day all the birds come back for Spring. New. Fresh. Mondays have an air of, "Okay, forget last week; we can do it RIGHT this week!" But since Sundays are so peaceful and restful, it takes my half-closed eyes and lazy smile a good 24 hours to perk back up.


If you see me on Tuesday, you will surely notice the smell of fabric softener and also my chipped, broken fingernails. Monday's the big laundry day. I catch up on anything that needs folding and put away; I wash anything that's "important" for upcoming events; I make sure everyone has the essentials for the week, etc... Material is very hard on fingernails. It softens them and softens them until, by the end of the day, they are cracking and breaking. It takes a good 24 hours for them to thicken and strengthen back up.


If you see me on Wednesday, you'll no-doubt notice I'm a little hunched over. Tuesday's clean-the-bathrooms day. My back inevitably goes out every time I scrub the bathtub. It's just part of the deal. It takes a good 24 hours for it to work the kinks out and straighten back up.


If you see me on Thursday, you'll see a smile on my face and might also notice my slightly blue fingernails. Wednesday is clean-the-kitchen day. I love a sparkling kitchen. I also use a Brillo pad that oozes blue cleaner. The pads do wonders on my cabinets and sink. But it takes a good 24 hours for me to get it all out from under my nails.

If you see me on Friday, you will see tiredness in my eyes and may notice that I favor my right arm slightly. Thursdays, I clean the living room and den. This involves three ceiling fans, lots of vacuuming, and moving the furniture around to get every little dust bunny. Being right-handed, I use my right arm to muscle the big stuff and lug the vacuum cleaner. It takes a good 24 hours to work out the soreness.

If you see me on Saturday, I will be winding down from a busy week. I may not carry any outward signs of busyness on Saturday, but there's a new inner-peace. Friday's clean the bedroom day. I always sleep better in a clean bedroom. It will take no less than 24 hours for it to need another straightening, but for that 24 hours, I am at peace.

I love being a housewife and I take that job-title very seriously. There are more times than I'd like to count when I've had to take "time off" of work for sickness, trips, school events, etc... Playing catch-up is stressful. I'm tired every day and EXHAUSTED every night. I seem always to miss washing someone's favorite something. The rooms I so lovingly scrub are always in need of a desperate scrubbing again before their day arrives in the week. But I love it. I thank God I'm a woman and that He allows me the responsibility of being a housewife. What an honor. What a joy!