I am going to confess on my very first blog that I am fascinated by the tv series of "Real Housewives of...(fill in the blanks)" I watch them with the fascination with which one would watch a terrible accident on the highway, and wonder, "Where am I?" This doesn't portray my reality at all. I don't live a multi-millionaire lifestyle in which my days are filled with sessions with personal trainers, the hiring and firing of my nannies, scheduling time for my mani/pedi sessions and botox injections, and maintaining a socialite status while creating a multi-million dollar business of my own.
My reality reads much differently. I live in a home in the country where I try to fit in the occasional 2 mile walk while homeschooling my 3 boys and struggling to whittle away the extra 20 pounds that I've packed on since I married my hubby over 12 years ago. I struggle with the insecurites of, "Am I challenging my children enough in their education?" "Am I being frugal enough?" "Am I feeding my family nutritious foods?" "Should I be contributing more to the family finances?" And on and on the voices in my head shout at me.
I find no inspiration in these televised women---warning, yes (Believe me, I now know that you can take plastic surgery toooooo far), but inspiration, no.
I find inspiration in the women who feed a family of 8-10 on a meager family budget, in the women who take ordinary items and make them extraordinary by putting them in just the right place in their home, in the women who patiently train their children into thriving, creative beings who know their place in the world. These women are you and me! We are the real housewives, or as I now label us, "The Authentic Housewives."
We are us. We have been created in an array of all shapes, sizes and colors, and are bringing life and light to our homes and gaining victory in areas that we struggle with daily. Each of us has a story to tell. Each of us is on a beautiful journey, and today I want to encourage you to live your life to its fullest. Recognize that only you can be the best mother to your children, the best lover to your husband, and the best you God created you to be.
Right now, I'm off to save the day by washing my hubby's best blue jeans so that he can wear them to work tomorrow....
Tell me about your inspirations and aspirations.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for writing this. Everything is so true. WE are the "Real Housewives". While putting a bandaid on a scraped knee and kissing away the hurt may not be exciting enough for a reality show, it is the most important part of our here and now.
I am totally and completely inspired by my own mother. She has been through so much with the three of us kids and is still SO STRONG!! She was always a very even-tempered and loving parent. She always had to be having fun with us, making up goofy songs and games to constantly keep us smiling and happy.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest thing for me to understand, though, is how she looks at me today and tells me how much better a mother I am than she ever was. She confessed that she never got her housework done because she was too busy playing with us! She also confessed that it was always SO hard for her to discipline us because she wanted to be "a good parent". She has told me that she is very proud of how well I discipline my daughter (and my son... soon enough). I have always told her that I feel like I'm being so mean and heartless, but she tells me not to worry. She thinks my kids are going to turn out better than her kids!! (I don't know whether to take that as a good thing or not... seeing as how I am one of her kids!) ;-)
I also look up to and turn to all of my close friends who have children now. It just feels so good to know that I have so many different women to turn to for a shoulder to cry on or advice that I need. Even though parenting is a partnering job that I share and cherish with my husband, I sometimes feel the need to turn to another female opinion, ya know??
Love how you pointed out how important the little things that we mothers/ housewives do for our families! Definitely puts things into a perspective I hadn't thought of yet. Thank you, Sarah!!!
I'm so glad you shared that about your mom, Nikki.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that we can encourage each other along this path of womanhood.