I know you girls know this story already (since I have been kvetching about it) but it keeps bugging me. Your father was on his yearly elk hunting trip with his buddies. They are all enjoying stew or was it chili, maybe cookies, anyways one of the guy’s wife made it. All of these men’s wives work. I am the ONLY stay at home wife. As they ate and chatted, this came up. See I do not make food for your dad to take with him. It is not that I am opposed to making food; it is just that he has never asked me to. To be honest I never even thought about making anything, his hunting trips are sort of his thing.
Well these gentlemen, one in particular, intimated that I am home all day, what the heck am I doing? Their wives all work and cook for them (probably grocery shopped for them too), so what was my excuse? It is not like I have a real job. Of course this has needled at me. It is hard that society does not think much of homemaking, that something only has real value unless it earns cash.
So what is my job? My job is to make you unique breakfast-in-bed on your birthday, my job is to hide your Easter basket (for the Easter Bunny of course) filled with really good dark chocolate (no junk), my job is to keep the freezer full of four different types of whole grain muffins (akk, I need to work on that), my job is to sprinkle glitter over the reindeer food on Christmas Eve after they ate it, my job is to love you to death (really to death because I will probably be the death of you!!). My job is priceless and nobody could afford me anyways. Remember to do what you love. Let that love bless other whether it makes money or not. You are priceless and so is what you do xoxo
Don't you just hate it when someone judges you when they don't even know you?
I do!
Great post! I can relate totally.
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Posted by: Jill | 01/14/2011 at 10:24 AM
I also meant to say....
If you're like me and just can't quit thinking about what the guy said, then I think you should make him a batch of cookies and deliver them in person with a big smile on your face!
Posted by: Jill | 01/14/2011 at 10:32 AM
yeah...that is messed up...Your day is full, heck I am sure your man loves you and appericiates all you do at home for the family... I am sure you do wayyy more than thes working wives....People are so blind, let them be blind...only you and God knows that aint the truth.Homemaking is a true job..we get paid with our children raising up and saying...Your blessed. I love ya Clarice..your a wonderful wife and mother...I can tell the last several years knowing you here. Never mind the ignorant....It's not worth the time to feel hurt from it. Stand tall my dear friend. You are surely BLESSED!!!! Hugs,Mica
Posted by: Mica | 01/14/2011 at 02:36 PM
Clarice,
It is amazing that people pass judgment like they do. I am not a mom but a stay at home wife. My job is to love my husband (and pup) and create a warm, loving and nurturing environment for them both :)
I think you do a fantastic job as a wife and mother and your family is very blessed to have you :) You radiate your love to them in so many wonderful ways!
Have a blessed evening!
~Sharon
Posted by: Sharon | 01/14/2011 at 06:47 PM
Very beautiful sentiments - ones that I am sure your daughters will carry with them. What you do IS priceless, Clarice - and never doubt it for a second! xoxo Theresa
Posted by: Theresa | 01/14/2011 at 08:26 PM
Amen! Let no one say that staying home is easy. When I stayed home, I worked harder than I do now! It is a very, very full time job! Shame on them!
Posted by: mmholder | 01/15/2011 at 01:20 PM
Our job at home is enabling. My husband is proud to have me home, he says he couldn't do what he does if I wasn't there for him and for our children. I couldn't think of a job I would rather do than be a homemaker, and nothing could possibly recompense me more. Gill xxx
Posted by: Gill in Norway | 01/16/2011 at 11:48 AM
PS Lady Lydia has a long post on this subject over at http://homeliving.blogspot.com/
this weekend, where she also emphasises the difference between housework and homemaking.
Posted by: Gill in Norway | 01/16/2011 at 12:03 PM
Don't hunters roast their kill over a fire and eat? I didn't think the women had anything to do with The Hunt!
Homemaking is Love-making!
Your family is blessed.
Jody
Posted by: Gumbo Lily | 01/17/2011 at 11:56 AM
Great post, Clarice. And I love the idea of keeping a blog for your girls. I am working on a journal for my newborn daughter, and I sometimes print out articles from my blog and tape them into the journal...things I want her to read when she is grown, in case I'm not around (not to be morbid! But I'll be 80 by the time she is my age!) I want her to know what I was thinking and writing about when she was little.
I just started a new book that I am to review for Mentoring Moments. It's called Touchstones for Women, and is about the topic of journaling for your daughter. I've only just cracked the cover, but I am hoping it will give me more food for thought in the types of entries to record for her.
Posted by: Molly Evert | 06/09/2011 at 01:31 PM