Tuesday, January 05, 2010

on becoming happy

The thing about being a housewife is that you must embrace it fully or you'll never survive.

For years I bucked against the system. I was sure that the good Lord intended for me to be the next top editor at Harper and Collins.

I wore my hair in a pixie. I bought designer make-up and expensive black clothes. I was chic and unhappy. Whatever.

Malphi

One of life's great truths is that babies soften you. I didn't know who I really was until I saw myself reflected in my children eyes. I didn't know that I loved to crochet until I made the boy's baby blanket. I didn't know I loved to bake until I baked a birthday cake.

There is an old story about an African farmer who, upon hearing that other men were becoming rich by finding diamond mines, sold off his land and went in search of his fortune. He searched for many years and died a poor man. Meanwhile, the young family who bought his land discovered crusty old rocks in the soil which turned out to be diamonds.

Sometimes you are sitting on a fortune. Sometimes you have to do a little work to uncover your diamonds. What looks like ugly rocks, could be just the thing you are looking for to make you happy.

I find housework is made much more enjoyable by the wearing of aprons. I consider them my uniform. I wear them to cook. I wear them to silversmith. I wear them to rock my baby to sleep. They help me take the tarnish off my life.

They make me feel official. They make me feel like a resourceful woman.

They make me feel like a diamond in the rough.

18 comments:

ChelMo said...

I think I'll need to reread this every day. I'm supposed to be traveling internationally and saving the world, but instead I'm feeding imaginary cheese and crackers to Aladdin and complaining tremendously every time B messes up an area that I *just* cleaned up.

I'm going to go buy an apron.

Kari said...

Amen and amen.
I've got several on my sewing table at the minute. You can never have too many, if you ask me. So I sew--one for me, one for someone else, one for me, one for someone else, one for me . . . it's a good pattern.

Julie said...

Please tell Jenny I LOVE the apron you gave me. It's so sweet, I can't bear to put it away in a drawer. It's hanging in the kitchen reminding me, too, that being a mom and housewife can make you feel like a queen. ox.

Maybe she'll read this. Thanks Jenny!

Lynnae said...

That was a beautiful post.I would say don't struggle against your own 'mommyhood' because they leave the nest so fast. Mine are starting to go, and there is more time for those other things.
The smock type apron is a revelation. Most work smocks are so ugly, but I've been thinking I needed that to ensure 'coverage' between the jeans and T shirt when I am bending, cleaning and folding. That first one is sooo cute! Yay.

tollestrupfamily said...

Plus you look like a foxy moxy in your aprons. No one looks quite as cute in an apron as April. :)

Erika said...

So well said. I'm presently wearing an apron and making homemade chicken noodle soup--ah, what a feeling, especially while looking out at the freezing cold snow and being cozy in my little house. You described exactly how I feel when it comes to motherhood, aprons, etc. You have also inspired me to make a smock-like apron--all mine are typical. I found a cute free pattern online and will be heading off to the fabric store shortly!

Molly said...

Well said, well said! I don't have any children of my own yet but I do have a minature farm that I left a glamorous life for. Sometimes I get put down for being a housewife but I absolutley love it. I wouldn't trade it for anything! Funny how you think your life should go and then God steps in and gets you on His plan :)
~Molly P

tawny said...

amen. that is the truth. Loved your message. love my "job" too!

Laura Bray said...

I could have written this post myself! Aprons are my new "power suits"!

Almay Alday said...

Awesome post and so enlightening! It's been a long time since I've read something good! This was just wonderful!

Elizabeth said...

I love this idea and wish someone would give me a beautiful apron since I can hardly make one myself!

julie from hungary said...

thank you for this post!
(although I am not a housewife)

Amy said...

I love your blog! I am going to hunt down an apron right now, I think it will make me feel better in this nasty gloomy UT winter, and it should save my clothes from stains as well.

susan said...

magical, wonderful, beautiful post. love that you are living in the moment and loving it!

Modern Cottage Living said...

Thank you for this post! I just "became" a full time stay at home mom who has been waffle-ing back and forth between I like it and today not so much. The not so much is only because he's hit that stage of tantrum two's... I think I'll don an apron and think of you and all of the other women who are stylin' in theirs too :) Even on the hardest day theirs nothing better than being a mom. Always look forward to the slice of your life your posts reflect. You are a talented woman!

Julie said...

I just came here from MMB. Thanks for this post; it was just what I needed to hear. A gentle reminder that, hey, I CHOSE this life!

* said...

Aprons are lovely. I have quite a few.

Lovely blog, picts, jewelry. I found you through MMB. So glad I did.

Cindy at LottieBird said...

oh, I think I'll go put on an apron. After I take off my flannel nightgown (it has been terribly cold in ATL!)