The Real Housewives

Sometimes late at night when I can't fall asleep I turn on the TV and watch totally obnoxious shows... like The Real Housewives of New York City or Orange County. It's kind of addicting watching these women and their over-the-top lives. And then, the other night, out of the blue, my husband asked me if I wished my life was like that. I was mortified that he would even think that!

I grew up in Orange County and I've been to New York City... and yeah, there's a lot of women like them... self-absorbed, botox-injected, plastic surgery enhanced, top designer dressed, and money and power obsessed. One "housewife" on the NYC version told her husband that she didn't want much for her birthday and then bought a purse for $16,000 (no, I didn't type too many 0's!) and then was also surprised with a new fully-loaded Mercedes SUV....and then complained that it didn't have everything she needed! These "housewives" have the average 1.5 kids who they send off to boarding schools, employ maids, personal trainers, and personal chefs, and spend most of their time worrying about being seen with the right people at the right parties. I'm sorry TV Show Producers... they may be hilarious to watch, but they are not real housewives by any stretch of the imagination!!

Let me tell you about the real housewives that I know...

Most "housewives" I know are college educated or have helped put their husbands through college at great sacrifice.
Some "housewives" I know have served 2 year missions for our church.
Many "housewives" I know are stay-at-home moms sacrificing their own desires for fame and fortune to be available 24/7 for their kids and knowing that "no success is worth failure in the home".
Many "housewives" I know work, not always because they want to, but because they have to.
Lots of "housewives" I know stay up all night taking care of sick babies and children.
One "housewife" I know spends many nights softly rocking her newly adopted little girl who is experiencing night terrors because of her memories of living in an orphanage in China.
Many "housewives" I know open their hearts to fostering and adopting children from other countries and here in Arizona.
One "housewife" I know lives each day with optimism and cheerfulness in spite of her husband's brain tumor.
Several "housewives" I know care for and help raise their grandchildren.
One "housewife" I know has ached to have a baby for many years and now is awaiting not one... but 2 miracles... twins to adopt.
Many "housewives" I know spend time working on their gardens and canning food for their families.
One "housewife" I know regularly bakes cookies with her children to deliver to an elderly lady who is paralysed with MS.
One "housewife" I know focuses much of her time and energy on finding answers and therapies to help her young daughter with a genetic disorder.
Most "housewives" I know spend time volunteering at schools, in the community, and for their churches.
Many "housewives" I know send out missionary sons and daughters to share the gospel knowing that they will miss them terribly.
Several "housewives" I know patiently teach and work with their learning-disabled children.
A few "housewives" I know tenderly care for aging parents.
Many "housewives" I know are finding ways to save money and feed their family on a tight budget.
Most "housewives" I know fill their days with kids, carpooling, cleaning, cooking, and Costco.
Most "housewives" I know don't own a $16,000 purse or even a $160 purse!
And all the "housewives" I know think that their job of being a wife and mother is the best job (and hardest) in the world!

What do all of the above "housewives" have in common??

Sacrifice... Service... Selflessness... Compassion... Patience... Charity... Faith... Hope.... and LOVE !!

It is the true essense of motherhood...

It is what the REAL HOUSEWIVES of Gilbert Arizona (and everywhere else for that matter) are doing day in and day out....

I love being a housewife and a mom... and, honey, I wouldn't trade it for all that other stuff!

Happy Mothers Day to my mom and all the moms (and housewives) out there!