Oh BTW, I'm Just a Housewife

Rinnnng, rinnnng, rinnnng, ... that's the phone ringing about 24 years ago. On the other end is a young lady confirming some personal information for one of our insurance policies. After asking the usual, name, address, etc. she got to her little check box that said "occupation". When she asked my occupation, I stated, "I'm a stay at home mom." "Oh, I see, you're just a housewife." I nearly lost it with this gal, but kept my cool and tucked that occupational term away in my memory bank to be brought out at a later date. Fast forward to tonight. That phrase has always stuck in my mind and I actually get quite a chuckle out of it. You see .....
I sleep well at night knowing that I've been home for the past 24 years for my family. I've seen each of my children take their first steps, ride their first two wheeler, cut their first tooth, heard them each say "Daddy" and "Mommy" for the very first time. I've cooked over 8,000 dinners and eaten with my family each night. Washed 18,720 loads of laundry and hung half of those out to dry. (Fresh smelling laundry can't be manufactured in the dryer.) Besides these motherly duties, I've homeschooled a total of thirteen years, taught sewing, cooking, and homemaking skills in my "Keepers at Home" girl's club ... helped with "The Lord's Little Stitchers" ... a group of young ladies that made flannel quilts for demised (or those not expected to survive) babies at our local hospital; was even the recipient of one of their beautiful keepsake blankets when Nathan was given a 2% chance to survive at birth. I've tube fed and changed ileostomy bags on my youngest son, inserted feeding tubes up/down his nose and through the abdomen. Tried hard as I might to get a child to eat by mouth that doctors had almost given up on learning that skill (eating is now his hobby). Been through 15 surgeries with the little guy and prayed fervently for God to spare my mentally retarded child's life to bring Him honor; to witness to others the importance of handicapped people. Began a special needs Sunday school program so other families could attend church and not be unchurched. I've spent numerous nights awake wondering if my law enforcement hubby would arrive home safely in the morning ... been through the aftermaths of three work related shootouts with dh ... and numerous sightings of him on the latenight "breaking news" broadcasts. Been through many a lonely night when, due to a terrible earthquake, had to be separated from dh so he could serve the community ... same scenario with some gang warfares. Now I get to pray for my oldest son that is proudly serving the past six years in the military as a tank crewman. With all the worry that could be heaped on my shoulders, I sleep well at night knowing that God is on the throne. No matter what happens, my dh and children have come to accept Christ as their Personal Savior ... this gives me comfort and can never be taken away. Have I missed out on my career? You may wonder what I did before marriage? Did Mrs. Mac attend college? Did she have a life before kids? Is she sorry to not have gone back to work? To be continued .......
Oh btw, this is NOT a knock against working moms ... but my personal choice to be "just a housewife" So, pleeeese, don't think I don't understand. My mom was a working mom my entire life ... even got divorced ... these two facts made me a stronger, more determined person that had to be very responsible at an early age ...