Rude Awakening

(I came across this little story that I wrote a year ago, when we first moved back to South Carolina. I am happy to report that the situation is much better now, and we are enjoying life here in little ol' Luray).
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As I stepped out of the car heading into work on my official “last day”, many thoughts raced through my head. Did I make a difference? Will anyone remember me? What are we going to do without all that money? Then I thought with great pleasure to the new profession I was embarking on…full time Wife/Mom! Suddenly those questions didn’t matter anymore. I completed my last day of work, moved cross-country, and started my new career at home. Then it happened. You know…it! The first few weeks, I felt like I was on an extended vacation. Sipping sweet tea on the front porch in the rocker…Heaven! My final paycheck was mailed to me, and I thought, “This is the life!” Then, on the third week, as my husband scrambled around looking for a clean pair of socks to wear with his wrinkled work shirt, it hit me…like a brick. Reality slapped me upside the head. I have never been much of a “housewife” in the sense of keeping a neat, tidy, immaculate house. Don’t get me wrong…I really envy those people who can do that. I just am not one of them. Maybe it comes from being one of the babies in my family…you know...the spoiled ones that get away with murder (and all the older siblings said, “Amen!”). I never really learned to cook or clean. My mother used to repeatedly tell me to straighten up my room…until finally, she would do it herself. And believe me, it always looked better when she did it, anyway. Mom did it all, so I never had to. I guess that had its advantages, especially to a teenager. But sadly, it was all catching up with me, as the piles of laundry were about to overtake my children. So, I did what every good housewife would do. I went to the nearest dollar store, and bought all the essentials for keeping a neat house. Armed with scrubbing bubbles and liquid plumber, I meant war! With Mr. Clean on my side, I was ready for the fiercest of battles! Now I should explain that the home we bought, we bought as an investment. (That is what people say when they don’t really like their house). It’s not terrible or unlivable-don’t get me wrong. But let’s just say it will never appear on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens. It's a mobile home...and I guess I have always been a "firm foundation" kind of gal...We actually love the 5+ acres of land, and bought the house “sight unseen”. People would ask me, “Oh, how many bedrooms does the home have that you are buying?” I would muster up as much pride as I could and answer, “I’m not sure” to which people always smiled and nodded, and then changed the subject. I am sure some thought we are crazy! Maybe, to some degree we are…but crazy is a very relative term. Long story short, I am now in the groove of the housewife and mother role. My house is still not immaculate, but it’s getting better. My husband always has clean socks, at least most days, and my kids are happy I am here, most of the time. I have found that there really are only a few essential cleaning products out there…and I am still looking for the practical cleaning use for the pumice stone I bought. In the mean time, I’ll have the softest feet in the neighborhood!