Housewife

I just finished ironing Dan's shirt and pants for work tomorrow morning. This is not something I typically do, but since Dan is working and I'm currently not, I try to do what I can at home to give him more time to relax. Earlier today, I went grocery shopping and babysat for a 3-year-old (the daughter of a friend of ours), and the rest of my first few weeks here has mostly been spent cleaning and organizing the house, doing laundry, decorating our new place, running errands, and researching all the things we will need for our life here (e.g., finding a primary care doctor, looking into CSAs and credit unions).

My days are filled with endless domesticity. I am, essentially, a housewife. This is not a role to which I am accustomed. While stay-at-home moms are goddesses to be worshipped, my housewife routine (sans children) makes me feel like a throwback to the '50s. I iron Dan's clothes, get up with him in the morning, and help him with things like packing his lunch and making sure he has everything he needs. I clean, wash clothes, make lists, run errands. I watch some of "The Today Show" and occasionally "Oprah." I wait for Dan to get home and greet him at the door. While I still cannot complete any task that falls under the category of "cooking" (that remains Dan's domain), I try to take care of other things around the house in the evenings, encouraging Dan to do whatever makes him feel relaxed after his day at work.

Soon I will be wearing heels, pearls, and an apron while washing dishes and vacuuming.

While I partially loathe my new 1950s persona and sometimes feel guilty that I'm not yet working (and, in fact, have not yet started looking for a job), there is a part of me that secretly enjoys it. I really do believe that one's home should be a sanctuary from the rest of the world, so I take great pride in making our home a place that is peaceful, personal, and comfortable. I like being able to do nice things for my husband. And of course I love being home and not working, making my own schedule, and taking care of things I would never have time to do if I was at work all day.

Don't get me wrong. . . this is not my new life plan. I'm already starting to feel the itch to get back to work, and some days I feel a little crazy cooped up in the apartment. Financially, Dan and I cannot afford to do this for long. But my temporary life as a housewife is also such a nice break, and a much-needed one. I have many responsibilties but very little stress, with many opportunities to nurture myself after a rough couple of years. I'm able to make my home the place I need it to be before I venture out into the job market (I'm a person who is greatly affected by her environment, so having a home that is a haven is extremely important to me). Dan has less to worry about, which I'm grateful for as we both adjust to a new place. And for the first time in a long time, the aches and pains from constantly being under so much stress seem to be fading away.

My job search will likely start next week (an exciting and terrifying prospect). Until then, I'm going to enjoy playing housewife for just a while longer. I'm going to savor this chance to make my house a home, to learn the best places to go shopping, and to whip up a batch of cookies now and then. Hell, I might even tie on my apron.