A Sedentary Lifestyle?

The other day I had to visit the doctor for a check up. Since I have a history of hernias (in fact the one surgeon told me that my abdominal muscles are shot) the doctor was asking me what type of activities I was doing; i.e. any heavy lifting, shoveling, etc. I said no that I wasn't doing any of that. Her response was, "So then you lead more of a sedentary lifestyle?" I can't even begin to imagine what kind of look I had on my face when she asked me that. How, I wondered later, can you ask a mother of seven children if she leads a sedentary lifestyle? If my life (or any mother with a family) is sedentary, then what is active? Or even moderately active? I really did not know what to say to her, so she moved on to other questions Since then, however, I have spent more time thinking about that.

Why is it that cleaning up the house all day long, doing chores, making three meals a day, chasing after kids, refereeing fights, working out in the yard, running errands, doing the shopping, and basically keeping up with seven children and a husband does not make me an athlete? I've always wondered why homeschooling mothers aren't the skinniest people on the face of the earth. Our kids are always with us, so its not like we can sit around, eat Bon Bons and read a good book all day. For all of the work and activities I do everyday, how come I'm not in great physical shape. There are many days that go by that I don't even really get to sit down and relax. Most nights I crawl into bed totally exhausted. How come I can't run a marathon yet???? It just doesn't seem fair.

So, in answer to the doctor's question - No, I don't feel I lead a sedentary lifestyle at all. I don't have time to be sedentary. Am I in good shape? Well that is a different question. If I am ever granted the opportunity to ask God a question, I think I will ask Him about that. For all the work we do in raising our families, why aren't mothers the most physically fit people on the planet? I think it should just come with the job. Mothers, for all that they do, should just burn more calories per minute than the average person. Don't you agree??

God Bless!