I'm a Wife Swapping Woman!

by Kelly Stonerock

Oh! I know you read that title, and you are looking for some steamy details from a woman that is living the lifestyle of a wife swapper. You and your dirty mind! The Definition of Wife swapping: A lifestyle in which a couple exchanges spouses for an evening of sex and fun.

Well, there is a second definition of a “Wife Swapper”: One who has been on an internationally televised show called, “Wife Swap.” I’m sorry to disappoint you, but no steamy sex stories here. I fall into the second definition of a wife swapper.

It was 2005 and the reality television show genre had just hit primetime television networks. My husband and I were watching television when we scrolled upon a show that caught our attention. We watched in shock as two seemingly dysfunctional families swapped lives on a show called, “Wife Swap.” The byline reads, “They live each other’s lives for two weeks.” It’s an interesting concept to take two women, who seem completely the opposite, and have them live each other’s lives. While what someone considers “functional” is relative, we were living rather functional lives with our six kids. Four of the kids were our biological children and two of the kids were a niece and nephew that we were raising.

My husband was uninterested in the show and left the room. I continued watching. As he wandered past the television screen for one of the scenes, he commented, “We should go on that show just to give people hope that they can have a functional family.” A few days later, my husband left on a hunting trip.

While he was gone, I reflected on  his idea. I decided to reach out to the producers of “Wife Swap” with a brief email. I relayed some information about our family. My husband is a Pastor, I home school our six kids, we love the outdoors and hunting. They emailed me back the next day and asked me to send them a video. I created a brief video on a VHS tape and, as I dropped the video into the postage box, I said these words, “May the favor of God be upon this video and may we be selected for your glory.” Within days, I received a call from a producer that told me they had searched through 10,000 applicants and that they wanted our family to be featured on the first season of “Wife Swap.”

When my husband returned from hunting, I reminded him of HIS idea to go on that show. He replied, “I was just joking.” I responded, “Well, a producer from Great Britain is flying here in two days to meet us.” Thus, began a six-week decision period as to whether we really should go on a show called, “Wife Swap” and subject ourselves, our family and, possibly the corporate “Church”, to a lot of unknowns. We consulted with wise friends, mentors, fellow pastors and television producers before we ultimately agreed to be on the show.

I always had a very supportive mother that gave me the confidence to take on new adventures, even crazy ones like this. However, my dad was verbally abusive and uninvolved in my life or the lives of my two brothers. Therefore, I would say that I grew up in a somewhat dysfunctional family. I had made the decision to serve Christ when I was 15 years old. My immediate family members were not Christians. I did not know if the Christian family that I imagined for my future existed. When I visited the homes of friends that I met in college, I discovered in their families that the “family in my head” was real and did exist.

A lot of young people were drawn to the “Wife Swap” television series. Part of our motive for ultimately agreeing to be on this show was the opportunity to show young people— not much different from me as a teen—that functional families existed, and they could have one too!

We accomplished our goal. After the show aired before ten thousand viewers on a Monday night, before Monday Night Football, we fielded over seven thousand emails with both young and older viewers. We also created a live chat website and genuinely helped a lot of families. My prayer was answered. We were selected “For HIS glory.” We saw lives saved, families changed, and people worked through some very challenging church experiences.

It was a good decision for our family. We have so many life lessons that we learned from that experience. We still share these stories with friends and at speaking engagements. Among the lessons that I will leave with you today is to take chances. Go on adventures. Don’t let fear lead your decisions for, or against, something that you feel led to do. Also, don’t judge others because you never know what God can use for HIS glory.

Today, our episode: Stonerock/ Finley Season 2: Episode 11 is available on Hulu.

The following excerpts are from the people we met, emails and letters that we received.

“After Watching “Wife Swap,” I want you to know that motivate me to be more--more of what God wants me to be as a wife, mom, friend, etc. Thanks for sharing your faith with so many on TV.”

-Pat, Detroit WMUZ listener

“I loved how the show closed with Jeff saying we should love our neighbors as ourselves and then you told them that atheists are my neighbors too.”

-Kim, Arizona viewer

“Even if this show never aired, I want you to know that you have changed my life”

-RDF/ABC Crew Member

Kelly Stonerock was raised in Clarkston. She has been a resident of Goodrich for 29 years. She is presently the CEO of BatsAndTraps.com, an animal removal company that services Genesee County and it’s surrounding communities. Kelly has five children of her own and she raised three other children. She was featured on ABC’s television show, “Wife Swap” in 2005. Her episode is available on Hulu, Season 2: Episode 11.