It’s hard to believe Roy and I will soon celebrate our first anniversary. Our year has been…indescribable. There have been incredible moments of joy. We have enjoyed the companionship. It’s been great to watch him bond with my kids, to see him step up to the plate as the dad my kids have always wanted. […]
We are nearly ten months into this whole blended family thing. Ten months. Sometimes it feels more like ten years. Marriage is hard. Second marriages are harder. Blending two families into one peaceful, cohesive whole is incredibly hard. Add a lifetime of painful circumstances hitting you in less than ten months, and it could be […]
I’ll never forget the conversation I had with my then husband about the woman he was having an affair with. “It’s just exhilarating that someone like that would be interested in me,” he said. Adultery hits at the core of your being. Every ounce of self-confidence and self-respect you carry is destroyed. You look in […]
After walking through a very difficult week, it was the final straw. “That’s it,” Roy began. “Take care of it now.” His tone took me by surprise. We’d had a really good day, and I was trying to take care of the issue he was confronting me with now. His words hit me hard as […]
For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, ‘till death do we part… When we took those vows a little over six months ago, we never dreamed “or worse” would describe the first stage of our marriage. But it has. These last months have been filled with heartache and pain, […]
Valentine’s Day is upon us once again. I know for many of you, it brings a depth of sadness, pain, loneliness. Your lives have been shattered, and you are simply trying to figure out where you go from here. The thought of being alone—again—on Valentine’s Day is more than you can handle. You are just […]
When you hear the word “father,” what do you think of? I think of a big burly teddy bear. Many of my friends—even my cousins—were afraid of my dad. But me? I remember him on the floor with us, down on all four as we piled on his back. I remember the fun times we […]
…and they lived happily ever after. I’m not sure who dreamed up this phrase, but they certainly aren’t familiar with real life. I’ve always been brutally honest with all of you. And here’s the brutal honest truth: Blending two families into one is not for the faint of heart. Don’t get me wrong. I love […]
Monday. The word can strike fear into the hearts of the most courageous person. And this week, Monday hit me HARD. I woke up with my head pounding, sending waves of nausea throughout my body. I stumbled out of bed and found the ibuprofen, swallowing it and praying for some quick relief. I grabbed a […]
Several years ago, I was stressed…Really, really stressed. One evening I came home from work and told my kids that as soon as dinner was over, I was going to my room. I expected them to take care of themselves and allow me the evening to relax…alone…with no interruptions…in my room…my sanctuary. As I was […]
