Seriously late in the game for this topic, but here goes anyway (finally got the 3 kids to bed, my elderly grandmother to bed, etc.). Marriage is work. Some. Serious. Hard. Work. I was always the "cut and run" girl. Things got bad, break off the relationship, and run off to the next one. The one saving grace for us, though, is there is no "escape clause" or "Plan B". We are married. Period. Come Hell or high water (sometimes both) we make it through. We have gone through a lot together. Dated in high school, got pissed at each other and fought for a few years. Dated in college, got pissed at each other for a few years. Then, we finally woke up and saw the good thing we have together. So, get married, and BAM. Two months later I am preggo. Then, when she turned one, I got preggo again. When our next little girl was exactly 6 weeks old, my grandfather (who raised me in absence of my own "father") was put on hospice. I was his caregiver (away from hubby with a 2 year old and 6 week old nursling) when hospice was not there. He died within 3 days. And, I fell apart. My husband (in his own weird, guy, awkward way) was there for me. Not exactly how I wanted him to be, but he did the best he knew how. I am thankful I have a mom and friends that point that out for me. Our second daughter turns 8 months old, and apparently we celebrate by getting pregnant with our now 10-month old son. Then, the beginning of this year, my husband has an emergency appendectomy, and two days later I am hauled away in an ambulance because of a second grand-mal seizure (first was in November 2011). A little less than a month later, we get hit with me being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. All of this has happened, and we will only have been married 5 years in September.
Now, on to other stuff. He can drive me absolutely batty sometimes. He loves antique cars. I could not care less about fixing up clunkers and going to car shows. I love to paint/decorate/sew/decorate/whatever. And, could not care less about that mess. And on, and on our differences go. RIght now (and over the past year or so since my Pa died), I have been in my hometown a lot taking care of family business (health-wise with my grandmother and with our construction company). I *know* my husband hates not seeing his children and wife at times...but, he tolerates it because he loves me. Just as I tolerate the idiosyncrasies and job-related stress he goes through....missing dinners for board meetings, planning committees, etc. He tolerates our dishes piled in the sink, clothes piling up to be washed...and, pitches in with these things even though I am a stay at home mommy because he knows that I want to put whatever energy I have towards our children. We compromise.
Yeah, marriage sometimes isn't all it's cracked out to be. Sometimes people aren't happy...but, it is not their husband/wife/partner's fault. Happiness is an inside job. Start there.
Sorry for the rant. I just feel like my husband and I (not to mention countless number of our friends) have weathered many storms. And, for the most part, well all of it I guess, it is me that wants to cut and run. Put up that wall...push people away before they can hurt me. And, thankfully for me, I was blessed with a stubborn and persistent and loving husband.
Hang in there (if you still are). It is work....very hard work. Just have to be willing and open and honest...and, throw pride out the window. There is no room for it in marriage.
Off soapbox now :blink: