Love & Marriage Blog Series: Final Thoughts

Today concludes our Love & Marriage Blog Series.  I've had such a wonderful time sharing bits and pieces of my marriage with you!  If you missed the other weeks, click here to see my introduction, click here to see how Andrew and I overcome hard times, and click here to see my advice for keeping my marriage interesting.

It's been a blessing to get to know the other girls in this series.  Megan, Jenn, Jenna, Lindsey and Mandy have been so sweet to work with and truly inspirational.  I hope to do other series with them all in the future!

Today, we're all giving our final thoughts and pieces of advice.  I've been a blog reader for 7 years now.  I feel like I have so many "friends" just by reading complete strangers blogs.  It's amazing how excited and interested I can get about the lives of people I don't know...it's the crazy world of mom blogging.  

During this series about love and marriage, I've thought a lot about one of my closest friends.  You see, this wife and mom has it all together.  She's gorgeous, she's sweet as can be, she has a hot husband with a really great job...they drive expensive cars, take lavish vacations, live in a mansion, and she has more designer handbags then I could count...they're Ken and Barbie.  The standard for what a great marriage and family should be.

However, last April, I was at the gym watching TV and using the elliptical machine when my friend walked over to me like always to say hi.  This time, however, instead of hi, she said, "I hate my husband".  I laughed and said, "Yes, sometimes Andrew gets on my nerves too", and she said, "No.  I really hate my husband.  He cheats on me.".

Hello.

Not so Ken and Barbie after all.

How did one of my closest friends have this miserable marriage where the husband was unfaithful and I didn't know?  For years this had been going on in her marriage.  For years.  And she and I talked about our marriages all the time.

Why did I mention my Barbie friend?  Because you really and truly just never know what's going on inside someone else's marriage.

I get a lot of email about how women wish their hubbys were more like their friend's husbands...how their husbands have changed...how they have changed...how it's hard now...how it's not fun anymore...how they're unhappy...blah, blah, blah.

Everyone thinks the grass is greener on the other side...but you know the old adage...the grass is greenest where you water it.

I think as blog readers (which you all are...or you wouldn't be reading this!), we have to realize that yes, most blogging ladies seem fabulous and honest...but the truth is, we have absolutely no idea what is really going on in their marriages.  None.  We have to stop focusing on how happy and content others look and instead try and make our marriages the best they can be.

If you would have asked me 13 months ago, whose life I would have thought was the most carefree, wonderful and blissful, I would have said Barbie's.  I had absolutely no idea she was actually living in her own personal hell...you just never know.

Marriage is hard...marriage takes a lot of work...but it is also the best partnership God gives us here on earth.  Work hard on your marriage!  And water it.

And just as a sidebar: I asked Barbie if I could discuss her situation without mentioning her name or giving direct clues to who she is...and she said she would prefer if I used both of their real names, maybe linked to her ex-husband's business website and possibly put his cell phone number out there.  Ha!  Just in case any mad blog readers wanted to give him a piece of their minds.  I was tempted...but I refrained.

Don't worry about sweet Barbie.  She is in such a good place right now.  It was a really rough year, but she is no longer married to cheater liar adulterer Ken (because it's hard to be married to someone who wants to sleep with other women on a regular basis) and is enjoying her life with her kids.  

Thank you for coming back every Wednesday this month to read about my marriage to this guy...

...without 9 years of marriage to him, I wouldn't have had much to say.  Focus on your marriage.  Make it a priority in your life.  Work hard at making your marriage the best it can be.  Don't hold grudges.  Be a team. Pray for your marriage.  If you do all of this...it can only strengthen your marriage.


 What's on the foodie blog today?  Yummy Lemon Neiman Marcus Bars!

And if you missed it yesterday, click here to see my easy guide to swimsuit shopping!

Finally, my Stella & Dot party ends Friday.  You'll fall in love with the jewelry, bags and more!  Click here to shop!

Thanks for being a part of this wonderful series!  Have a blessed day!