“This is one of the fakest photos I’ve ever taken.”
‘We butted heads. We were a little mean to each other. We kept our distance. I’m sharing this because more often than not, this is real life.’: Woman says ‘it’s okay to not have a perfect relationship’
‘His opinions became my own. ‘You need to figure out who you are.’ I was terrified of being alone.’: After toxic relationship, woman turns to yoga, ‘I finally know who I am’
“‘What did I do wrong?’ It took many years to learn about that question. To say I was crushed is an understatement. I was numb. My ex-boyfriend was trying to teach me all along. Be selfish.”
‘I compared everyone after him to him. That night I whispered, ‘Still feels the same, doesn’t it?’ He nodded his head up and down.’: Woman says ‘he outweighs it all’
“See, I didn’t meet him. He’s the only one I ever want to go through this life with. We may not have forever, but even if we had just one more moment under that sky, I will have won every gamble I’ve ever made.”
‘When this is over, I’ll let you pick the restaurant we dine at first. I promise I won’t complain, be picky, or be impatient if the food takes longer.’: Woman tells husband ‘let’s make the most with what we’ve got’
“Date nights were our peace in the beautiful chaos of family life – our time, just you and me, together. Date nights reminded us our marriage was a priority, before being daddy and mommy. I miss the romance, break from the ordinary, and the routine too.”
‘Your grandma has spiked a fever.’ ‘The nursing home was hit with COVID-19. My fierce, stubborn 98-year-old Italian little woman of a Nana fell victim.’: Woman mourns grandma lost to Covid-19, ‘Today Nana left us and my heart is broken’
“Telling my Nana my life wasn’t going to be what she expected, as I’d met the person I intended to marry and it was not a ‘he,’ was the most difficult moment of my life. I watched her heart break in front of me, fully aware I was the cause. Years later, at my wedding, she looked at me and said, ‘The LGBTQ community is the happiest group of people I’ve ever been part of.’ Today, Nana left us. My heart is broken.”
‘We have to cancel the wedding.’ In the midst of all the chaos, we thought, ‘What better place to start a marriage than inside our home?!’: Couple elope in living room after pandemic ruins wedding plans, ‘We wouldn’t have it any other way’
“Our RSVP count was 250 people. We looked forward to having everyone we love in one room. Due to the pandemic, we had to make the difficult decision to cancel. We were heartbroken. ‘Wait. We can postpone the wedding, but why postpone our marriage?’ This wasn’t what we planned, but now we wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
‘Valentine’s Day is living out of a laundry basket. It’s no cuddly bears, late dinner, and wondering, ‘Who left the milk on the counter?’: Woman shares candid reality of Valentine’s Day as a mom and wife, ‘There’s no place I’d rather be’
“He’d get home late from work with jewelry and a stuffed teddy bear. We’d spend hours getting dressed at our parents’ homes and act like we just ‘threw something on.’ We’d eat at a nice restaurant. It was cute. Today, he’ll work 9 hours, I’ll work 12. It’s a series of crazy, chaotic moments. It’s not eating dinner until 7 p.m. No cuddly bears or shiny jewelry. It’s living out of a laundry basket for days, and figuring out who’s going to the birthday party.”
‘I know why you work odd jobs, come home late at night. You suspect I have no idea. I won’t lie and say I didn’t think you found someone else to love.’: Woman tells husband ‘it’s okay to not be the breadwinner’
“You’re not the breadwinner. You’ve taken heat from your family, and even friends, for not being the stereotypical working man who brings home all the money his family needs. The truth is that for years now, without realizing it, I put you in a position for criticism.”
‘You are a better person with her.’ Sadly, her father doesn’t like me and had men try to beat us to death.’: Man has to accept being without love of his life because he wasn’t accepted by her family, turns to God
“My friend said, ‘Don’t fly too high. Don’t have dreams of being with her.’ I kissed her and she pulled away. She said her father doesn’t like me. I’ve tried so many things to impress him and earn his approval. He hasn’t seen it with his head or his heart.”
‘Michelle, we haven’t had sex in a year.’ My husband rolled over in bed with a blank look on his face.’: Couple stress importance of ‘boundaries’ in marriage, ‘you don’t owe your partner anything’
“My doctor’s cold hands pressed against my breasts. ‘No lumps, but let me process the urine sample.’ 5 minutes later, she retuned with a beaming look on her face. ‘You’re pregnant! Congrats!’ I’m…what? Who? How? ‘Infertile’ and on birth control, I was in utter disbelief! We went from a quiet little house in Suburbia to catapulted into parenthood. I had no energy or desire for intimacy. We hit the one-year mark completely sexless.”
