Warning: This post will be disorganized and most likely not very well proof-read, but if you’ve been reading long enough, you know thats how my longer rambling posts are.
In November 2011, I published a post titled “Time!” It was Alex’s first day off of work in three weeks (14+ hour days), since him coming back south, moving in, and us— you know, doing this thing together. It was a big deal. We were in a decent place, but a hard place. That schedule mostly continued: one day off a week and 14+ hour shifts, until our family collapsed.
In June of 2012, I published a post titled “Time”, where Alex and I had been split up for about 6 months and were co-parenting together. The post rambles on about my new free time. And without directly stating, comparing single parenting to co-parenting to family parenting. We were in a good place. We as in, Marlowe and I.
Now, May 2013, we’re back at a point where I have my mind focused on time. And we have made the step (for a bit of time now) to re-build our family, again. We’ve been playing with this thought, our emotions for each other, and the idea of keeping our family together (and be completely I’ll be honest with you)– since almost immediately after breaking up, in January 2012. We pushed and pulled each other (I mostly did the pushing (away) this time around) until we finally found a bit of the balance again. Unexpectedly, hopeful conversations beginning to spark while I was away last summer. I came back, I pushed (away) some more. I even attempted to move on and date a bit… until not only my heart tugged, but my mind was set too. I knew I wanted Alex, and I had been certain for quite some time, he wanted me too. We’re here now, in a very good place, a place that Alex now describes, as undeniably “constant”. Like I mentioned in my video, we still have problems that we need to work through like any other couple, but we’re doing it, we’ve come a very long way fighting with and for each other. While Alex hasn’t always been painted as the perfect partner and our situation has never seemed perfect in many of my posts— that’s because he’s not and it’s not. I’m not either, and for people to ever expect me (or anyone) to be, well, they’re expecting too much. Like everybody else, we’re human and have many flaws. But the two (three) of us, being here now, in this place? It says a lot about where the belief in love, determination, self, family, and always looking to positive forces can get you.
I compare our first time back together to postpartum depression. You have this idea in your head of what the perfect situation is going to be. How things will come naturally, and easy, and this beautiful new life is going to unfold in front of you. Then, your new life starts and the reality hits. Shit is tough. As beautiful as this new adventure and opportunity will be, it’s no where near as easy or natural as you had naively imagined hoped it to be, it’s hard. For me, it was the reality was that it was still hard. I assumed (ass out of u and me) that with Marlowe’s mother and father together, that life would be easier. I would have help for the long days and long nights— for her and for me. That weekends would come and I would get a minute to breath while they would play. That evening would come and my arms would get a break and I would get help with dinner clean up, or entertainment for Marlowe so I could get a minute to shower. That it would finally, after so much time hoping, would just be a little bit easier. It wasn’t. I had been wanting to wean Marlowe for quite some time, once I felt secure that there would no longer be a nutritional need for it, I wanted out. The slow weaning process started and my real depression hit. Along came a new reality that the easier life I dreamed of, the one where I would leave the difficulty of single-parenting behind, was in fact, not controlled by a switch labeled “family”. And I was reasonably dissatisfied.
When Alex moved out, it was sad and it was hard, but Marlowe and I returned to our normal. A home with the two of us. I went back to work for the first time since becoming pregnant and Marlowe and I had a group of wonderful friends and family helping us out with childcare. We found a new balance in this life. I had mixed emotions. On one hand, it was an awful feeling knowing Marlowe wouldn’t have Alex and I together as a family. On the other, it felt good to finally have a moment to myself for the first time since Marlowe was born. I worked my butt off trying to be everywhere and do everything to raise Marlowe. And when Alex had her (one, sometimes two days a week), I’d put my feet up or spent the whole day out with friends, after work. The harder downside, besides the split home reality, was that I did feel a bit lonely much of the time. Before, there was no one coming home for her, now, no one would even come home for me. There was no one coming home at all. And on the time off from work, there would be hours or days where I would see no one, other than Marlowe. On the teething days, the sick days, or just the awful tantrum days, I was alone and there was no one to tag me out or give me a hug at the end of the day. I received a lot of emails at this point, asking how I coped with loneliness, on the good days I would say, “invite people over for dinner!” on the hard days, my thought out reply would be, “I don’t” and my written response would be a hopeful, “I know it will get easier later. When you muster up energy, invite people over for dinner.”
On the upside, being just the two of us, it made life flexible, we traveled easier, I made all the decisions, and I never had that anxious feeling at the end of the night, because no one would be coming home and I knew it. There was no more waiting, and that was that. For me, this was helpful.
On the downside, I was responsible for almost everything, and the amount of pressure I felt (much of it, but not all of it: self induced) was high.
Here we are again. In over a year and a half we’ve had big highs, big lows, lots of in-betweens, and we’re back at a spot where we have a tiny bit more time together, and we are grateful. If I could have imagined what would be the “right way” the first time, it would be more like this. Not exactly like this, because I’m still hopeful for big future changes for our family, but more like this. It’s easier, and a hundreds times better, but we’re all still aching for more time together— a life as a family that eats at least one meal each day together and/or has a few hours to play together. We don’t yet, but we’re hopeful we will. We’re happy now, the three of us together, there’s no denying that. It took us a lot to get to this point– more conversations, battles with and for each other, ups, and downs, than people know. What got us to this point can’t be attributed to solely me. We didn’t make it this far just because of Alex. And even though Marlowe easing out of a baby stage, has been a huge relief off my shoulders, it wasn’t just her either. What got us here, was the three of us growing together. We’re all responsible for this good life we have together. Maybe one of our downfalls— our stubbornness, has it’s up side too, because it got us here.
I’d like to think I know a little bit about a few sides of the parenting spectrum, I have lived through many of them. Like many (read: all) the single moms I know, I’ve been fortunate to have an undeniably amazing family support system. With Alex out of state for the first year of her life, there was no real co-parenting, just her and I. But near and far, my family has been rooting me on, and had helped financially support Marlowe and I, when it was needed. Now, I know, not every woman (or man) is so lucky to have this, but many are, and I think I can speak for all single moms (or dads) who have that community of people helping them out, it’s very needed and we’re endlessly grateful.
When Alex left again, my dad came to offer his support, and I said “no thank you. I can handle it this time.” (of course, not without the help of free babysitting, thank you friends and family). I worked two jobs (if you count this blog as a job, I usually don’t—- though it and does bring a fair amount of extra help to paying for bills and filling our fridge with groceries), I supported my home and my daughter, and I took care of her at least 5, but usually 6 days a week, 24 hours a day. I stayed up with her at night, I woke her and dressed her in the morning, I put every meal in front of her, I went to work, I took care of every single one of her needs, my needs, and our home’s responsibilities, everyday, by myself.
Here we are. A family. Two people, raising one child. And I can say with a functioning family with two parents, life is undeniably easier. There’s no other way to say it— that’s it, a life with two parents is easier. I’m in no way saying that raising a baby or a child with two parents is easy. It’s not. Parenting— whether you do it alone or with someone is challenging and incredibly hard at times, thats just the way it is— but I’d be incredibly naive and an ass to think what I do now, with someone else, isn’t easier than the what I did before, by myself. Don’t get me wrong, I think we all deserve a huge pat on the back, if we’re doing our best to bring good, positive, and inspiring people into this world, but parents who raise children alone? They deserve medals. Alex still isn’t here 5 days a week. Marlowe spends little to no time with him each day, and it’s just her and I for each meal, each bath, and whatever else, but those two days off a week that we have as a family of three? They make this parenting thing so much easier, it’s a completely different (and undemanding) world than when it was just her and I.
I’m starting to lose my focus (I never really had a focus for this post), but I want to say, assuming we know anything about anyones life or situation, it’s dumb. Alex, Marlowe, and I have been in an array of different parenting situations, multiple times, and they’ve all been widely different each time that we’ve been in them. No one will ever, ever, ever know what someones life is like unless actually living in it. Not one blog post, not 820 blogs posts, tweets, perfect looking instagram photos, not any rambling words that go on for hours and hours, none of it will let you know who someone really is or how their life really is. I’ve shared a lot on this blog, none of which I regret. I post more photos, some thoughts, and less outpours, realizing it leaves room for more assumption— which I’m okay with, because hey, why not. People will wonder, it’s in our nature— how we wonder, well that defines who we are. I like to stay on the brighter, hopeful side. As time goes by, I’m hesitant to share more (though I do, and probably will) because those few thoughts I share, make people believe they know everything about me and my life. And while honestly, I’d be 100% okay with people knowing everything, no one ever will, and especially not from a blog— not just this blog, but any blog. Even people who know me well, have misread my words or mistaken my tone. It’s always going to happen. No matter how much work I put (or don’t put) into what I share, how we take in other peoples information, and create our images, will be uniquely dependent on who we are and the very personal ways we translate things.
This might seem like a weird tangent, but I’ve come across this situation more times than one would like to think— people without children who think raising a child is like owning a dog– it’s not. Dogs will never require the amount of care or constant attention a human will. Mothers (or fathers) who raise their child with a partner who think single moms are just whining or boasting, because they think it’s just as easy with a supportive family as it is with the missing father or mother— its not. It’s really not. Whether you live with a supportive family or live on your own, nothing will compare to having the other living person who is supposed to be responsible for your child, actually being there and helping raise your child. I can’t speak for a lot of the other common comparisons— but those for those two, I’m certain.
Two full time working parents. Working mothers. Stay at home dads. Two freelancing parents. Military families. Stay at home moms. Families with multiple children. Families with children with special needs. Single moms. Single dads. Grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, who raise children. Blended families. Adoptive parents. Foster parents. Non parents. The list goes on and on and on. No one family or one person will ever have the same home and same situation as another. We’re all doing what we can for ourselves (and some for our families). And I’d like to think we’re all trying to be good people— and the some of us who are raising children, we’re trying to raise good ones. Comparing our past, to our present, to our possible future, it makes sense, it helps us grow. But can we stop comparing what we don’t know and what we haven’t lived in? Can we stop comparing and judging each other? It’s futile. And it’s certainly not going to get us anywhere. Can we find our similarities, our commonalities, and our connections. Can we celebrate each other? Because in the end, we’re all trying to get to the same damn place, happiness.
56 Comments
Hi Drea! I just found your blog, I'm a single, working mom with a 4 month old daughter.. Just wanted to commend you on this beautiful post. Your honesty is so lovely and inspiring. Really well done. I never imagined I'd be a single mother, and my vision of what single motherhood would be like is so different from the reality of it. I appreciate your take
Wow, what a beautiful post! I have followed your blog since more than 2 years now and you are always inspiring! From the courage and strength you have in life to the way you raise Marlowe. I wish you will always have fun on the road to a balanced happiness. So when are you going to write a (foodie guide/recipe) book? 🙂
I can relate to how you feel about ppl judging your relationship/life/parenting, etc. Recently I have 'switched' roles with my husband. I now work full time in a male-dominated industry and my husband works freelance at home and take care of the kids. I can tell you that it hurts me a lot when those ppl look down on us (especially on my husband) and they think they know us or/and whats best for us! PPfffttt…
Anyway, have a fun trip in Mexico! I am sure M will be just fine 🙂
Kisses&hugs
Wow, what a beautiful post! I have followed your blog since more than 2 years now and you are always inspiring! From the courage and strength you have in life to the way you raise Marlowe. I wish you will always have fun on the road to a balanced happiness. So when are you going to write a (foodie guide/recipe) book? 🙂
I can relate to how you feel about ppl judging your relationship/life/parenting, etc. Recently I have 'switched' roles with my husband. I now work full time in a male-dominated industry and my husband works freelance at home and take care of the kids. I can tell you that it hurts me a lot when those ppl look down on us (especially on my husband) and they think they know us or/and whats best for us! PPfffttt…
Anyway, have a fun trip in Mexico! I am sure M will be just fine 🙂
Kisses&hugs
This is truly wonderful. I loved everything about this post. Much love and encouragement to you, lady! You and your family are wonderful people and deserve the best happiness and joy each and everyday. 🙂
xo – Alisha
I took a bit of a break from blogger, but I must say, I always came back to your's because it's so honest and raw and I love it. You share just enough to make us feel connected and like you're a real person with a real life and real life experiences. Love, love, love. Thank you.
Also, I have been looking everywhere for a visor/floppy hat like your's. Where'd you get it?
Orlando is burning up (wahhh) and I decided for my beach trips, I'd like a nice straw hat that I can wear a bun with.
xx
This whole post = Awesome!
You have always inspired me. We all struggle with different things at different times in our lives. Once, a crappy person said to me (in extreme anger) "What is so hard about what you do?!" That has stuck with me. It's unreal how negative and hurtful some people are. I really enjoy reading your blog. I feel like if we were neighbors we would be friends and we would laugh and cook and enjoy life together. It is wonderful to know that there are people like you out there who are good and who are raising good kids. Thank you for sharing your life with the world. 🙂 I wish the three of you nothing but the best(And Jerry too of course. We count our 2 dogs and say we're a family of 5).
~B
I love this post so much!!! So organic in nature, true to how you feel. Life is not perfect and yet people continue to live to satisfy others. One can only hope that everyone reads your post – they would realize that you don't have to pretend. Be true to who you are and your life. Wonderful that your family is back together – stay strong with the struggle and mucho kudos to you – you are truly an inspiration.
This is absolutely beautiful, Drea. Thank you so much.
Good for you…and exactly…andddddd YES:) Great post. I'm a first time mom to a one year old and I've never understood why parenting, families…why those are the things people choose to have such negative/pushy opinions about? Why not ANYTHING else?????
Happiness IS the only thing we should strive for. Creating it for ourselves and those around us.
Great post and well put. My DH works a ton also and I have health problems (don't look it but I do and they suck). It gets tiresome and stressful with a little one but sometimes I run on the fact everyone thinks my life is so easy. :p Technically it is what I wish I had so why not roll with it (easier on the easy days).
Well you know I think you are a rock star! And I'm so happy for you and Alex. Some things really are worth fighting for. Love you girl.
<3<3<3 Miss you, pretty.
Beautiful post, especially the part about not assuming that you really know what anyone else's life is like. The topic has been on my mind a lot this week, too, because it seems like SO MANY people participate in this weird cycle of assumption -> judgement about everyone and everything. It's bothersome!
very bothersome. I can't imagine spending my time or energy in such a negatively comparative place.
This, a thousand times. My husband and I went through some rough spots where I'm sure everyone was questioning my judgement and judging, but there was so much they didn't know. What those times taught me is to never judge another parent (or marriage or just plain old person) because you don't know what they're going through. I went to work some days not knowing if my husband would be alive when I got home, yet no one around me knew that. We need to show each other more love, more acceptance, more support, because you truly never know what someone else is going through.
Oh Im sure everyone has questioned Alex and I a thousand times. It's easy to do when you're outside of the situation. I mean, I've questioned other peoples relationships around me, but in the end, I'm only ever there for the person in a supportive way, because that is my place. My place is not to add negativity to someones life. I'm not that person. I mean, even Alex and I have gone back and forth questioning if we should keep doing it– but at the end of the day, only we know whats best for us. I'm sure I've lost plenty of readers along the way, which honestly, I am perfectly okay with. I'd rather people take their judgement or negative opinions elsewhere— I keep only positive people in my day to day life for a reason— I'd like to be able to do that with this place too.
Brava! Love this post and I'm happy you are happy <3
Brava! Love this post and I'm happy that you are happy <3
simply beautiful. you are an inspiration. 🙂
Great post Drea! I actually stepped away from blogging (emotionally) for a bit because I felt that people are too quick to judge and while I can pour my heart out in a post readers still don't know everything, they misread tones, they compare and they critique.
I love every single point you make on parenting. you mentioned above in a comment about seeing families out who are happy and spend so much time together and it makes you sad. i know EXACTLY how you feel. i see our friends and I sometimes get jealous. they do so many activities on the weekends, they go grocery shopping as a couple they go on those family walks. it's not that we don't do things but we have so much to cram into two nights off. you can only do so much in a few hours, and not to mention there is always something around the house that needs taken care of.
there are times that i feel i am the strongest woman in the world. we have three kids, my husbands works a ridiculous amount of hours, i'm solo when it comes to breakfast, lunch and dinner (dinner i tackle 5 nights) bedtime, bathes and all the activities. as i type this jon is sleeping in because the alarm went off at the restaurant and he was there at 2am. i used to get pissed he slept in, but i'm over it now.
then there are the times when i break down, it's not often because frankly i don't have time, lol, but i definitely break down. i've told jon before if i don't get help with the house i'm going to loose it. i can't do everything myself. we tend to run in circles on the matter.
ok, so i am completely rambling about things i want, perhaps need, to talk about but feel i can't talk about them over on my own space.
sorry!!
well girl, you know i love you.
xoxo
You are the strongest woman in the world. Three kids in this food industry life. I think I could do maybe do it once they are a bit older, like yours…. but we wouldn't do half the activities you guys do. But as small kids/babies? I couldn't I would lose my mind. If Alex wasn't in this industry, I could MAYBE (but probably not) think about having another kid. But with this schedule? no, you're the strongest.
I'm just going to keep hoping for more time together. This Florida off season time is good, but more? It'd be better 😉
Love this post. I like that you brought up the fact that being a single mom, even with the support of your family and friends is still hard, even if you live at home. Living at home with Logan were some of the hardest times for me as a single parent. No support system replaces the other parent that isn't there. Logan's dad was not in his life for the first four years. Still isn't really all the way there but, he's there. But you never stop wanting that other person to step up and do their part because you know that is what is best for the child you created together. And now my comment is rambling. Point :: Thank you for being honest and bringing light to something so many people have misconceptions about. We should all just focus on being happy and supporting one another. The end.
I think it's seriously one of the biggest misconceptions I've heard. And honestly, I think before becoming a single mother— or even if I was just a parent, no single parenting involved, I think I might be guilty of assuming the same thing, but as someone whose actually lived in it, I (we) know it's completely different.
And we both know how much more awesome it gets once they get a bit older 😉
You are my favorite blogger, by far. You're honest and raw and it's encouraging! When you post, I immediately feel the need to read because it feels like you're giving your readers an intimate insight into your private thoughts. I even show off your blog to some people I know! The way you write makes me want to be more true to how I really feel. Thank you girl! Good luck in your endeavors with your sweet little family. Muah!
Wow, thank you!
🙂
brilliant post. i admire your honesty and ability to share what you do about the highs and lows. i love reading your blog for this reason. i really have enjoyed seeing you find and write about happiness through each stage you have gone through, even when you could tell it wasn't all going how you may have planned.
oh yeah, and your family is beautiful!
Thank you thank you!
big cheers and lots of love to you, alex and marlowe. i have always appreciated your honesty.
🙂 Thank you!
Love this. My husband also works in the food service industry–he's a chef turned resort general manager. I definitely understand the long hours/lack of days off, etc. In fact, I can't actually remember his last day off.
I go through phases where I'm certain he doesn't care/doesn't understand that I've had to sacrifice my own career to raise our son/ doesn't do anything around the house. But, there are also times that I realize that he's a pretty great dad, and I think it bothers him as much as it bothers me that he's not around all the time.
Thanks so much for sharing this. It makes me realize that I'm not the only one who struggles with the long hours, and it will also make me step back and think before I threaten to "just do it alone" the next time that thought comes to mind.
I can relate to this so much. SO much. The whole not working so one person could spend SOME time with a child— feeling like no matter what I wanted to do— it would have to wait, because his job *had* to come first— it was a huge battle for us, for a very long time. Only this time around, now that M is older and I can find more enjoyment in our days, am I really okay with it. I hated it before, and even now, if we went back in time, I would hate it. I love M to death, but I never enjoyed staying home with a baby, it was too hard for me. Now, it still sucks that he's gone so much, but when he's here, they're perfect together— he's def. starting to feel the toll of it too, I know he wants to be home to eat a meal with us or read a bedtime story to her– just as much as we do.
My friend Liz and I (yellow finch blog) call this "chef wife life" I don't think it's easy for anyone in this situation. I'm just grateful for off season.
I love your blog so much! Thank you for sharing your life with us 🙂
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing. I appreciate honest bloggers who are not just into "lifestyle, recipe " blogging. I read blogs because i want a little story with my recipes and decorating tips. Some bloggers i have been following (ahem everymusings)completely deleted their older more personal musings and now their blogs just looks like "Kinfolks" mag. I say leave that to the expert. Being in a relationship is hard, I am glad you guys are trying your hardest to make it work.
I don't know, for me, I actually really enjoy the beautiful lifestyle blogs with no words. I never have (or make real) time for blogs anymore anyway…so there's just a small handful I peek at every few days, but most times, I do prefer those aesthetically pleasing blogs, unless I already have a connection with the more writing filled blog(ger).
Also, I can completely 100% understand why a blogger would go back and delete all personal posts. It's hard when people judge you when they know so little about you. No matter how much is shared on the internet, it's never, ever everything. And people like to talk shit, a lot of it, it's not an easy world for people who don't have tough skin or people who just don't give a f*ck. The whole "well, they put their life on the internet, so I have every right to judge them" is the biggest crock I've ever heard. That justification to make someone who is being very obviously mean or judgmental, feel better, it's nonsense. That's like saying "well that person walked by me in a public place, so obviously that gives me permission to talk about them" And it's actually worse than that— because it's not even a public place that belongs to the judger– no one is walking out in front of them— its a public place belonging to the person who is being judged that the hateful person is stepping into. In my opinion, it is never okay to judge anyone—- not someone who puts their life out there for people to optionally look into— and not someone you know in real life— and not some stranger who walks in front of your path. Ya know? Anyway…. I'm going off on a rant tangent— my point is, I totally get why someone wouldn't want to keep personal thoughts out on the internet, for miserable people to judge them. And, its not like theres a rule book for blogging, blogs evolve when people evolve, they'll be every changing. We can't expect any blog to stay the same forever, especially not a personal-lifestyle blog.
But/and Thank you.
I love that you share things about your relationship so openly (even if we don't know everything) and that you are so honest.
Reading you is always a pleasure and you are absolutely right that we should celebrate each other instead of comparing what the others have to what we have. The grass isn't always greener on the other side !
I'm going to go with the grass is never really greener on the other side… it's just a different shade of green… or something.
on a side note… I think today, I am finally realized why marlowe ends every other sentence with "or something" UGH.
and thank you 🙂
Love this "Can we celebrate each other? Because in the end, we're all trying to get to the same damn place, happiness."
I struggle a lot with comparison. It often hurts me and hatefully admit it I'm sure I hurt others. Comparison kills Joy. I'm trying every day to choose Joy. You have a great blog and what you share is beautiful. I find Joy in seeing your beautiful daughter and our shared love for heat(Pheonix is my home.)
I did a lot in the past. I think most of it is nurture, but a bit of it is just human nature— but I think recognizing it is a huge step. Even now, when I'm not feeling overwhelmingly happy for someone, I step back and question, what it is and if it could possibly be a tinge of jealously. Sometimes it still is, and I just snap myself out of it and think "well crap, that's actually really great for them and that must be an incredibly amazing experience. And I may not have that, but I've got a lot of other really great things too."
also, it's just not a smart idea to ever assume or compare without knowing 100% of everything (which none of us ever will). When I would be out with Marlowe and see all these really happy families together, I would get REALLY, REALLY sad. It hurt to think that they would have so much time to be out together, and I would imagine them spending each dinner together and going for family walks or to the park after or whatever else… and think how we never had any time, not even for one meal a day, with Alex. But then one day a week, we would be that really happy family out— and it made me think, there's probably some one looking at us and thinking we must be the happiest luckiest family in the world to be spending this time together— and they would have no idea that this would be our few hours a week to actually see each other… because like me, no one knows anyones whole story (—no matter how much we *share on the internet*).
Also, I lived in Mesa! So many days of sunshine!
Funny how we never thought of any of this stuff before we were parents. You pretty much took all the words right out of my mouth.
Mesa! We actually live is Gilbert. Mesa is our neighbor. How long ago did you live here? I keep bugging my husband for a trip to Key West. I'm sure I'll make it there one day.
I only lived out there for about 11 months or so. PIcked up and drove out there after college. I was so sick of the snow and rain and NEEDED sunshine. After almost a year, I started to really miss my friends and family and figured Florida would be a good sunshine alternative 🙂 It rains a ton more here and I miss the waving cacti — but I've got family here 🙂
<333333333333333 you. And I don't need to be living your life or even be around you physically to know *that*. I love that your message is for us to celebrate each other. So important. Often lost. xo.
Too often lost. I will never, ever understand people who judge, put down, or undermine things that don't magically make them feel better. Find a reason to find joy in something or find something that does, but judging and comparing others is never the way to happiness.
Let's party, girl.
I love the way you write; it's a very true stream-of-consciousness style that really gives your readers insight and lets us get to know you so much better! I've been following your blog for so long and it just makes me super happy that you're finding this balance and making things work. For some reason it is just inspiring for me to hear you talk about all the different parenting situations you guys have been in, each with their own separate challenges, and seeing you take it all in stride and with an incredible amount of grace. I admire your resilience. Love your blog & outlook on life!
Thank you! And I'm glad you enjoy the way I write– because I know I'm in no way "a writer" I just type how I talk and let it ramble out when the moment strikes 😉
I loved reading your words, all of them. Your honesty does my soul some good. I know that I have my struggles in the blended family I am in, and that nobody knows what I go through, but I will keep going through it and loving it while I do. I'm glad things are getting better for you guys! Enjoy your days together!
Thats the thing, everyone has struggles, and sometimes and some days are going to downright suck, and most days are going to be incredibly fantastic, but we just have to keep enjoying what we have and rooting each other on.
A fantastic post Drea. I just wanted to say that I think you are doing a fantastic job raising Marlowe and creating a wonderful life for her. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, it is helpful more than you will know for me to hear them.
Thank you Cj, very much appreciated. <3<3<3
I think you are an absolute dream! Thank you constantly for giving so much of yourself to us. Truly the most beautiful blog on the interweb. Cheers!
This is the sweetest. Thank you!
I love that you post about your relationship so honestly. Mine has been very up and down for the past 3 years, and I've blogged about it honestly, sometimes to the dismay of my family. It's refreshing though, and you never know who is relating and benefiting from you putting it all out there!
Yeah, I mean, if Alex didn't like it, we'd have a conversation about it. But he's always been pretty okay with this whole open book blog thing— I mean, he never really reads it anyway other than the occasional peek over my shoulder when he gets home at night. But I started this post last night and mentioned this boring I had to finish it. He was like "you didn't yet?"I was like "no, its a long one. About our relationship and time and things" he goes "oh boy, that will be a long one!"
I've had so many emails of people relating and benefiting to each separate parenting situation I've been in and written about. It's part of what keeps me here… the main reason really. I like that we can find those common grounds and connect with one other.
Such an honest and sincere post. Seems like you're happy and contented with your daughter and partner now. That's all that matters ♥
🙂