The Good Wife

I am a good wife. I know that with all my heart and soul. I can sleep peacefully at night knowing this. I have moved, quit working, cooked and cleaned. I am a good wife. I know this to be true. Whatever my husband does I know it's not my fault. I have done the best I can. I'm not perfect and neither is he. Our relationship is not perfect. If something's wrong or missing, we need to talk about it, not reach out in different directions.

I take pride in being a good wife. I didn't get married to get divorced. We've been together a long time and didn't rush into marriage. I'm not willing to walk away from that but if I have to I will. There's two ways this will end-divorce or death. Sorry, but there's no easy way out.

I once heard someone describe marriage as a marathon not a sprint. I couldn't agree more. Marriage is something that constantly needs to be worked on. If you're married and you think your work is done, you're wrong. The work is never done.

Never take your marriage or each other for granted. The day you do is the day you find out about the other woman. That will be your wake-up call (and it's not really a wake-up call but more like a sledgehammer to the chest).

I am a good wife and I've done the best I can. In a relationship of two, one can only do so much. The other half needs to hold up his end of the bargain. I've done my part, I've put in my time, the question is will you do yours?  

The One True Thing

The one thing I really want may be out of my reach. The one thing I would sacrifice anything for may be gone. The one thing I thought I could do may be impossible.

Let me explain. As an adult female, I didn't get the chance to have a wedding or a bridal shower or a honeymoon. I skipped the shower and got married at city hall. Nothing wrong with that. It's cheap and quick but definitely not romantic. That's just the way it is.

We couldn't afford a wedding or a honeymoon and didn't have tons of family support for either. That's fine, I thought, I'm not a girly-girl anyway. I was looking towards the future.

I don't come from a big family. I'm an only child. No brothers and sisters mean no nieces and nephews. I wouldn't say my parents and I are close. That's my family situation and that's the way it is. I can't change that.

The one thing I've always wanted was a family of my own. I thought that would be something that I could control. I thought it was a given. Apparently, it's not. Maybe I waited too long. I was chasing after other things. It was not a priority until I got married and bought a house in my mid-thirties. We have three bedrooms-a master bedroom, an office/guest room, and a third room. The third room currently sits empty, like a hole in my heart, just waiting to be filled.

I thought that would be the easy part. My God-given right as a woman to produce a child. What could stop me now? Not money, not family, not social status. This would finally be my moment to have, and now it may never happen.

If I am lucky enough to get pregnant, I probably won't have a baby shower (that's fine too, I hate those things anyway). Another sacrifice I'm willing to make to achieve my final goal. I may not have much, but this is the one thing I want more than anything. The one true thing.

Cooking Is Your Friend, Not the Enemy

I hate it when women brag about how they can't cook. Everyone needs to eat, and unless you can afford to go out every night, you need to do some form of cooking. Cooking is not that hard. Do not be afraid of the kitchen. You need to eat and guys like a woman who can cook. Just because you know how to cook doesn't mean you'll automatically end up barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.

I had to teach myself how to cook. Growing up, my mom always cooked and she hated it. The only time my dad went into the kitchen was to get a snack. My mom never taught me how to cook. I think she was afraid to let me near the stove. When I left home, I barely knew how to boil water.

All that changed when I met my husband. I am extremely lucky that he likes to cook so I got off easy for many years. But then he took a night class and I had to cook. What I discovered is that cooking wasn't that hard and over time I have come to actually enjoy it.

I taught myself to cook with the help of TV shows, cookbooks, and recipes online. I'm not the greatest cook but I can put together a meal and not make you sick.

The more you cook, the more confident you will be. So do not be afraid of the kitchen. Knowing how to cook is a great asset and it's not a woman-only thing anymore. You'll save money and eat healthier, and anyone you cook for will thank you for it too. 

Be Open

Open your mind,
Open your eyes,
Open your heart,
Open your arms,
Open your lungs,
Open to opportunities,
Open to new possibilities,
Be open to life.