“I was thinking that the coral tank top would go great with this skirt, and how about these earrings and watch? And then with my makeup, I was thinking about trying this new eye liner technique I saw on You Tube…”
My husband’s eyes start to roll back into his head as he falls into an estrogen overload.
Nine months ago, our little family of three moved 1,100 miles away from our home to pursue a wonderful job promotion my husband was offered. This was both exciting and scary, hopeful and doubtful, made me want to run to it and plant my feet and resist at the same time.
When we arrived here, I had made several attempts to join play groups to make friends – but each try just discouraged me more. The reasons were silly: I somehow missed the group by being at the wrong play ground, was put in the wrong story time room at the library, couldn’t find the playgroup location, or even one time, I attended the play group and was informed that they were dissolving the group.
I started to turn to my husband for everything I needed socially…and boy was he in for trouble! Guys don’t talk nearly as much as women do…and my 20,000 words a day was swallowing his 7,000 whole! Our roles started to become blurry and life got tougher as I relied on him for everything I needed. Feeling disappointed that my husband didn’t react like a 14 year old teenager any time I said something exciting, I would push harder. But no matter how hard I tried, my relationship with my hubby was just not going to be a Judy Blume book.
{face-to-palm}
Then, a couple weeks ago, my husband’s family visited…his parents and two young brothers {15 and 18 years old}. The whole week was filled with laughter, fun, going places I had never visited in the Dallas area, eating great food, and doing the one thing I had been excitedly waiting for: TALKING! haha! My “social bucket” was being filled to overflowing {yes, that was cheesy}, and my husband and I were permitted to be who we were: husband and wife.
It recharged us in a way that surprised me. We started to laugh and be more “couple-like” than we had been acting the couple months prior. I began to see again the things that I admired in him as a man, husband, lover, father to my daughter, and best friend. I cherish the time that his family came, not only for their company, but for renewing my relationship with my honey. Its important for us mamas to have girlfriends to have fun with, chat with, share life with, in order for us to keep the pressure off our hubbies to be that “gal pal” that he simply cannot be.
And I’m sure the less we rely on them for help in coordinating outfits, the more we save their sanity too.
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Erin is a stay-a
t-home mommy to her lively and talkative toddler Jael, and wife to her husband and best friend, Joseph. She is the owner of {grace-filled}, a blog and shop of handmade accessories.
great post! and i checked out your blog. LOVE it! very cute! i completely get what you’re saying about getting discouraged with play groups and finding mommy friends you click with. it’s like the first day of kindergarten sometimes. ha!