We have been married for 20 years next month. I am a stay at home mom with a 13 and 17 year old kids. I feel unappreciated for everything I do (everything except the yard work) but that’s just part of the problem. Although my hubby says he loves me, he really doesn’t show it. We have this pattern of things going fine for awhile, I get frustrated, blow up and tell him what’s wrong, he changes for a while but in about 3 weeks, he’s back to his old ways again. He’s trying and even my daughter told me he’s trying, mom, he really is, but I don’t know how many more times I can keep this up. The difference this time is that I’m not "running back to him" like I usually do. I hate conflict and it kills me inside to have this going on. I’m very frustrated and angry and have quite honestly thought about the greener grass, but realize it has it’s problems too… I’m feeling stuck… Any words of wisdom out there?

PS… He has a lousy relationship with his mom and I think he really doesn’t know how to relate to women. I asked about all of his previous relationships and he said they all broke up because "the new wore off". I asked him what was different about me….hoping for some awesome statement… He said, basically it was because I stuck around…
To give a bit more detail… I have been working off and on part time throughout the years. My husband likes to be the sole breadwinner and rather discouraged me working, especially full time, so I could stay at home with the kids. After the summer I do plan on finding a job since our oldest is graduating. We got married when I was 19 and really had no idea about love or marriage.
I’d also like to add that there have been several years of verbal abuse to not only myself or my children. He believes marital counselling is a "last resort" and isn’t interested in going. I have given everything to my husband and my family…I just want to be loved in return…that’s all…
Oh and for those of you who think there’s another man…there’s not!

Tags: breadwinner, conflict, finding a job, full time, greener grass, Home Mom, home with the kids, hubby, last resort, love, marital counselling, marriage, part time, quot, relationship, relationships, stay at home, stay at home mom, verbal abuse, words of wisdom

I have been a stay at home mom for almost 9 years. I have some college, but 4 children to take care of. How on earth am I to survive?

Tags: divorce, earth, stay at home, stay at home mom

There was a woman in my life whom I loved deeply.

She was and is still everything to me. I had pursued her for months before we actually started dating on that fateful 4th of July, in 2007. It all started at a Rangers baseball game. They were playing the Angels that night, and little did I know that the fireworks at the ballpark, were nothing compared to what would happen once we got home. We went into that stadium as friends, but left as a couple. The drive home that night took way too long, and once inside the house, we went straight into the bedroom. That night I felt like I had one the lottery. From her flowing brown hair, to her deep green eyes, she had me captivated. Her smile was contagious, and I had never before felt security like I did in her arms. I was on a meager salary at the time, so my ring was not the most substantial declaration of my love, but it was all I could afford. It was a starry Texas night, when I proposed to her in my Chevy truck. Without hesitation, she said yes. My heart jumped, and I knew without a doubt that she was the one that I had been waiting all these years for. Everything was great, including the sex, and we conceived a child in August. Her name was to be Irelynn. We had plans for a California wedding within the next six months, and for a few months to follow, I continued to be on top of the world… nothing could ruin my life now. But, I was mistaken. One morning it all changed. She walked out of the house, my life… and my heart broke. For a solid year, I begged, pleaded, and gave into anything that might offer a chance of bringing us back together. There were a few glimmers of hope over he past year and a half, but now I think I may have finally given up. From what I hear, she is engaged to some guy that inherited a ton of money, and can offer her more than I could have at the time, and is a stay at home mom. The sad thing is, that even after her betrayal, and knowing all the facts… I would without a doubt, welcome her back with open arms, as I still love her as much today, as I did a year and a half ago.

Now here is the weird part; I found out that she calls a friend of mine about every three weeks to check on my life… and I have discovered that she checks in on my facebook page, and my myspace page.

My heart needs to heal. I want to be able to move on… But I can’t. I still feel that there is a chance that she might come back. Help…

So what do you think?

Can you offer me any advice?

Tags: 4th of july, angels, baseball game, betrayal, brown hair, california wedding, chevy truck, fireworks, glimmers, green eyes, Healing A Broken Heart, hesitation, lottery, meager salary, rangers, Rangers Baseball, sad thing, six months, stay at home, stay at home mom, top of the world, woman in my life

I am a Mother of five, I have been a stay-at-home Mom for 12 years and I am about to get a divorce. I have 106 college credits and we own five small video stores and I am just wondering how I am going to stand on my own two feet and still be there for my children. They have never been in daycare and I have been here for them. I know I can do this, I have to (husband and my best friend were cheating for a year), I was just looking for some positive support! Thanks and I am sorry for any of you that are in my shoes.

Tags: best friend, college credits, daycare, divorce, own two feet, shoes, stay at home, stay at home mom, support thanks, video stores