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When Parenting Makes Marriage Hard
Yesterday was one of those days. It didn’t start out that way. In fact, it had been a good day. I had been patient with the kids. I had some focused school time with Levi that was calm and peaceful. We all enjoyed watching the snow fall, then ventured out into it to shovel and play for an hour, and only a few tears were shed. Sure, I had four loads of unfolded laundry that hovered over me, threateningly, but for the most part, the day went well. But Lucy had taken an early nap, and Levi didn’t at all, which meant that I had been full-time parenting without…
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A Beautiful Mess
The first major conflict between Kevin and I happened about a week before our wedding. For months, we had been collecting furniture and decor and packing up our belongings, and the time had finally come to bring it all together in our tiny new apartment. I had anticipated the day with giddiness. Long had I envisioned where every chair, picture frame, and lamp would go to make the 300 square foot space a home. I longed, too, for the romantic harmony of almost-lovers making their first home together. Here’s what happened: My vision didn’t come together. Furniture was larger than I had prepared for, walls to small, outlets in inconvenient…