“Chances are your former spouse has a different parenting style than you, with some conflicting rules. Rather than stress yourself about these differences, learn to accept that life is never consistent and that it may actually be beneficial for your kids to experience other ways of doing things." -HuffPost Divorce
We have discussed the blending of our families many times before. In fact, our entire brand is based on co-parenting and blended families.
“Your child will become what you are. So be what you want them to be.”
After divorce, you begin to heal and rebuild your life. You start with letting go, forgiving, and moving on.
We do all that we can to forget our ex and the painful ending of what was supposed to last forever.
For most people, divorce means not having to see your ex as often, or at all. It means taking time to work on yourself and fix all that was broken during the demise of the relationship.
“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”
-Dr. Seuss
Throughout our lives, we will encounter good and bad. We will experience evil and virtue.
In all those instances, there is only one thing we can control…how we choose to react to them. Often, lousy things happen to great people; favorable things happen to dreadful people. It is not up to us to decide who gets what.
“Love comes to those who still hope after disappointment, who still believe after betrayal, and who still love after they’ve been hurt."
No one plans on getting divorced. Unfortunately, the statistics on marriages that end in divorce are shocking. Those numbers make an alarming increase for second and third marriages.
“Whatever you do, please don’t waste your time comparing yourself to others. There is enough room for us all to be beautiful and successful in our own way.
Moving on after a divorce can be difficult. If you are brave enough to look for and find true love a second (or third) time, consider yourself lucky.
When you decide to give marriage another go, it is normal for the ghosts from relationships past to creep into your new-found joy. The key is not allowing it to stick around.
“The truth is, of course, that what one regards as interruptions are precisely one’s life.” - C.S Lewis
Remember being young and planning your life – when you would get married, where you were going to live, how long you would wait to have children, and what they would look like.
If we were betting women, we are guessing that you did not likely plan on having a ready-made family.
That’s ok; neither did we!
“The only perfect parents are the ones that don’t have kids yet.”
While no two people are exactly the same, we are certain everyone would agree that parenting can be difficult at times.
We have stated before – there is no manual for parenting. The doctors and nurses that help you bring your fascinating little creatures into this world, quickly send you on your merry way to fend for yourself. They watch as you cheerfully leave the hospital with such high hopes of breaking the mold of parenthood. Meanwhile, before the ink dries on the discharge papers, the hospital staff sit cackling in the corner knowing they have just sent you to battle, unarmed, unprepared, and unaware of just how much sleep you are about to NOT receive.
“And she was made to appear crazy by the man who drove her there.”
There are so many factors that affect a relationship. Age, maturity, and mindset all play a part in how we treat those we love and vice versa.
Not every relationship has a fairytale beginning. All love stories are different and unique in their own way. Some a little more conventional than others but all are beautiful, nonetheless.
“One day you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through and it will be someone else’s survival guide.” -Brene Brown
No one plans the fall of a marriage. Even those of us that walk into a marriage with concerns or uncertainty - ye of little faith - still hold on to some sort of hope that we will defy the odds and our love will last.
If your marital bliss turns to marital misery, then you must make a difficult decision.
“One day you will find someone that chooses you and continues to choose you every day, and that’s when you will be thankful everything happened the way it did."
When you think about co-parenting, you most likely imagine biological parents that are no longer together, reuniting as a team to raise the children they created during their relationship.
While that is often the scene in our dynamic, occasionally it is not the case.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” - C.S. Lewis
Looking back on our lives, we cannot help but think about the pain we endured, the heartache we went through, and the mistakes we made. Through it all, there were lessons learned and strength gained. We take so much pride in how far we have come.
“The greatest gift our parents ever gave us, was each other.”
Have you ever traced your family heritage back several decades, or researched your ancestry? These days, there are so many different companies that offer you the ability to do so.
Imagine what you could find out about yourself. Maybe you have long-lost relatives somewhere in the world. How fascinating would that be?
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possible, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” - Maya Angelou
Women have spent years fighting for equality; insistent on having the same rights as men. They protested to secure a place in the world where they are no longer inferior to men.
We are determined to ensure our voices are heard. After a long and challenging battle for equal opportunities, it is obvious that we demand respect and fair treatment.
“Family isn’t defined only by last names or blood. It’s defined by commitment and by love.” -Dave Willis
Most children are born into nuclear families that include two loving parents. However, that is not always the case. Families are made up of many different combinations. Take for instance our blended family dynamic – in all, we have four mothers and four fathers that have been married and procreated at one time or another.
“CHEMISTRY OR NOT, IF YOU ARE PRIORITIZING OR HIDING THE EMOTIONAL ATTENTION OR AFFECTION OF ANOTHER INSTEAD OF YOUR SPOUSE, THAT IS GROUNDS FOR HAVING AN EMOTIONAL AFFAIR.”
There are mishaps that occur in a marriage that you can easily bounce back from. For instance, if your husband eats the last Oreo, or your wife backs into the mailbox in your new truck. Those things can be easily quickly, and the relationship will not suffer unsurmountable damage.
“Family Court: A place where showing love is classified as being emotionally unstable. Contacting your child is classified as harassment. False allegations are encouraged and accepted. Perjury is accepted. The truth is ignored, and you pay to see someone that is already yours.”
That perfectly sums up the life that we lived in for two and a half years. Unethical, heartbreaking, and alienating of both parents and children.
“I didn’t set out to be a single parent. I set out to be the best parent I could be….and that hasn’t changed.”
When you become a mom, whether it is the first time or the fourth time, it can be intimidating. Becoming a SINGLE mom is downright terrifying. There are several fears that will go through your mind. What will my financial situation look like? Will I be lonely forever? Am I strong enough? Will I even survive this journey?
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.”
How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.
Love is one of the most beautiful sensations you will ever experience. Once you love someone or are loved by someone, it acts as a drug that you constantly yearn for.
“Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.” - Benjamin Franklin
We have all been guilty of keeping things from those we love. Not all secrets are bad. Sometimes things are better left unsaid; it leaves a little to the imagination.
For instance, a surprise party or a special gift – those are secrets worth keeping. Why are those ok to keep hidden? It’s simple, because something good comes from that undercover operation.
“What a mishap when two souls, at different seasons in life, unite. Even though they would likely be perfect for one another, they cannot merge, because the timing is not right.”
Do you believe in fate? That two hearts that are meant to be will find each other, no matter what?
Do you believe that everyone has a person they were innately designed for? That when the time is right, you will find your one true love?
What if your one and only, show stopping, got to have it, one true love…is already taken. That person is someone else’s husband.
