Just Me

I am struggling today with a lot of down feelings and thoughts and questions. Did I pick the wrong person? Just because now he’s in recovery and working to be a partner and father we deserve, I should stick with him. Don’t I deserve someone who will be committed to me and our life from Day 1 not just now after all the secrets are out. Did I settle way back when? Why didn’t I pay attention to red flags? Why didn’t I just move on then? Was I afraid or was it because of love? Things are hard to look back on now. Everything is tinted (tainted?) by knowing all that I know now.

It’s hard, but I can’t focus on that. It just makes me feel bad about this situation and about myself. But I won’t have these most wonderful beautiful baby boys without all of this shit and they are the greatest thing that I have done and in my life. I will never regret them. My husbands sex addiction and all of his past actions and behaviors still are shocking and traumatic. How could this be my life?

In the recent past, before knowing about the SA and all that it has entailed (which I still don’t know all yet), I had started questioning our marriage, if we wanted the same things, if we headed in the same direction or had the same goals for our future. It often felt inconsistent. Like sometimes he was focused on improving his work situation, getting more education, really on top of our finances. But then there would be lapses, I couldn’t tell what his priorities were what his focus was.

One of the things that really bothers me looking back was he would go to bed early while I stayed up after the boys were in bed to get some work done and watch alittle TV. But then if I was ever heading to bed early, he would go downstairs saying things like I never to get to watch TV or just whatever. And I would struggle to sleep. I could hear him but not sure what he was doing and if I went downstairs, he would get so irritated or angry sometimes with me. It just never felt right and I am kinda of angry that I allowed myself to be gaslighted. To be manipulated. I had suspicions that something wasn’t right or maybe that he was drinking and I was made to feel that I was being ridiculous or controlling or __, but I was right. He was looking at porn, chatting with someone else sexually, making plans to hook up, etc. It hurts so deeply Inside. And almost numbing. It’s such a complex situation and elicit such complex feelings. There’s the one part that always felt like he could be great—a great husband and dad, great in career and in providing a wonderful life. He has lots of positive attributes. And now is the chance for him to finally live that potential and make a real life of honesty and commitment to his family and I don’t want to miss out on that after so many years of supporting and routing him on and believing in him. But there’s another part of me that thinks why spend any more time with this person who treated our relationship as garbage who was more committed to his sex addiction than to his family. What has he done to deserve that? What do I deserve? How will I ever figure out what I need to do?

Gratitude:

  1. My baby boys
  2. Getting to stay home during this pandemic and still work/earn an income
  3. Got my steps yesterday
  4. Weather is getting warmer
  5. Pooping on the potty has become pretty consistent!!

Intentions: I will stick to my scheduled blocks to feel accomplished. I will take a walk and get my steps. I will be loving and patient with my family.

Affirmations: I am a good wife and mother.

Fam Gratitude

Dada:

  1. Breakfast cookie
  2. 30 pack TP!
  3. New windshield wipers on moms car
  4. Dog food restocked!
  5. Work from home til 4/30
  6. Good target run
  7. Restocked flour (sour dough starter?)
  8. New jeans
  9. Coffee
  10. chores started
  11. Sunny walk

Bubba:

  1. Talked to papa
  2. Sunny day

Momma:

  1. Set up mtgs for next week
  2. Oatmeal
  3. New windshield wipers on my car!!!
  4. Sunny day
  5. One cookie is waiting for me
  6. Target supplies restocked
  7. FaceTime
  8. Healthy family
  9. Family walk
  10. Hubs is happy today

Intentions: Work on IEP. Enjoy my family.

Affirmations: I am the glue holding things together. I am a good wife and mother.

Family Gratitude

Daddy:

  1. Coffee
  2. Clean family
  3. Family choo choo ride
  4. Oatmeal
  5. Tiger King
  6. Tele appts

Me:

  1. Coffee
  2. Being able to stay home right now
  3. Being able to work from home
  4. Baby boys esp when they are clean
  5. Oatmeal cc cookies
  6. Netflix in bed
  7. my laptop
  8. A long walk yesterday
  9. Cheese
  10. Health family

Bubba:

  1. PB CC cookies!
  2. Baby yogurt
  3. My pictures (artwork) hung in the hallway
  4. Easter eggs
  5. Names on Easter eggs
  6. Eating bagels with dadda
  7. Pillows in the floor
  8. Pillows in the couch
  9. My brother
  10. Bath with my brother

Baby bear:

  1. Bath with brother and dadda
  2. Bananas
  3. Milk
  4. Monkeys
  5. Water
  6. His family
  7. FaceTime
  8. Soft, fuzzy things

Saturday, Not in the Park

Family gratitude.

Hubs:

  1. Coffee
  2. Snuggles in bed
  3. Fun picture memories
  4. Soup!
  5. Bread
  6. Saturday
  7. Boys
  8. Clean sheets
  9. Schedules
  10. Less soreness

Me:

  1. Getting almost 9 hours of sleep! 🙌🏻
  2. Dreams of going to Disney World
  3. Making cookies with bubba today
  4. Clean sheets will be on my bed by noon
  5. Health
  6. Hubs is working hard on his journey
  7. Time to slow down
  8. Oatmeal
  9. Fresh coffee
  10. Puppers

Baby bear:

  1. Bananas
  2. Playing with big bro
  3. Dog
  4. Warm milk
  5. Family

Bubba:

  1. Cleaning
  2. Making cookies
  3. Paw Patrol
  4. Family
  5. Neighbors
  6. Papa
  7. Eat bagels
  8. Baby bro
  9. Disney

Intentions: Enjoy an indoor family day. Do some house work and exercise today. Drink plenty of water.

Affirmation: I am a really good mom and wife.

Family Gratitude Bedtime Party

Daddy:

  1. Disinfectant wipes at the grocery store
  2. Fresh supplies (groceries restocked at home)
  3. Video conf meetings
  4. Sunny day
  5. Getting steps
  6. Free guacamole
  7. Cute baby joining me on my meeting
  8. Car rides in the driveway
  9. Nice showers
  10. Dates

Mommy:

  1. Sunny warm day
  2. 2 family walks (steps!)
  3. Finished PD to start virtual teaching
  4. Chipotle for dinner
  5. Baby boys esp ones who love to snuggle with soft stuff
  6. Being able to FT with family
  7. Hubs sacrificing himself for the chipotle run
  8. Groceries replenished
  9. My back is not really hurting
  10. outdoor playtime with the boys

Bubba:

  1. FaceTiming with a friend
  2. Chips and guacamole
  3. Pizza day
  4. It’s my fav day (Friday)
  5. Family
  6. Chase
  7. Marshall
  8. Paw patrol and all the pups
  9. Sunny day

Family Gratitude

Bubba:

  1. Watch TV
  2. My family
  3. Outside
  4. Running w/ daddy
  5. Walk with my family
  6. My doggy

Daddy:

  1. Coffee
  2. Breakfast with the fam
  3. Good helpers
  4. Hugs
  5. Having what we need
  6. Family is healthy and safe

Momma:

  1. Being able to stay home right now
  2. Having jobs that we can (sorta) do from home and get paid for
  3. FaceTime
  4. Coffee and healthy breakfast
  5. Started day with workout and shower.
  6. Family is healthy

Baby bear:

  1. Family
  2. Eggs
  3. Bananas
  4. Hugs
  5. Rocking chair

Intentions: Be focused and get PD done today. Take a walk. Find some time to relax.

Affirmations: I am a good wife and mother. I am a good teacher who will figure out this online thing!

Week 2, Day 2 Family Gratitude

Hubs:

  1. Second bed buddy this morning
  2. A helper baker
  3. A shower & shave
  4. The sun

Me:

  1. Baby boys
  2. Morning fun
  3. A sunny day
  4. Painting Project
  5. Sleeping in a little late
  6. Spring flowers

Bubba:

  1. Papa
  2. FaceTime
  3. Bagel eating with mommy & daddy
  4. PP fire truck
  5. Making bread with daddy

Intentions: Get things done today! Finish work calls, workout, walk, and paint.

Affirmations: I am a good mother and wife. I am a good person.

A Thankful Family

Bubba:

  1. Eating a buttered bagel with daddy
  2. Papa
  3. Marshall
  4. My baby
  5. My mommy
  6. My daddy
  7. And me!
  8. And the dog!
  9. And my grandma, and daddy’s mommy, and my uncle and my aunt.
  10. Water

Baby bear:

  1. Mac n cheese
  2. Baths
  3. Things to throw
  4. Family
  5. FaceTime

Hubs:

  1. Less runny noses
  2. Family fun times
  3. Yummy homemade bread
  4. A run before the heavy rain
  5. Meditation
  6. Clean boys
  7. Talks with wife
  8. Homemade dinner
  9. Private house
  10. Having the stuff we need

Me:

  1. Got some work done for school, talked to some families
  2. Read disclosure paperwork
  3. Took a bath
  4. Lovey sweet wonderful baby boys
  5. Hubs made dinner including fresh bread
  6. And cleaned up!
  7. Clean boys
  8. Family time
  9. Having technology and internet access
  10. Small project completed

Affirmations: I am a good mother and wife. I am a hard worker.