To The Moody Wife Whose Husband Doesn't Know - Here's What You Need to Know

It's so funny because just yesterday a friend shared a link to a blog, Perfection Pending. I read this re-post to husbands about their angry wives. Not only did I laugh out loud, but I felt like the original author, Jesica Ryzynski of Her View From Home, was dead on the money! Because I too often feel like an angry person, myself; so through my life, I've had to create coping skills or good habits to help me manage. Some people might think that I am just bottling it, but really, I'm just trying to buy time to figure out what I am really feeling and why I am acting angry before others feel the repercussions of that anger.

So, as you can imagine, this article about angry wives is on my mind, but I get up and walk through my morning today like an angry wife. Sure as her article stated, my husband asked me too, "Are you okay? Something seems to be off with you this morning."

Well, duh. The list Meredith gave husbands to deal with their angry wives... I hadn't shown him the article yet. I must need to stop and read it to him. Or... I just need to use those coping skills and get to the root of my mood swing.

I chose honesty. I also chose to leave it alone after sharing the issue. You know? Rather than nagging and harping on something that I just explained once. It turns out, I got more results than when I keep up the complaints and the nagging.

Maybe I will eventually show my husband the article that Meredith re-posted, but for now I'm just going to let him be himself, and I'm going to love him through the mess because I'm my own mess too. If I haven't perfected him after 15 years of marriage, I'm probably not going to get perfect. But I sure do love his imperfect, perfect for me self.

So here are a few of my tips for the moody wife whose husband might read as angry:

What's Your Season?

Seasons of Life!  We have many and my current season is parenting. Like anyone else, I don't want to do it alone. I'm not talking about needing a husband to help. I've got one of those, and he's good at doing it with me. I mean, the need or desire to surround myself with other moms who understand the ups & downs of this season.

I've been blessed with friends. Don't think that I'm having a pity party for someone to come befriend me. I'm blessed with great friends. However, my best friends & I have each written our own, different stories. We've done our seasons in a different order than each other, not to mention, none of us live within 20 minutes of each other.

So, I'm talking about needing a local circle of people to mommy with. I'm not the first with this need, so go ahead and stop making that face. I just might be one of the few to say it out loud!! What am I gonna do about it though?

I'm going to be intentional, that's what! I'm intentionally being friendlier, putting myself out there, seeking opportunities to make friends with other moms in the same season of life as I.

It's funny. Until #MyBoy was almost two, I didn't realize this need would come. We lived in our own little world as best friends. We did everything together. We slept at the same time, ate together, and even played together.  Then, he needed friends. He wanted to interact with people his own age, and time with mommy wasn't as sufficient.  Now, I probably did have a little pity party about that for a hot minute, but once I understood and got use to the idea of helping him make new friends, I realized this was gonna benefit me too. I'd get a new friend or two out of the deal, if I'm lucky.

Last month, I visited MOPS of Newnan. Guess what? I love it. This Friday, I'll be joining. I'll be a member of Mothers of Pre-Schoolers, a room full of lovely ladies who are in the same season of life as me. I'm excited, but it doesn't mean that I won't have any work ahead of me.

As a matter of fact, we had a great speaker at our last meeting. Melanie Dale. She's the author of "Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends". Now, I'm laughing my way through this well-written, funny dialog of what the next year of my life is probably going to look like. She describes meeting new mom friends as a dating scene, having to go through all four bases again. Of course, these bases are different than when I was dating to find a husband, but they are non-the-less bases that you go through when meeting new friends.

Again, I'm blessed to already have fourth-base-friends, but I'm looking forward to going through these bases with new mom friends who will share parenthood with me in this season of my life. If you have a funny story about mom-dating, I'd love to hear it. If you want to start a dialog about your current season of life, get the conversation started. Share with me by commenting below.

If you want to get your hands on Melanie's book, find her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Actually, I'm sure she will be glad for you to become the proud owner of either one of her books by purchasing them from Unexpected.org. That's right! I did buy both of her books, so when I wrap up her first, I'll dive in to book #2, "It's Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn't Choose".

Mommy Transition

Photo Credit to PregnancyandBaby.com

This will probably be a short and sweet little post, but I can't help to write about the current transition I am in and ask if any of you other mommy's felt the same way when you were in this stage?

I have a 17 month old, amazing little boy. I have new baby fever - I really want #2. I really love motherhood. Yet, I'm in the stage of finding myself after baby, so I need time to do things that make me feel accomplished; such as, writing & other things I love and interaction with other adults.

I feel guilty when I consider leaving #MyBoy in the care of someone else to fit some of these things into my life, but I cannot chase him around and do these things too.  So, how did you find a balance between full-time mommy and finding time for self or is it just not my turn yet?

Please comment below to start the discussion.

Gone Fishing for Rhett's 1st Birthday

I had so much fun planning Rhett's 1st Birthday! I chose the gone fishing theme because we had recently moved to The Pollard Plantation on the lake and why not?his name is Jameson Rhett FISHER Teel.
I wanted to be creative and if I was thrifty, I could do more.  Making my own banners, food labels, photo booth props …more

"Best Job Ever"

The first year of parenting #MyBoy has been so much fun that I had to go all out for his first birthday.  What mom hasn't said or done that?  I did have so much fun planning Rhett's 1st Birthday though! I chose the Gone Fishing theme because we had recently moved to The Pollard Plantation on the lake and why not? his name is Jameson Rhett FISHER Teel. 

I wanted to be creative and knew if I was thrifty, I could do more.  Making my own banners, food labels, photo booth props and food was a lot of fun.  It made the whole experience so much more memorable for me.  After all, is a first birthday party for the child or for the parents?  Let's be honest... its for the parent and the non-baby guests!!  Let's just hope everyone had as much fun as I planned for them to have. ;-)

Candy Bar

Message in a Bottle for Rhett to read on his Twenty-1st Birthday

My most favorite craft was a faux-chalkboard.  You know the adorable birthday chalkboards with all the kids stats from the year?  Well, Etsy.com sells those for $30+ dollars and they were amazing, but I felt I could duplicate for a lot less.  So, I bought a $1 Foam Black Board from the Dollar Tree and created my masterpiece with bright, everyday, every-household colored pencils.

Faux-Chalkboard on Foam Board

We had BBQ because what's a better outdoor food, mid-summer food? For dessert, I offered a Candy Bar, Cupcakes and a First-Birthday Cake (which was another favorite creation. See pic below!). Making fondant was much easier than expected, but coloring fondant was much harder than expected. Lucky me after getting the base and fence on the cake, my artistic mom created the cake toppers for me! It was adorable.

Gone Fishing Dinner Table

 

THE BIRTHDAY CAKE OF THE CENTURY

RHETT'S GONE FISHING with MILLER TAGGING ALONG

Of course, the very best part about the entire party was having our friends & family share this event with us. The kids had fun fishing in the "catch-n-release pond" & the lake where they all caught a lot of fish, and everyone helped entertain & shower Rhett with gifts that he has so much fun playing with on a daily basis. Thank you for leaving notes in his Message-In-A-Bottle for him to read on his Twenty-1st Birthday, writing in his Guest Book and for your presence.  We love each of you and we are very blessed by your love and friendship!

Please enjoy the following photos. If you didn't make the blog, please don't be sad. The photos were chosen at random, and I love you too!

Drink Station with Snacks & Cupcakes

Serving Lake & Sea Water

Smash Cake, Birthday Cake & Party Favors

Rhett with his Smash Cake

Say "Cheese"

He wasn't that shy and he didn't cry!

I'm One

Photo Booth

Photo Booth Props

Catch & Release Pond

#BabyRoa didn't miss #BabyT's 1st Birthday

To My Houghs :: Thank You for Traveling!

Did you go all out for your little's first birthday?  What kind of crafts did you do?  Tell me in the comments below.