Two weeks ago today after 15+ years of marriage, my husband got up from the dinner table, packed two bags and left the house. Thus began 10 days that felt like crawling through the fires of hell.
We love each other madly, this was not possible.
Thankfully, he came home on Sunday. In the two weeks this is what I've learned.

He was trying to grow into the man I knew he'd eventually be and I was trying to keep him the boy I married. I was trying to become more butterfly than moth but was afraid to let go, to change, to show vulnerability. I had to juggle all of the balls because I couldn't trust anyone else to do so. So when all of the balls came crashing down this past 2 weeks, I went a little insane.

God challenged my every notion of my life and my marriage. God challenged every concept of self I ever had. God challenged every issue, trust, love, kindness, communication that I thought I was fairly good at and showed me that I was blind to many things. God is great....God is a patient loving father. But God is a scary guy and I learned that I will never ignore Him again!

And as for my marriage....I learned that I value my husband and our marriage above all things. That the kids shouldn't always be my first consideration. That I need to value myself more and realize that I need a life separate from my family and my husband wants me to have that.
I've learned that I have many friends and that they care about me...really care. I've learned that even if my family is a little nuts, they are there for me to lean on.

So the lesson in this, hm? Never take your husband for granted and don't let him do so.
Kids can take care of themselves from time to time and are capable of doing more than we make them. We are valuable, generous, giving people who deserve to be appreciated and deserve a night out. God can solve all things in time. And a two week separation will be the best thing that ever happened to your sex life....believe me!!!!!