Semua Bab A Marriage Without Boundaries: Bab 1 - Bab 7

~ Hailey's Perspective~I had heard somewhere that the honeymoon phase, which covers the initial years of marriage, is when everything is beautiful, generally lasts 1-3 years. Did that happen in my case? I quickly learned that marriage has many phases, and I had entered the honeymoon phase with my head in the clouds. The loud music and crowds of people filled my house from wall to wall. I maneuvered through the chatty, sweaty crowd with a tray of drinks, mumbling, 'Did this man invite the whole town to our anniversary party?' "Hey! Hey! Don't throw up my plants! Excuse me! Coming through with more drinks," I shouted into the crowd, pressed together like sardines in a can. When the way got clear enough, I gasped when I saw what all the commotion was about. My husband, Rome, stood atop the bar, unbuttoning his shirt while doing provocative dance moves, while girls chanted and screamed."Go, Romeo! How low can you go? Romeo!" I hated it when women called my husband Romeo. It ind

~Coming down to earth, the bloom comes off the rose.~You can never really know every aspect of yourself in every situation until you experience it. I found the absence of the "honeymoon high" fading quickly. Did that mean my marriage was in trouble? As the honeymoon haze fades, reality unveils my partner's true colors. I still enjoy my husband, but at this stage, I realize he was a human being with all that implies. Rome's faults and habits are not as cute as they were during the honeymoon stage. I'm feeling conflicted, trying to understand whether it's the drinking, the partying, love, or a lack thereof. I find myself asking the question, "What was I thinking?"I took a deep breath. There was no more thinking about it; it was time to act. I loved my husband, but most of all, I wanted to protect and save my marriage. So, I dialed the number on the card and waited. The ring echoed ominously in my ear until finally—"Hello!" a chipper voice chirped. "Is this Katie?" "Yes, it is! Wh

~ The marriage has approached smooth waters- gratitude for what you have built together.~"Peggy, after almost five years, I finally have the man and kind of marriage I always wanted. Rome has come a long way; he's matured, and his partying ways have diminished. He now has a great job, and recently, his boss threw him a promotion party at the office.""Oh yeah, how was the party? I know you were so nervous about attending it." "It was a nice party. I met his boss and a few of his co-workers. We had a good time. I'm so happy for Rome because he can contribute financially consistently to the household, and you know, men can feel weird when their wives make or have more money than they do.""Has Rome ever said that to you?" "No, but I think that was one of the reasons for his behavior in the past. But now he works a full-time job, and he's moving up the ladder, so he's way more serious and has been more mindful of me and his marital commitment. I thought this would be a good time to st

~As your marriage moves into stage six, be aware that several factors could contribute to an explosion in your couple life. ~ I leaned against the cool surface of my desk, the fluorescent lights above flickering gently, creating a strobe-like effect that added intensity to the quiet hum of the office. I glanced around to ensure no one was in earshot before turning my attention to the figure seated across from me. Gavin was shadowed in the muted light, wearing a casual confidence that intrigued me. I had met with Gavin a few times because he had a certain ease about doing this with me, and I with him, because he had a wealth of experiences tucked away beneath his professional facade.“Let’s go over the plan again,” I said, my voice low and deliberate. “We need to ensure everything is smooth if this is going to work.” "Look before we get started. I don't mind helping you, but as a friend, I think you should talk this over with your wife, just the two of you. Now that I've gotten that