Help Me Act AS IF, Part 5

[SirPrizeMe]

No problem, LMG, don't sweat it.
You can recover from this,
and you can do it today.

Just go up to him and say - breath of fresh air - I thought more about what we talked about, and you know - I'm making it all too heavy. I see what you want and I want to make sure you are happy. I want you to be happy.

no crying, no guilt trip, no "don't do this to our family." You can do this. You can do this. You can do this.

Your girls, they sound very special. Sleepaway camp is a big step, I remember my boys doing that the first time and they LOVED it. Listen... you've got to be there for them during this time. They need you. You've got to be solid, whether your husband is there for you or not. You can do this.

What I want you to do next time you feel like letting go of all your feelings with hubby - contact this group, call us, call me, let it all out on us. Not on him. He's not ready for this. Your feelings are honest and real and true, but he's not ready for all of it, so you call on your friends here instead, or call your sister or your best bud, call anyone but do not lay it on hubby, can you do that?

If he wants to go in June, you agree to it, girl, you hear me? Don't fight him. And you will handle the sleepaway camp and you'll handle the new school without him just fine. You don't need him. You want him, and I respect you for that, but you are a strong and capable person on your own and you can handle this, and you will handle his tantrum and his lack of strength.

You are sad, I know it, and no one here blames you for that. We understand. Of course you're sad. It's stupid, what he's doing. A darn shame. Senseless. You have a beautiful thing, your family, right there in your own house and he doesn't see it. But don't lay it all on him just now, hmmm? not now. Lay it on us - not him.

What you have is an adult teenager. Teenagers - You cannot talk sense into them. They will make decisions that seem really dumb, and there is nothing, NOTHING you can do, except watch. They may fall, and you will watch. only watch.

You don't need to pretend everything is ok. We know it stinks. your friends and family - you can talk to a couple trusted advisors - they will know it stinks. But then, ... then you will get back to living and you will deal with the situation and you will stand tall for your girls, and you will do it because you are strong despite what your husband is doing to you.

And in the end your girls will recognize in you the strength of a capable woman and they themselves will gain self respect, they themselves will see that they have power in themselves, like you. They will see what you are doing and how you are handling yourself, even if they don't know the details, yet they will see, they will sense your virtue and strength and will be drawn to it. and they will know that the power you show is within them, too, and this is invaluable. This is what carries you forward, knowing that what you do now matters to your daughters, impresses your daughters deeply. You can do this, and you will do this. For you and for them. You can handle it. You will handle it. Let him have his thing, his moment of searching, his confusion, but you are the rock, you are the solid one, you are not confused, you know what you want, you are holding your family together, but you will not falter if your husband leaves you. you will stand.

and, girl, get y'sef a pedicure.