I am feeling very fortunate these days and I think it is important to remember how lucky I am.  My marriage is awesome, not perfect, but at least totally awesome and healthy.  My husband dislikes his job–the politics part, not the actual work he has to do.  I like my job and know I have it for as long as I want it or until the state runs out of money to pay for it.  All of these things are easy to take for granted. I know these seems like a totally self-indulgent post.  But I need to remind myself of these things and to show thanks for them, because they are not guaranteed.

A couple/family close to us that we have known for nearly 7 years is separated.  While I don’t know the personal details of their marriage, it seems to have happened over night.  One day my husband pointed out something I had noticed–the wife hadn’t been around much.  This is a family who we spend a lot of time with–a family who we consider friends.  Our kids play together all the time and are constantly in each others homes.  Their kids are nearly 5 and 2–mine are 5 and 3.5.  It breaks my heart to see a family fall apart. It is not something that I have every witnessed this up close and personal.  It touches too close to home for my husband. His parents separated when he was 6.  It is a confusing time for the kids and probably just as confusing for the parents.

I am being supportive as possible and reaching out to the family.  We invite the kids over when we can as this time isn’t easy for anyone and if inviting the kids over to play gives them a small sense of normalcy and the parents a feeling that they aren’t totally alone, then that is the least I can do.  Because we are a community and it does take a village.  So, I will continue to help and be thankful that I am as lucky as I am.