Marriage: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

I’ve heard this line for many years now but never really experienced it until these past few days. Santi (my hubby) was gone for 2 days to attend a wedding of a friend in Cebu while the kids and I stayed home. Just my luck that the morning that Santi left I started to get a bad, itchy cough, runny nose and my asthma slowly kicking in. To cap it all of, that evening I got a 38 fever.

Being sick and having to take care of yourself sucks. There’s nothing like some TLC from your mom when you’re sick, but this time I didn’t have that since now, I WAS the mom. I was the one that everyone would run to and ask for help with when it came to my family. They all depended on me, be it for items around the house, or preparing meals (and also being the meal— Belly is still breastfeeding ;-)) and being that focal point where everything and everyone in the house would naturally converge.

But this time, I was the one who needed the TLC… Even in my feverish state of exhaustion, I still had to breastfeed, reply to some work emails, entertain the kids and put them to bed. Those 2 short days seemed like forever without Santi. It made me appreciate my husband and the things (even though how small) that he would do for me…. like always asking how I was, or putting Santino to sleep and being the one to mix his milk in the middle of the night… or how I could get little back rubs or a simple hug for the stress or bad feelings to melt away.

The past 2 days made me realize just how lucky I am in the husband department. Sure, there were times where I would want to ask for a full-refund or maybe a swap? But then the NO RETURN, NO EXCHANGE policy also applies in marriage, and I’m glad it does… because where would I be if I could just easily give up when faced with the tiniest hardship? Marriage IS hard work. SO MUCH HARD WORK… but when you communicate and make it work (compromise, love, patience, respect, faith) … you are very happy and at peace. :-)