Share Our Lives: Things I Wished I Had Known
It's the second Monday of the month and time for Share Our Lives. This month we're sharing those things we wished we had known.... Gosh there are so many things I wish I had known about adulthood, parenthood, and just life in general when I was younger.
And yet I really struggled about what to write. I know this was a topic I had suggested and I had so many ideas at the time but when I sat to write I really drew a blank.
Starting back at the beginning; I wish I knew that married life wasn't nearly as difficult as I feared. My husband and I were engaged once when we were freshman in college and I panicked thinking there was no way we could get married that young and not end up divorced (I don't think between us we had one single parent group, aunt/uncle, parents of friends, etc. that weren't on their second or even third marriage). We would not have been old enough to drink at our own wedding! But we didn't break up for more than a couple of months since I just missed him so much and while I made him promise not to propose again until we had been living together for a year, all that worry was for nothing. Married life has been so much easier than I ever thought it would be (so far anyway!).
I wish I had known how fast those childhood years would fly by. I mean, yes everyone told me that, but honestly in the thick of it some of those days seemed so long and never ending that I just didn't really believe it. But looking back they really did fly by.
I wish I had known that homeschooling was going to work out as well as it did. I spent years of my life worried I was screwing my kids up.
Be IN the pictures! I spent much of my life from middle school on avoiding being in front of the camera. I really redoubled my efforts when the boys were small and I do wish I had been in more photos.
When I saw the title of the post, the first thing I thought was that this would be a difficult topic for me to come up with answers for. I'm sure there are things but it's not always easy to think of off the top of your head. Great throwback pics. Your husband (via marriage) and your kids (via homeschooling) are the absolute things to be better/easier than once thought! What a great testament to a wonderful family and putting family first.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteAll good things! I can relate the most to the photos. I am the photo taker and not Tom so I should have asked him to take more of me.
ReplyDeleteYep, I am the photo taker too and not just for our immediate family either-- as my mom and in laws have never been the photo taking type either.
DeleteThese are such great points. I would struggle too but I think once I started writing I wouldn't be able to stop on this topic
ReplyDeleteThanks! I nearly went into all the estate planning/probate things I wish I had known but really I'm just trying to ignore all that for now.
DeleteThere's a lot of things we worry about that aren't so bad as we thought they'd be for sure!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteI loved hearing your thoughts on this. Your sentiments about marriage and parenting are so authentic and relatable. I was on the opposite end of the marriage spectrum, not meeting my husband until 30+, but it still came with plenty of doubts.
ReplyDeleteThank you! The stats against a marriage lasting are daunting...
DeleteI struggled with this prompt too and it took me so long to come up with ideas.
ReplyDeleteThat was so interesting to read about how you worried about being married. I am glad you got your happily ever after!
The childhood years really did just fly by and you did a great job home schooling your boys!
Aw, thank you!
DeleteWhen I saw the title of this I thought, "there isn't a blog post long enough to share all I have thought about." It's a great topic!
ReplyDeleteRight?! I think I had a hard time knowing where to start.
DeleteSo true! I especially love the reminder to be in the pictures—we’re so busy taking photos of everyone else that we forget to include ourselves.
ReplyDeleteYes! Absolutely!
DeleteI sometimes wonder if "pre-worry" doesn't help us insure our worst fears won't come true....nice post, it is always fun to learn more about you!
ReplyDeleteMaybe?! I like to think so-- at least then it's not all wasted energy.
DeleteWhen you find the right person it makes it much easier. Glad you found that person.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you! It's just hard to believe I found him at 16!
DeleteI have to be honest about this topic, it was difficult to get started. It was after I read your post that inspired me. Your, I wish I knew, topics are so spot on. Thank you, Joanne and Share Our Lives for reminding me just how important family, health and friends are!
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
It was so hard to get started! But thank you so much!
DeleteI agree about the photos. I avoided being in any when we took photos on family vacations. I could have been in some, but I actively avoided it. Now, I think nothing of taking my own photos. I wish I'd had that confidence then.
ReplyDeletehttps://marshainthemiddle.com/
Me too! I don't think I started being in them more until I started blogging.
DeleteThe marriage thing....i have to say it just depends on who you marry...and how you guys evolve!!
ReplyDeleteI think there's a lot of luck but also the right person makes a difference.
Interesting about being in photos...good perspective
Xoxo
Jodie
Thank you.
DeleteLuckily you found the right life partner! Isn't that gold!
ReplyDeleteIt sure is!
DeleteIt is indeed hard to pick one thing you wish you had known. Like you, I have many.
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun topic to tackle once I got going.
DeleteI also wish I had know that childhood goes so fast. People tell you but you don't take it in until it almost over.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.kathrineeldridge.com
I definitely think it's one of those things you can't really appreciate until you are either at the end or nearly there.
DeleteOMG yes be in the photos. I am just as bad. Our PTA wanted a picture of the board member moms with just their kids. I went back the last year and I didn't have any photos of me and just my 3 kids. There was only a few that had all 5 of us, so many with Brian and the two littles and a lot with all 4 of them but me taking the picture.
ReplyDeleteYep, exactly!
Delete