It Could Always Be Worse

Mom and Dad had a crappy marriage. 

Big shock, I know.

I don't remember, even when I was little, ever thinking that they liked each other. I don't remember any loud fighting until I was older, but I'm sure there was some.  I remember a few things being thrown, by both of them.  I remember sullen attitudes and silent treatments.

But compared to what David and Amy grew up with, mom and dad were peaceful.

Amy, Andre, David, and I went out to dinner a few nights ago, and during the drive home we somehow started talking about their mom's marriage to the stepdad they grew up with.

David and Amy had lots of "remember when"'s, none of them being anything you'd much want to remember.  Remember when you had to ask each morning who the person in mom's bed was, remember when you walked in on ____...., remember when mom threw something at dad and split his head open and left and we had to go get the neighbor to take him to the hospital.

Andre piped up with "I remember one time my mom and dad got in a big fight and they......yelled at each other really loud!"

Life isn't fair for kids.  They have to put up with living in the middle of a very fragile relationship.  We got to witness some of the many wrong ways to handle a marriage.  But it certainly could've been a whole lot worse.