Friday, July 31, 2009
QUESTIONS part1
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
NOTES OF LOVE
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
COHABITATION VERSUS LEGALIZATION
- 75% of black women versus 91% of white women will marry in their lifetimes. Interesting but not unbelievable. I look at all the beautiful, single black women in my immediate circle and I see it. Women who have been in long-term relationships and loved, but never walked down the aisle. Some wanted it that way. Some never met the "right" person. Or they let that one get away.
- 28% of all women have never cohabitated or married. This was harder for me to believe, but then I started to think and I do have one(only one) friend who has been in relationships - long term,short term, one night stands, what have you. And has never let a man stay longer than a night at her house. She wants the man that stays with her to be her husband.
- 31% have married without cohabitation. Donna Reedish but it happens. Less and less nowadays, but it does happen.
- 10% have married and never cohabitated. Most of the people I know who have done this are a lot older than me. But I watch MTV enough to know it does occur with the young people. (16 and married or something like that. Going to husbands house from Daddy's house before the graduate high school. I think its sad. Too young for the immature youth of today to commit to something so serious as marriage.) It doesn't always last but it does happen.
Now Zeke and I lived together for maybe 3 or 4 years before we made it legal. The statistics for our type of relationship is as follows:
- 39% of cohabitation relationships end in 3 years.
- And of those remaining, 58% turn in to marriage. (That was us)
And for those together a little longer, like 5 years, the statistics are as follows:
- 75% of White women eventually marry.
- 61% of Hispanic women eventually marry.
- 48% of Black women eventually marry.
Now as a black woman, I wonder why our number is so low? I also wonder, are our numbers the way they are because we settle for whatever we can get so we are not alone? (Saying to our self, well he may not marry me but at least he ain't going no where.) Do we not want to make it legal to begin with? More questions than answers. I did find out that black women are more likely to have a cohabitation end, and less likely to marry by age 30. ( I guess I beat that statistic.Walked down the aisle at 30. Which I think was a little too old, but I already had children. Another topic another day.) Likely to have a shorter marriage if they do marry for both first and second marriages. (Is it the angry black woman attitude? Is it our black men, or the men we choose period?) They are less likely to formally divorce if the marry then separate. (We all know someone in that scenario. Don't you? I won't call any names but you all know who you are.) And less likely to have a successful second marriage. Its like the odds are against us. However, I see it. I know several people in each scenario. But then there are people in healthy, black (African American), loving relationships that last.
Now the debate via email and facebook was some said it would hinder because it was taking away from God's ultimate plan, His grand scheme. We are suppose to be with a person of the opposite sex ( Another topic for another day.... my opinion will not sit well with some people but oh well) and stay faithful till one of us dies. And even then there was some question about only if the other person was or is an adulterer. I was taken back by this. Not by the till death but even after death you can't go on because he never cheated. WOW. I don't know how true it is or where it is in the bible but I will research it.
On the other hand, many stated that cohabitation before marriage would help but only within a reasonable time frame. Anywhere from 1-3 years but no more than that. After too long people should know where they stand in a relationship. I agree. But sometimes feeling change as people evolve. Look at Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupree, (Let me say I don't know these people I just follow several entertaining blogs and this is what I have heard. It may or may not be true.) they have been together for over 7 years and now they are breaking up. Not because one wants legalization but because one wants babies. If that was something that would have been stated early in the relationship, she would not be 40 something looking for a stable relationship to start; so she can procreate before her eggs dry up. ( I know not nice but its true)
I think both side have good points, it really depends on what works for the couple. My mom is old school but she didn't say too much when Zeke and I lived together. She knew I was happy and that's what matter to her the most. She on the other hand would not shack up (Her words not mine.) before marrying any man. I have learned a lot from living with Zeke and I think overall it will helps us.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
WEIGHT ... and other advice
I was also told before my wedding by a lady in the beauty salon never to fall out of love at the same time. She told me how she and her husband had both been married before; and the people they divorced were not bad people. They just didn't know how to handle certain situations with that person. They have spoken about troubles the had with their previous relationship, and have had some similar argument. But now they are wiser. They are constantly learning NOT only how to respect and learn from each others faults, but how to grow closer together as we versus me. (Another topic, another day) If they knew then what they know now, maybe they would still be married to the other people. Don't fall out of love at the same time. (Interesting concept)
The beauty shop lady also brought up Will and Jada Smith's marriage. Jada said in an interview there is no divorce in their marriage. They may have to sleep in separate rooms for a while, but NO DIVORCE. Which somehow tied into not falling out of love at the same time. I just can't quite remember how or what she said. (Sorry) But it made me realize sometimes you may have to go through extremes to see your marriage through. And many days you may have to pull double and triple shifts because someone else is not pulling their entire married weight. I pray it doesn't go to that extreme for us.
Monday, July 20, 2009
BELIEF IN MARRIAGE part 1
"Any person who is a christian should believe in marriage. The bible is very clear about that." This is what I was told by a facebook friend and my mother said her amen to that. (No one was more ecstatic about my marriage than her.) And the bible is an advocate for marriage, but (and I know I will probably catch hell for this) the bible is an advocate for many things. How far do we take it? I mean, the bible also states as a married man; if you look at a women, other than your wife, with lust you should gouge your eye out. WOW. Pretty intense, don't you think? I am a married woman, not a corpse. I mean what woman in her right mind would not want to take a second and maybe a third look at Malik Yoba, Shemar Moore, or that sexy Boris Kodjoe.
The bible does say:
Gen. 2:18, 21-24
The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him'...and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh.
Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. (NIV)
This is technically the first wedding. Some say this proves that it's a part of God's design. My Jehovah Witness (which is irrelevant except we are discussing religion and marriage) co-worker who has been married for 7 years states, "God meant for marriages to be. God knew we needed companionship, knew we need love, knew we needed intimacy. So he brought forth this sacred union. People in long term relationships does not have God's blessing. Those relationships are just foolishness." Yes, she said foolishness. I was taken back because I was in a relationship with my husband for several years before we made it legal; which included cohabitation. (GASP)
Maybe she has a point, because statistics show that over 50% of marriages end in divorce. (Census 2007) And a man by the name, Glenn Stanton; of the evangelical church states, Christians who regularly attend church divorce at a rate 35% lower than secular couples. Which is good. Anything to uplift the family I am for. I just would like to know what's the percentage for our black families? Saving that for part 2.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
About Us
So let me start by saying I am 30 almost 31 and my husband just recently turned 38. We were together for 5 years before we got married. We have a his, hers, mine, and ours type family. Let me explain. I have a child from a previous relationship but have never been married before this. He has a son from a previous relationship and was been married before to a woman who had a young daughter who he raised. Then they had a child together. They divorced. (OBVIOUSLY!!) And we have a son together. Are you tracking? In all, we have 5 beautiful children. WOW. All the boys live with us full time. The girl lives with us during the summers and school breaks.
We married July 4th, 2009 and it was the most magical day ever for both of us. I just want to stay married, as do most people, till death do us part. So this blog is to see how we do that. And to answer questions like:
- How do we stay happy?
- How do we continue to evolve as individuals without compromising our marriage?
- What do we do when we disagree and can't seem to get past it?
- In these times of disposable marriages, how do we last?
- How do we not give up, especially when it seems like the easiest thing to do?
Also I am going to get perspectives from other married couples, but I also want to speak to my single and divorced friends. We were together for 5 years before we got married. And if you would have asked me we would have stayed that way till one of us died. But my beautiful husband wanted to make it legal and he will explain his reasons.
So let the blogging begin.... if you have any topics, question, or concerns please don't hesitate to comment.