I recently prayed a novena to St. Jude for my own marriage.  I don’t have a link, but will type it our for you. . . I followed with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.  “Saint Jude, we have problems in our relationship.  Beg Almighty God to give us the light to see ourselves and each other as we really are.  Help us to grow daily in self-knowledge and mutual love, while at the same time developing our potential to love and be loved.  Help us, Saint Jude, to see and root out every manifestation of selfishness, vanity, and childish self-seeking—those hidden enemies of love and maturity.  Show us that by learning to love and being filled with love, we may complement and nurture each other as we share our lives together.”  You’ll have to change some pronouns to make it fit the situation, but it is a beautiful prayer that brought me great peace.  I’ll keep your friends in my prayers.

I’m having a bit of a rough spot in my marriage. I guess I’m a little discouraged that the rollercoaster of my marriage has come back around..yet again. I greeted my hubby for the morning and asked if he wanted eggs. He grunted no and then proceded to watch me eat the meal I had prepared for myself. He through some kind of dig in (he has been doing ALOT of this lately) as we sat together. I got up from the table, thanking him for his company, and rinsed my dish. I truly don’t remember what happened next. but I was stunned when he went off by himself in another room. And stayed there. For the entire day. He said nothing to me. It was so hard to hear him accept phone calls, being pleasant, cheerful and polite. And then return to silence, staring out the window. I had 2 kids home sick from school. So the family was in the family room, hanging out being with each other. Hubby is off by himself. Not even a word to the kids either.

I went about my day, occasionally glancing in his direction, determined not to nip at his heels and nag at him. But I definately knew something was up. That was on Tuesday!

I suspect I’m being “punished” for attending a Theology of the Body roundtable with a young adult ministry that he said he wasn’t interested in going. I don’t think it a concidence that he ignored me, said one word answers the night before when I returned from that evening out. He told me he did NOT want to hear about it and I was clearly invigorated from the refreshing intellectually stimulating conversation. I was really saddened by his rejection. His detachment started the next day, his only day off.  And continued. He went into work with barely a grunt to me yesterday. Today more of the same. Today he came downstairs to inform me he had to go into work early today and wanted to know if I could prepare him lunch! I was shocked. When I responded to his request by asking him what was wrong and pointed out that he hadn’t talked to me at all in 3 days. He acted puzzled and claimed he “talked” to me yesterday…

Any advice is welcomed. I know I can’t change him and I can’t “make” him talk to me. But I don’t want to give him permission to act like this, and still do all that I usually do for him, like his behavior is acceptable. It is not! How do you treat someone, let alone, some you supposed LOVE and has given you 4 children!!like this?????

We are both cradle Catholics, educated in Catholic schools through to college. I feel “unequally” yoked most of the time because I don’t know what it is to have a “partner” in my journey. I see myself as a “single mom” of our 4 kids, most of the time due to the nature of his job and when he is home, he isn’t emotionally present. I can’t see myself to the other side of this yet. I really don’t know what to do. Prayers and advice please?

Am I expecting too much?

Sorry this is not a marriage questions but I need to buy a new dress.  I haven’t bought one in years so I didn’t realize styles have radically changed.  Everything I see online is above the knee and sleeveless.  I don’t really like boleros, shrugs and cardigan over a dress but I am not comfortable with sleeveless. I am also not comfortable with miniskirts.  I looked at Shabby Apple and didn’t see anything I liked.  Any suggestions for a modest but stylish dress?