Well...looks like she's leaving!

[Flabergaster]

I'm devastated. I live in Dorset, have 3 wonderful children and a wife who I love with all my heart.

She's leaving. It's all come as such a shock.

She told me a month ago that she didn't love me anymore. We were getting on so well, it came right out of the blue. Apparently she'd been feeling it for a while.

We have been sleeping in separate bedrooms for all that time and I just miss talking to her. She is so detached and I'm very worried about her sanity. She doesn't seem herself, but the times we do talk we still have that camaraderie; the laughs, the looks, the connection!

We have had quite a tempestuous relationship, but we will, we are both passionate people. She's blaming the breakdown on a moment of stupidity on both our parts just short of a year ago. We went to counselling and half way through she stopped going (the counsellor asked her whether she thought she was being abusive to me - I don't think she ever has been, just angry at times). I carried on and I have made such in roads to improve myself, for the sake of myself and our relationship. I feel good about it, although now it appears in vain.

She's moving into a rented house tomorrow, hence why I'm not sleeping and posting for the first time on here. When I look at the jigsaw puzzle, none of the pieces fit together. None of this makes sense.

I personally believe she is going through a life crisis and I feel I'm bearing the brunt of her frustration. A couple of months ago she started going out with a (girl) friend of hers who was splitting up with her husband. In no time she had met all these new younger people down the pub (she's 35), it was then I started noticing a difference in her. She put back in her lip ring, belly button ring and several ear piercings that she hadn't worn in nearly 8 years (she took them out after the birth of our daughter). I'm not that gadgety a person, but noticed her phone going off a lot, some type of app where you send photos to each other, she'd send them to workmates and god knows who! I trust her, I don't think she's the infidelity sort. She has herself buried in her phone all the time and the computer too, it's been like that for ages. To the point where I feel she may have an unhealthy habit. She has also mentioned my age quite a lot recently (I'm 38), saying she doesn't want to be married to an old person (tongue in cheek, but it all adds to the puzzle)! Added to that, you could say we are tied to the children (2, 5 and 8) and that in itself is draining (as beautiful as they are), we don't have enough time for each other. It's all so sad.

Now I love this woman and I desperately don't want her to go. I know I need to let her though and it's tough. She needs space and I now need mine, but I want it to be the cataclysmic eureka moment that cements us together forever. I may be hoping for too much, maybe she doesn't love me and will never come back. When she goes I hope she can reflect on the fact that it isn't all me. After counselling I have carried out a lot of soul searching, maybe she needs the space to do the same.

A long post I know. I'm just looking for advice on how to get the love back, any words of wisdom. I do love her and I love my children. We would be foolish to throw the towel in now.

[Flabergaster]

Thank you chrome100. That has given me a little bit of hope. Only problem is she can be quite stubborn at times, I hope she feels that she can come back to me if she needs. Once we have had space and time to reflect I can only hope she realises that sometimes marriage goes through downs as well as ups and it's a case of working together. We're quite good at it really.

[Sparklysilversequins]

I think you need to be realistic, she has moved on, she's renting a house, she has left the relationship. I think the violent argument was probably a wake up call to her that she did not want to spend her life this way. If she has emotionally disengaged from you, trying to "woo" her will simply irritate her. Decent, fair behaviour will go much further in getting her to like you again.

FWIW shouting and bickering is not passionate, it's a dysfunctional relationship.

About the counsellor asking her if she was abusive towards you, on what grounds did she ask her that?

[hellsbellsmelons]

Sorry but I think you will find there is another man or woman on the scene pretty quickly once she's left.
Basically because she is probably having an affair.
The words she is using are the typical 'script' cheats follow.
I hope I'm wrong but I think you will find your 'jigsaw' pieces fall into place pretty soon!
And if this is the case - she checked out of the relationship a while ago and is well ahead, emotionally, than you are.
You will take time to catch up here.
Let her go - be strong and move on.
It's the only way for now.

[werner]

chrome100: Please don't be too regretful you made the wrong decision. If you asked to come back after only 6 weeks and he said no he didn't really love you as much as you thought he did. If he had he'd have jumped at the chance like lightning and would have been thrilled to bits to get you back. I should know. No-one who really loves someone will not give that person a second chance no matter how hurt they are.
You maybe haven't made such a huge mistake as you thought.

OP On quickly reading your words I get the impression that you are over-confident in thinking you know and understand your wife and her character extremely well. Thinking this can be a serious error. You probably don't know her or what she's capable of all that well at all. You only thought you did. This mistake comes as a result of living with someone for a while. I wouldn't worry about her sanity if I were you. It's just that you're now finding things about her you don't understand and never did.
If a woman says she doesn't love you any more I realise now that that is almost certainly the end. She'll likely have been feeling that for a while and has now finally said it. Things can never be the same again.
Sorry to be so pessimistic but I think you have almost no hope and should therefore plan the future without her being in your life any more.

[Flabergaster]

This all sounding horribly final.

[werner]

My comments are only based on my own experience. Like you, my wife shocked me by telling me she didn't love me any more. I struggled for several months to change her mind and get her back, always hoping that I surely would succeed, but to no avail in the end.
Even though it's years ago I sometimes think about it. I'll always remember my disbelief. For some reason I just could not accept that what she said she really meant, but she did. And all that love for her I still felt just gone to waste.
However, maybe you'll be luckier. Who knows?

[ElizabethBathory]

You haven't really given us any details about the 'moment of stupidity' that led you both to counselling a year ago, but if, as it sounds, you were violent with one another, then it's going to be very, very hard to come back from that. And it sounds like she's decided she doesn't want to - you say that her announcement was 'out of the blue', but she's told you it's stemmed from that 'event', so it's not really out of the blue, is it? Did you talk about her reasons for stopping the counselling and do you feel you've thoroughly talked through all the reasons for and feelings around the 'stupid event'? If not, then even if you were getting on well, you will only have been coasting since that time and she's just not managed to get past it (and may already be moving on with someone else, by the sounds of it). I'm really sorry this is happening to you and your children x

[Onebuddhaisnotenough]

Why are you ignoring the questions about the violence ?

[Lweji]

Not to mention all the other questions.

[Flabergaster]

She has hit me on a number of occasions. She's got such a temper. Her mum's witnessed it, her dad's witnessed it. But when we came to blows I'd just had enough. Then I couldn't believe what happened. The next door neighbours called the police. Her temper had got so much she just piled into me over some silly argument. I defended myself. I'm not proud about it but sometimes needs must. It is this moment that is being pinned on her leaving. I'm a decent guy and so sorry it happened. Hope that answers your questions, you all seem quite keen to dig into it more than I really want to divulge.

[olathelawyer05]

Honestly, sounds like you'd be wasting your time with any attempt to win her back. It may have come as a shock to you, but I assure you it wasn't spontaneous for her - she has been planning it, probably for months, hence her moving arrangements etc.

Very, very rarely do women move out so readily, unless there is a plan to it. I know you're in a daze, but you need to snap out of it, lawyer up, and get practical on your position RE: finance and the children. She probably already has a minimum of 2-3 months of planning on you, and that can make all the difference. Despite the camaraderie you seem to believe still exists, she is NOT your friend, this I can assure you.

[AgathaF]

It's obvious you love her and want to be with her. Your sadness glares out from your words too.

I think though, that if she is a violent person, (and she is if she hits you) then you need to really think about why you would want to remain with her. What you describe is an abusive relationship. That's not good for anyone, not for you on the receiving end of it, and not for your children witnessing it as they grow up. Just because you have good laughs too, doesn't make it right. Most people in abusive relationships will say that there are good times as well as bad. That is how abusers keep the control.

Is she violent towards your children? Emotionally or physically abusive?

I hope you continue to have some counselling and maybe explore with your counsellor why you would so want to remain in this abusive relationship.

[fluffyraggies]

you all seem quite keen to dig into it more than I really want to divulge.

OP MN has a knack for getting to the 'meat' of a problem very very quickly. It's obvious that the violence is a major issue. Not one the minor ones. No point in putting it 4th or 5th on the list.

I agree that she has laid her cards on the table now, and is unlikely to be unsure of her feelings at this stage.
I'm sorry.

[Badvoc]

It seems to me from your op - and we only have your take on this of course - is that she was violent towards you (and has been before), that this time you defended yourself and were violent also and that the counsellor picked up on this and then she stopped going?
Is that correct?
If it is, then I think that she refuses to see she has an anger/violence issue, is ashamed that it came out in counselling hence her refusal to continue and that she is having an affair.
Sorry.

[Flabergaster]

Some of these posts are really hurting, but I guess they help to focus.

She's leaving at 11. The house will be a different place.

[Madeleine10]

Sorry to hear this, Flabergaster, it's very sad.

What sort of things did you row about - yuou don't have to give details, but just the general subjects? What triggers the rows?

I've been in a tempestuous relationship myself, and one thing I've learnt is that very often rows are just the same single row over and over, dressed up in diffrent clothes. It might start with the washing up/not helping round the house/ staying out late/leaving the house a mess type type niggles - insert trigger of choice - , but it's really about something else, something really major in your interaction, that never really gets sorted out.

What is happening with the children - sorry if I've missed anything?

[werner]

Before she left did she say anything that could give you a glimmer of hope that she might come back? After she's had some time on her own to think?

Dorset's lovely. Nice place to be - but not with that happening...

[Mumsyblouse]

I'm sorry but if the relationship has got violent, it's best she leave and you parent separately. It wasn't a moment of madness because she's hit you before, this time you also assaulted her (presumably) and what's to say the next time she lashes out it wouldn't be the same. She's not committed to change, and doesn't want to go to counselling- so I'm afraid I think for your sake and for your children's sake, it's better if you part.

I don't know your wife so I don't know why she lashes out, she may hate the way she's become or she may not be remorseful at all, but it is not healthy to have children in this environment.

I'm sorry you are so sad about it- it does sound like she's moved on and I can tell you desperately don't want her to, but for the overall emotional health of your family and children, it is probably for the best.

[Lweji]

Not knowing exactly what happened between the two of you, because either or both could have been abusive, it look like you are best apart.
Once violence enters the scene it's best to leave.

I also wonder how badly she hit you and how you defended yourself, but the result is the same.
She is showing perhaps greater clarity in leaving.
You should want the same.

[Flabergaster]

I won't let it happen again. I've learnt ways to disarm the situation. I'm much stronger for it, but she needs to soul search now. That's why she left...I think. She rang earlier. Sounds lonely. Could hear our children in the background. I'm holding out hope still and I will not let it go.