The Real Reason
Her satisfaction was evident as she completed the folding. There was a neat line of clothing on the bed. Her attention was then drawn to something strange.
Her fingers twitched as she grabbed the shirt and carefully examined it. Her world came crashing down like a ton of bricks. The reason her husband was always late was now clear to her. It was not long before she reached for her phone.
Feeling Uneasy
Jonna Miller lived with her husband David in Leesburg, Indiana. They had not been married for long, and it started off great. But as the months passed, David started to arrive home from work later and later.
Jonna noticed a change in him and started to grow worried. Day after day, she would wonder if he was still happy to be with her, and her insecurities grew. Then, one day, when she least suspected it, she found her answer.
Newly-Wed
David and Jonna had started dating in 2012, and just a year later, they got engaged over Thanksgiving dinner.
Jonna was also 6 months pregnant with their baby girl so they had a lot to celebrate that year. Jonna gave birth to Delanie in 2014, and then, one year later, the couple decided to finally tie the knot. Little did Jonna know that married life wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
Real Blunt Blonde
Jonna had grown up in the town of Indiana and she joked that she spent most of her time “Telling bad jokes and creating awkward situations”. This wry humor prepared her perfectly for what she loved to do in her adult life; blogging in her uniquely sarcastic voice.
She maintains her blog, Real Blunt Blond, to the delight of thousands of readers. But one day she shared her revelation about her husband, to the resounding suspicion and astonishment of her followers.
Different Backgrounds
In stark contrast, her husband’s childhood was very different from Jonna’s life of frivolity. David grew up in an Amish community, where simple living and a distrust of modern technology is the Swiss-German religious sect’s hallmark.
Jonna is amused by her husband’s quirks and has a whole section dedicated to him, called “You can take a Man out of the Amish but…”. Jonna also remarked that David has become “well adjusted to his new ‘English’ lifestyle.” But soon, Jonna realized she didn't know him as well as she thought.
Isolation
David worked at a nearby RV dealership, and the hours were taxing. David often arrived home from work late into the night. At first, she didn't mind but when it got worse and worse, she couldn't help but feel something wasn't right.
Jonna is a busy, stay-at-home mom, but she still finds the time to maintain her online presence and admitted in her blog that her husband’s absence often makes her feel isolated and insecure.
Seeing Red
Then one evening, after a particularly rough day, Jonna took to her blog as an outlet for her feelings.
“I’m married to a hard-working man and I would be lying if I said that it didn’t take a toll on me. Sometimes he will come home after a long day at work and I’ll be waiting for him to walk in the door, so I can yell ‘you promised me you would be home at five!’. As if he would rather be working than spending time with me and our daughter.” Right?
“Nagging Wife”
“I’m putting him in a lose-lose situation. He literally can’t win. If he doesn’t work late, we won’t get the new furniture set that I have to have. If he does work later, he comes home to a nagging wife who is desperate for his attention.”
She continued, “I am so selfish in our marriage and I know that. But, every once in a while, I’ll have my little ‘A-ha’ moment that gives me a sense of understanding.” Jonna was blaming herself but she was about to get a dose of reality.
Late Again
One fateful Wednesday, when David didn’t come home by the time he said he would again, Jonna placed his dinner in the fridge and slammed the door in anger. She tried to be understanding but it was all getting too much. Her trust in him really began to waver.
Then, she heard the dryer finish its cycle, and started to fold the warm clothes. It soothed her. But all the while, she was thinking: “Why does he not want to spend time with me?”. Just then, she noticed something about David’s clothes, and the truth left her floored.
Revelation
She had folded the laundry and separated the clothes into two piles; hers, and David’s. That’s when she saw it and wondered why she had never noticed it before. The truth about David had been staring her in the face the whole time.
She looked at his clothes intently. She saw marks and stains she never noticed before. And the revelation shattered her and the way she viewed her entire marriage.
Close Inspection
She thought back to everything he did for her and gave to her and wondered how much it really meant to him. Looking at the clothes now, she felt like a fool. How did she not see it?
She looked from one pile to another and took note of the marks and stains on his clothes that were nowhere to be seen on hers. It was blatantly obvious that she had a blind spot in their marriage.
A Big Difference
Jonna shared her life-changing revelation with her readers on her blog, asking herself: “Why did my clothes look so vibrant, clean, and new? His were dingy, stained, and torn.”
Then, it all clicked and finally made sense for Jonna. David worked so hard every day to provide her with all the things she wanted. And he had to work the harrowing hours just to manage her demands.
Guilt Trip
“This man provided more than I deserve. If I tell him I want something, very seldom will he tell me no”, she explained. Then, Jonna felt another emotion hit her, like a tidal wave.
Her husband was making do with his old and worn clothes while he made sure she always had new and expensive ones. The guilt pierced through her, and she started to cry.
Resolution
After Jonna’s life-changing realization, she resolved to strive to become a better partner for David. Every time he would arrive home late from work, instead of getting angry, she would remind herself of the sacrifices he was making for his family.
And she encourages her readers to think twice before resorting to feelings of anger towards their hard-working husbands. But did she truly mean it?
The Truth
“Sure, I miss him and want to spend time with him throughout the week,” she wrote.
“But I have realized he is offering me the most beautiful form of love there is… He works to give our family everything we need. He works so his wife and daughter don’t go without, even though there are times I’m sure he does”. And her final words of advice?
Advice
Jonna’s experience and random observation lead her to admit that her feelings of loneliness and resentment towards her husband were completely unfounded.
She had some good advice for her readers, too: “If you have a hard-working man in your life and you can’t comprehend how much he loves you… Do his laundry.”
Ringing True
Jonna’s post on her blog struck a chord with many of her readers, and the truth hit home for one commenter in particular.
“This is an amazing reminder. I used to stay home with our daughters when they were little, and I used to feel horrible doing the same thing. This is an awesome perspective to carry.”
Online Star
Jonna continues to maintain her blog, even though she is kept thoroughly busy by parenthood. Her blog, Real Blunt Blonde, has many witty and sometimes hilarious posts about family life.
Many of Jonna’s posts also discuss David’s Amish background, and these have proved to be a huge hit with her readers as interest in the culture grows.
Avid Followers
“I’m not Amish but my Husband is” is just one of Jonna’s popular blog spots. She discusses her relationship with David and describes what happened when she met his parents.
It also reflects on the naive misconceptions she had had before getting to know the Amish better, and Jonna constantly takes jabs at herself with her wry humor. But that's not all.
Motherhood
Jonna also writes extensively about motherhood, and she shares her insights into parenting from her firsthand experiences with Delanie.
Jonna battled with what she referred to as the “terrible twos” in 2016 and was exasperated by her rebellious daughter. Jonna titled this piece “I Graduated at the University of Toddler Town and Majored in Defeat,” and describes the trying time in hilarious and painful detail.
Lesson Learned
She has since moved on from suspecting her husband of anything but the hard-working man he is and he makes double the effort to communicate more with her to keep her reassured and their relationship secure.
All it took was more communication, and naturally, the trust followed! Jonna refrains from her anger and lack of attention by focusing on her work while he's away, and her blog is reaping the rewards! But David has also changed something...
A Balanced Life
Despite his busy schedule, David now makes sure to take time off and spend it with his family. Most recently, they took a trip to Disneyland where their daughter Delanie got to meet her favorite character, Cinderella.
It was a memory they will never forget. It's important to work hard, but it's also important to have a balanced life and take time off and enjoy your loved ones when you can. Work hard, play hard; a good motto!
New Arrivals!
In February 2019, Jonna shared that she was pregnant with twins. Of course, that also meant that she wasn’t going to get a break anytime soon. But she’d have plenty to write about on her blog.
In September 2019, she gave birth to her twins, one of whom was a little girl they named Molly. She looked a lot like her big sister Delanie. The other twin was a sweet little boy they named Reese.
A Full House
It’s safe to say that the Millers are going to have their hands full now that they have Molly and Reese. Between eating schedules and diaper changes, these parents are going to need a vacation again pretty soon.
Hopefully, their eldest daughter Delanie will lend a hand. But how does she feel about babysitting her younger siblings?
Big Sister Duties
Delanie is having a wonderful time with her new brother and sister and there are no indications of sibling rivalry just yet.
On a Facebook post, Miller wrote the following caption: “For those who have been following me for a while, well you know Delanie... she’s living her best life!”
Big Sister Downsides
Of course, no one expects Delanie to do everything for her parents or her siblings. She is just a little girl, after all. So, when one of her siblings gets fussy, she just hugs them and shrugs.
Babies don’t come with a manual. And it’s clear that this babysitter is just winging it. But she’s not the only one!
Double The Trouble
Meanwhile, Miller and her husband are still trying to get the hang of things while adjusting to life with twins. This means double the feedings, double the baths, double the cries.
For now, they’re continuing to ride it out and do the best they can!
Hiding Your Real Self
Being in a relationship is something most of us look forward to as we settle into adult life. Although the prospect of building a life together with someone can be fulfilling, there is no lying that it can be scary sometimes.
This terror is more significant when someone hides a side of them you never knew existed until the last minute. Such a case happened to a bride in Colorado, who would learn her husband’s true colors on their wedding day.
The Love Of Her Life
Hillary had always dreamt of the perfect marriage. At twenty-five, she was lucky enough to find the love of her life.
The man in question, Troy, was unlike anything she’d ever known. He was sweet and caring, always composed whenever she was in sight. If only she knew what he was hiding from her.
Love At First Sight
Troy and Hillary had met in grad school. Hillary had just joined while Troy was in his final year. What started with a simple hello in the school hallway ended with multiple dates.
“Those days were the highlight of my life,” a teary Hillary shared on Facebook. “He was so shy yet kind and sweet.” That’s when she revealed something no one had ever known about her and Troy.
A Wonderful Date
Hillary shared that she was the one who asked Troy on a date. “He thought it was a prank,” she wrote. “He was apprehensive throughout the night, wondering if I was pulling his leg.”
She shared how sweet she found him to be. He was reserved and observant, answering all her questions honestly even though he was still on the fence about everything.
Proposing
Hillary explained why Troy had been on edge like this. She mentioned his past, which was wrought with heartbreak.
Although he had always been quiet and reserved, he never failed to respect and make her feel special. So it wasn’t a surprise when he went down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Hillary had no idea what a dark future loomed before her.
The Wedding Of Her Dreams
Most of us look forward to our wedding days with unmatched zeal, planning each part of it like our lives depend on it. Hillary was no exception. She’d already introduced Troy to her family, and everyone loved him.
She’d also met his folks and was surprised to find them chirpier than her fiance. “His calm character is something I gravitated towards,” Hillary wrote. She hoped, more than anything, she’d have the wedding of her dreams.
Different Plans
But fate had other plans for her big day. Two weeks before her wedding, the world went into global lockdown. Countries banned people from congregating in large numbers. Hillary was devastated.
Seeing how crushed she was, Troy stepped in. He truly did love Hillary and hated seeing her this crushed. He selected a few friends and family, did the same for her side, and organized a backyard wedding. But that’s not all he did.
Helping Out
Troy had been present throughout the time Hillary was planning for their wedding. Now that those plans couldn’t see the light of day, he asked her to plan the backyard wedding they were to have.
But that wasn’t the best part. He implored her not to throw away the original wedding plans. As soon as the world returned to normal, they would have the celebration of her dreams.
Of Course, He’s Drunk
The backyard wedding was splendid, more perfect than what Hillary anticipated. But toward the end, she noticed that her newly wedded husband was more inebriated than anybody else in the event.
It was so bad that he couldn’t even stand up on his own. Hillary had never seen him this drunk and hoped his calm demeanor would keep him in check. She had no idea that his true colors were finally about to come afore.
Take Him To The Car
It was almost evening when the incident happened. Troy and Hillary were supposed to enjoy a car ride down to a private loft where they would share their first week as a married couple away from their families.
A few of Troy’s friends were helping him into the car, with Hillary following closely. The man was so drunk that his feet were dragging behind him. Hillary hoped that would be the extent of his antics, but it wasn’t.
Where Is My Wife?
“Where is Hillary?” Troy, who had always been a quiet man, yelled. “Where is my beautiful wife?” “I miss her,” he continued, trying to fight off his friends as they laughed and helped him onto the car.
“Is the dog giving her trouble?” he continued. “Let me go back and help. I love her so much, you guys. She’s so great.” But that was only the start.
His True Colors
Troy continued even as his friends drove him down to their destination. He was finally showing his wife his true colors and how he felt about her.
The next day, Hillary sent a few screenshots to her best friend. All of them were from things Troy had posted throughout the afternoon at the wedding reception after knocking a few cold ones back.
The Facebook Posts
The posts, most of which were from Troy’s Facebook, were about how much he loves Hillary and how lucky he feels that she is in his life.
What made them more interesting was how introverted, and private Troy was. Even his close friends maintained that he was always composed, even when under the influence. But now, here he was, baring his heart to the world.
A Sensitive Husband
When Troy woke up the next day, he found hundreds of comments under the posts. He smiled sheepishly as he combed through them.
Each of their friends and relatives left light-hearted jabs at him, surprised that someone like him could be as sappy and sensitive. But that was just the beginning of it.
Leave It
Hillary thought Troy would delete the posts and ask her to retract the screenshots she’d sent to her friends. But the man had other thoughts in mind.
He insisted on leaving everything the way it was. Sometimes we don’t know just how much people love us. For Hillary, seeing this side of her husband is something she’ll always cherish.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.