u/KaijuicyWizard

My (35F) husband (32M) and friends (30F, 32M) have overlooked my birthday and I’m left feeling really hurt

There are way too many birthdays this month. In May, the birthdays are: my mum’s, my sister-in-law’s, my mother-in-law’s, my sister, 2 of my friends (married to each other) and mine. I’ve also had a friend’s funeral this month so it’s been a lot.

It was our friend, Bee’s, 30th at the start of the month and they asked us (me and my husband) to help with food and decorations. We did, it was fun.

Then I went away for my friend’s funeral and our other friend (married to Bee) has been planning their birthday. We’re going to have a games night. They sent us a lot of messages about setting up for games night on the day of the funeral. I was busy helping with the funeral and all’s fine.

I let them all know (husband and friends) that for my birthday I just want to chill out with my husband. I’ve spent a lot of this month setting up for people’s birthdays, spending my time off doing trips for people’s birthdays, generally feeling v tired and overwhelmed.

On the weekend of my birthday, the friends are arranging a birthday party for their business. I learned today that they’ve asked my husband to take photos for it and he’s agreed to. No one in any of these plans has acknowledged that it’ll be my birthday and I might want a say in what my husband and I get up to.

I’m feeling really hurt and overwhelmed and as though a lot of my relationships here (we moved here a couple of years ago) are very one way. I’m kind of tempted to book a place to go away, just me, on the weekend of my birthday. At least I can look after myself.

I don’t think my reasons for feeling hurt are understood—is that because I have unreasonable expectations or something else? Is it even worth me feeling upset? How do I manage these relationships moving forward?

reddit.com
u/KaijuicyWizard — 4 days ago

I posted here about a month ago asking for advice on our garden and it was really helpful and encouraging so thank you!

We bought the house last summer and hadn’t touched the garden until now. Thanks to time off over easter, we got to clearing the jungle and have since watched the stuff we’ve planted become happier and happier (mostly.. there were some sacrificial sweet peas claimed by the slugs).

I’m sure I’ve made mistakes, I’m sure I’ll question my choices next year but I’m also sure this has been a wonderful, gratifying, fun month and I look forward to more time spent pottering in this space.

In the raised beds, I have lots of herbs and edible flowers sprouting around the edges, some salad seedlings in the middle and some wild rocket gifted by a friend. I’ve also just got a couple of blackcurrant bushes as a gift and they’re doing well at the far side of the raised beds. Gardeners are so keen to share and help out newbies and I so appreciate it.

I’m hoping to start passing on that kindness with my own cuttings, seedlings and seeds as things get established. I’m also already starting to curse at snails and slugs and intrigued by what fresh crop of garden enemies I’ll discover in the summer…

u/KaijuicyWizard — 22 days ago