Yesterday I found out my brother and his wife Anne are getting divorced after 14 years of marriage. They've got 4 amazing kids whom I love to pieces. I don't have my own kids so they were the family I wouldn't have. My brother and Anne tried marital therapy for 2 years but still couldn't resolve things. I knew there were some problems but I didn't think it would come to this - -they always looked like the perfect family. And the rest of my family is completely crazy/dysfunctional so they were my only life boat in a sea of terrible dysfunction and now they are breaking up.

I'm so very sad...I feel like I have lost a family member even though she is not related by blood of course. I've only been married for a year -- it hurts to see a marriage break up and I start thinking, wow if they couldn't make it work than who knows what will happen? And then you think, wow, 50% of marriages end in divorce. What is the protocol...how do you navigate ex - sister-in laws etc.? Anne and I will stay in touch we've decided but it still won't be the same.