*Guest blogger The Defiant Housewife talks about Kimmy K and the belief of a fairytale marriage.

Credit: Albert Michael/startraksphoto.com

OK. I’ll admit it. I watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians. And Khloe and Lamar. And Kourtney and Khloe take Miami. And I can’t forget about Kourtney and Kim Take New York. I know that half the world finds this family annoying as hell. I just find them entertaining.

They are hilarious and I love their clothes. I also think Kris Jenner is a f$&*#@% marketing genius. Her daughters endorse everything from QuikTrim to Silly Bandz to Midori. They have several clothing ventures, their own nail colors and a skin care line! Everyone says they have no clue why these people are famous, but this is a testament to their business acumen and opportunism. They have built an empire from nothing.

Sure, they are publicity whores, but they are business savvy ones. This is why I was not at all shocked, but somewhat disappointed that Kim chose to end her marriage after 72 days. In business, this girl is committed, but her personal relationships are another story.

I truly believe that Kim was in love with Kris Humphries and wanted to be married and have a family (maybe too badly!) But unfortunately, I’m not sure she knows what marriage really is. Her public statement said her marriage was not the “fairy tale I had hoped for.” Seriously? That is the source of the problem.

I watched as Kris took his first vacation with the Kardashian Klan and wondered how the hell this relationship was going to work. Kris seemed really immature, and Kim seemed like she had unrealistic expectations. And it was obvious that they had not spent a lot of time together. They just didn’t seem compatible. I witnessed Kris trying to take a stand in his relationship by stating his opposition to the silverware Kim picked out for the wedding registry and growing a ridiculous mustache in a last attempt to have a voice in the relationship. And there were serious issues that played out on television, like if Kim was planning to change her name and where they would live. I think these are some things that should be discussed before you even get engaged. She had her $10 million dream wedding and realized marriage wasn’t quite what she imagined it would be. She filed for divorce and is on to the next.

Kim, I’ve been there. My husband and I had a long distance relationship for years. It was amazing! Every time we got together, it was the perfect date night. Then, reality set in. We finally lived in the same city, but we struggled with our relationship while he finished med school and I finished business school. He shared an apartment with his little sister who had just started college. I got to see just how disgustingly messy he was (no more cleaning up for my weekend visits) and we planned cheap dates around study groups and cadaver labs. We lived in this less than ideal situation for two years. Then, we moved to another city and got engaged. Two years later, we were getting ready to walk down the aisle and my husband transferred residency programs and moved to another state. Seventy-two days into my own marriage, I lived in Los Angeles, and my husband lived in New Orleans. And guess what? There have been about 100 other less than ideal occurrences since he put a ring on it seven years ago. To make a long story short, no relationship is ideal. The only constant in marriage is the commitment to it. I am not knocking anyone who chooses to divorce because I get it. My husband and I wake up every day and choose to be together. Sometimes it is awesome, and others it sucks. But, I think it takes more than 72 days to figure out.

Marriage is not for everyone. So, I hope Kim doesn’t go on and do the exact same thing again. (See J. Lo!) I know we have all been force fed that we should want a handsome prince and beautiful babies. But, there is nothing wrong with being in a relationship that doesn’t include a ring. Or not choosing to have children. Marriage is not a fairytale. It is putting one foot in front of the other and taking the journey with your partner, wherever it takes you. It is working through the difficult issues and bad days. A committed relationship requires as much attention as a successful career. At its core, marriage is a sacrifice. If you are not ready to make sacrifices, you are not ready to be married.

*Photo Credit: Albert Michael/startraksphoto.com