Local couple Roy and Margrey Thompson have authored the book Progress Not Perfection: Building a Powerful Marriage While Raising Challenging Children, recently released as an e-book and in a Kindle version as well as in print.
“In writing this book, our hope is that readers are able to take away some novel ideas and thoughts that they can instantly use in their lives. Raising children with unique dilemmas is often isolating, embarrassing and lonely for parents. These feelings can easily drive a wedge between marriage partners, and they can lose focus on their love for each other,” the Thompson couple says.
Married for over 42 years, Roy and Margrey are parents to three adopted children, Heather (32), Dylan (28) and Molly (26). The family resides in Murfreesboro.
“Marriage is generally a tough relationship to navigate in a good situation. If you add the stress of a challenging child plus a demanding job and our own individual issues, the marriage can easily begin to break down. Standing together, not divided, is often the only skill that keeps the marriage together,” according to a statement by the Thompsons. “It takes communication, endurance and delayed gratification from both marriage partners to work through the tough spots of their marriage.”
In the book, Dr. Thompson shares this parenting wisdom: “You will grow and stretch. Your hearts will sing—and break—time and time again. One day you will come to measure your child’s success and progress with a different ruler. You will learn to develop your own ruler, not the one other parents and experts use.”
The book continues, “Our hope for someone struggling in marriage or in raising their children is to give them reassurance that they are not alone. Remember the days of falling in love. Remember the good times with friends and family. Try to be honest with yourself and evaluate the positive and negatives of your marriage. Talk and keep talking to each other. Try not to be hurtful, but helpful. Find that circle of trust again. One of the greatest joys of marriage is the ability to hold your partner up when they are struggling or having a difficult time.”
In this honest look at marriage and parenting, the Thompson couple offers their Secret Parenting Weapons, stress the importance of communication and name the five pillars that are the foundation of their marriage:
• Choose Trust
• Choose Commitment
• Choose Health
• Choose Resilience
• Choose Optimism
“Roy and I don’t feel we could have been successful with our children without relying on each other and working together. Honest communication is a core principle between us. Our faith and our God have been active parts of this journey. Being committed to hard work has helped,” Margrey says. “For the most part, our children had a normal childhood, but it was dotted with psychologist appointments instead of Little League games. We have done the very best job that we feel we were capable of for our children, and now our goal is to continue helping them mature as adults.”
Roy Thompson has been serving in his dental practice in Murfreesboro since 1978. He also has dedicated time volunteering dental care services to the underserved in Middle Tennessee communities. The Academy of General Dentistry presented to him the prestigious Academy of General Dentistry Humanitarian Award in 2014.
Multifaceted entrepreneur Margrey Thompson is a wife and mother as well as a manager of real estate, a physical therapist and founder of five companies. In 1981, Margrey Thompson became founder, owner and chief executive officer of The TheraCare Companies, which included outpatient rehabilitation clinics and home health agencies located throughout Middle Tennessee. She also created TheraCare Cardiac Rehabilitation Center and TheraCare Work Hardening Programs, which continued until 1994, when the Thompsons sold The TheraCare Companies to National Rehabilitation Centers, where she became regional vice president of their rehabilitation centers, located in Kentucky, Tennessee and Louisiana.
Roy and Margrey also created a commercial real estate development company in 1981. Margrey and Roy Thompson spearheaded a campaign that raised over $1 million dollars to establish Interfaith Dental Clinic’s first satellite office located in Rutherford County, the only Interfaith Dental Clinic located outside Davidson County.
Find Progress Not Perfection: Building a Powerful Marriage While Raising Challenging Children available in 5½-inch-by-8½ paperback and as an eBook on Amazon.
For more information, visit margreyroybooks.com, email mtrtbooks@comcast.net or call 615-476-8175.
