Teddi Mellencamp and estranged husband Edwin Arroyave may be in the process of ending their marriage, but the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star is cherishing the 16th anniversary of the first time they met.
“I will forever be grateful for that night at Coco Deville. I would never have known I wanted kids until meeting my amazing stepdaughter, Isabella,” Teddi, 43, captioned the Thursday, December 26, Instagram post. “My love for her changed my life and 5 years later came Slate, then Cruz, and then our miracle baby Dove in 2020. I may be far from perfect but being a mother has been the greatest gift you could have given me. Thank you always and forever.”
Teddi shared three throwback photos with Edwin, 47, which were all seemingly taken during the early years of their relationship.
Fans were shocked to learn that the former Bravo star filed for divorce from Edwin on November 1 after 13 years of marriage, according to court documents obtained by In Touch. In the filing, Teddi requested legal and physical custody of their children and listed the official date of separation as October 20.
Teddi and Edwin share three kids, daughter Slate, 12, son Cruz, 10 and daughter Dove, 4. Edwin welcomed Isabella, 16, from a previous relationship.
Teddi broke the news to fans one day later via Instagram, sharing that she made the “difficult decision” after a “great deal of care and consideration.”
“My priority is my children and ensuring that every care is taken with their privacy and wellbeing throughout this new chapter,” Teddi’s statement read. “Making a public statement is not something I wanted to do but in an effort to protect my family from undue speculation and rumors, I felt being open, honest and vulnerable was the best path forward.”
The holiday season looked different this year for the estranged family as they spent Thanksgiving and Christmas separately.
The kids spent Thanksgiving with Teddi, while Edwin took on the single parent duties on Christmas.
“It’s obviously difficult times, but you know, we do what we always do, which is you just remain pushing,” the family patriarch told Eddie Judge during the November 26 episode of “The Eds” podcast.
He later added, “You know, life’s gonna throw some curveballs at you, and you just gotta continue to push and things have a way to always figure themselves out.”
On Wednesday, December 25, Teddi shared that she spent her first Christmas solo at bestie Kyle Richards’ house, where she resides during the nesting period of her and Edwin’s divorce. In the Instagram video, Teddi sang Jamie O’Neal’s “All By Myself” while recreating the opening scene of Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001).
“In my Bridget Jones era. If I didn’t laugh at myself, I would cry. First Christmas without my kids, and I know they’re in great hands with an amazing dad, but that doesn’t mean I can’t feel some type of way,” she captioned the post. “Ordered $74 of Thai food, eating cookie dough (who has time to bake) and watched 9 episodes of Lioness. To all my parents out there going through this, I love you. What are all the tips for powering through?”
Teddi’s friends reacted to the clip in the comments section of the post, including Kyle, 55, and Jana Kramer.
“[Laughing emojis] Ted! Also, watching you do this in my bedroom is making me LOL Love you xx,” the Halloween actress wrote.
Meanwhile, Jana, 41, shared her experience sharing her kids with ex-husband Mike Caussin on holidays.
“Sending love. The first one was brutal and I wish I could say it gets easier but even a new husband and a baby and it’s still not normal to not have all your babies under one roof on Christmas,” the One Tree Hill alum commented. “Sending love. You got this momma.”
