The `Water For Elephants` actress - who has two children, Ava, 11, and Deacon, seven, with ex-husband of eight years Ryan Phillippe - admitted she only became aware of how taxing the situation was when she married the Hollywood agent in March.

She said: "I was hard on myself when I got divorced. And until I got remarried, I don`t think I knew how stressed I was. I feel so much relief.

"I don`t think I knew how stressed I was being a single parent. It was really, really stressful. It`s not easy on anybody."

However, the Oscar-winning star - who dated Jake Gyllenhaal in between her first and second marriages - explained she now feels "blessed" to have found a partner who is "so wonderful" with her children.

Reese added in an interview with Marie Claire magazine: "I got lucky. I did. I got very lucky. Jim is so wonderful with the children. I`m very blessed."
sections: Celebrities