Gwyneth Paltrow graces the cover of Elle Magazine and talks about the her marriage, her career, and her life as a mom.

There’s no such thing as a perfect marriage, and Paltrow agrees. “Sometimes it’s hard being with someone for a long time. We go through periods that aren’t all rosy. I always say, life is long and you never know what’s going to happen.”

So are things rocky in the Paltrow-Martin household? While the Glee actress denies any rumors of a split, she approaches things with a matter-of-fact attitude. “If, God forbid, we were ever not to be together, I respect him so much as the father of my children. Like, I made such a good choice. He’s such a good dad.” She adds, “You can never be relaxed or smug and think, ‘I’ve got this thing.’ That’s also part of it: keeping yourself on your toes. I’m not going to take this for granted.”

When asked about balancing her career and her kids, Paltrow is clear about her priorities, “I can do short jobs. If I was still starring in three movies every year, there’s no way that I’d be the person my kids want when they fall down.”