Let me start this by telling you that Paul gave me the best 13th wedding anniversary gift I could have ever asked for.

He let us skip our workout!

We took a nice morning walk instead. Haha. Listen. I’m a simple woman. It’s the little things, and this guy really knows me.

On our walk, we talked about the thing we always talk about. You guessed it — Stevie. Well… we also fantasized about visiting New York again, but mostly Stevie. Things are a bit rough right now. Which is not really that different from our normal. But sometimes things just build up and build up and build up, until reaching a point where we feel defeated as his parents. We’re not sure what to do or where to turn next. Emotions are high and frustrations are quick to show.

And it kind of is what it is. We will continue exploring new options for him, and I guess we need these moments every now and then to kick that exploration into high gear. But the bigger point, is that each time we reflect on these things, we also gain a deeper appreciation for each other. That we have someone to lean on. To talk to. To vent to. To bounce ideas off of. The best decision I ever made was marrying that man.

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September 24, 2006. Paul asked me if, on that fateful day, I had imagined that this is what our lives would look like 13 years later. It’s funny, I never really pictured us at 40 years old. I often picture us during our retirement years as one of those really old couples who sort of dresses the same and goes for slow walks every day and gives each other a hard time. But at this stage in the game, I didn’t really know what to expect.

But I think it’s safe to say that it’s better than I could have ever hoped for. Parenting aside, marriage has been the most fun and rewarding relationship in the world. Not that parenting isn’t rewarding in it’s own ways, but marriage has been way more fun for me. Good thing, since there’s no turning back now!

On a different note, we have finally wrapped up the #99daysofsummerstyle challenge! Will I take a break from the mirror selfies?? We’ll see. They’re just so easy. I’ll show you my most worn pieces from the challenge in another post. For now, here are the last 6 looks!

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If you’re married, what anniversary will you celebrate next??

loves,
jaana