@daniellajardim
Good day, my sweet people.
Today’s catch-up is going to be a quickie as I have a very special human to celebrate. Today is Anthony’s 42nd birthday and I have a card to write, presents to wrap, and a Vietnamese restaurant to treat him to.
We often joke that our relationship started off a little rocky…because it’s true. It did.
Both of us were in our mid 20’s, in the middle of very exciting careers, hot (lol!), often quite tan, I was rocking a short blonde pixie, and Anthony was (and still is) extra handsome. We were also not only dating one another but other people as well.
Oh my gosh, the stories I have. Allow me to share one.
About three months into knowing Anthony, he threw himself a going-away party at a club in River North that no longer exists called Rino. He was headed west to live in San Diego for the winter so naturally, I was invited to his send-off. But, little did I know, so was the rest of Chicago’s eligible bachelorettes.
At one point I was talking to Anthony when a seemingly nice young lady approached us and also started talking to Anthony. Perhaps it was a cousin I thought to myself, but no. It took me about a total of two seconds to realize that she was in the same boat I was in. The Scorpio in me reacted quickly and said, “who the hell is this?!” Anthony replied, “Be nice, she’s a school teacher”. I wanted to strangle him.
I think that was the last time she saw Anthony. To be fair, I was doing my fair share of dating other people too. I was just better at not having them all mingle under the same roof.
Oh my goodness. Looking back, these stories crack me up. Sure he was a pain in my ass, but there was something different about him, something that actually kept me interested in him. I think my favorite thing about him, besides his face, was our conversations. We had (and still do have) really good chats. I found them and him to be very interesting. Plus, much like myself, he was/is eager to travel the world, loves the arts, to laugh, and eat good food.
Believe it or not, I couldn’t find a guy, other than Anthony, that checked all those boxes.
In absolutely no rush to commit to a relationship, he left for California just a few months into our meeting and I went back to the dating pool.
The more I dated, the more I realized I liked Anthony.
Seven years after that night at Rino, we finally got married in a little pizzeria on the northside of Chicago. It was magical.
A lot has changed since then. I’m no longer super tan with a blonde pixie and we both have made huge changes in careers. Oh, and Anthony is no longer dating all of the city.
We’ve traveled the world together, gone through grief and infertility, have eaten our way through countless cities, created a cozy little home in the city, and have had a beautiful almost nine-year marriage. Oh, and now we have a baby on the way.
There is, however, one thing that has never changed and that’s the person who Anthony is at his core. He’s a good man, a sweet one. He’s exceptionally kind and empathetic – and he makes me laugh, like really laugh, every day of my life.
I like to think that even though our start was rocky, it helped create smooth(er) sailing for the years to come.
So I guess this is a very Happy Birthday to my dear husband who writes me love letters like an old-fashioned man, loves my baby bump maybe even more than me, and makes my heart feel warm always.
Thanks for inviting me to Rino that night…you knucklehead.
Random cozy thoughts…
Absolutely LOVING H&M’s bathing suit collection this season. This mint-green suit, in particular, is perfection and is bump-friendly.
Almost all of Old Navy’s yoga leggings are on sale for $20-30 and let me tell you they are cozy AF! I bought a few pairs and yep, you guessed it, they’re also bump-friendly. Making it work, people!
Michelle shared this red lentil curry, sweet potato, and spinach recipe and it is absolutely delicious, healthy, cozy, and easy to whip up.
I recently discovered the Greeting Cards feature on Evite.com and I am now addicted to sending little love notes to my friends and family. PS. Their invites are ADORABLE! Go check them out…I can’t wait to choose one for our baby shower.
It’s been a pleasure catching up with you. Enjoy your weekend and would love to hear from you in the comments below.
XO
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