National Spouses Day on January 26th each year celebrates the bond between two people and sets aside time for couples to show each other gratitude. 

Dedicated to recognizing spouses everywhere, the observance reminds us to take time for our mate. From being thankful for the fulfillment and security of a long-term relationship to the boost of morale and well-being provided by spouses, there are many reasons to celebrate. This day is a time to show your spouse that you care and appreciate all of the things that he or she does for you and the home.

Life gets busy, and we can often take for granted how our spouse improves our life. Pay a heartfelt thank you or compliment to the love of your life. Since the day is a non-gift giving day, spend time together and reconnect. Don’t forget to say, “I love you.”

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Wedding Bells

Now that we’ve been engaged for about a month—bookended by Disney, Arizona, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day—it feels like the emotional confetti has finally settled. The celebrations happened. The glow lingered. And naturally, the mind drifts forward.

From my personal “vacation year” lens—June to June—I floated a question to my fiancée, Jen. Casual. Hypothetical. Barely even a suggestion.

“What about July 2026?”

Her facial expression mirrored the moment I asked her to marry me: surprise first… then confusion. The kind that pauses time just long enough for you to know you’ve stepped onto interesting ground.

“Absolutely not,” she said.

I laughed. Not nervously. Genuinely. “Got it. Hard no.”

And here’s the thing—that answer didn’t feel like rejection. It felt like information. Honest, unfiltered, useful information. Which, if we’re being real, is one of the quiet gifts of a strong partnership.

#NationalSpousesDay

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Clarity

A “no” doesn’t always mean never. Sometimes it means not like this. Sometimes it means not yet. And sometimes it means one person is already mapping logistics while the other is still standing inside the moment, letting it breathe.

Thankfully, Jen didn’t want to plan a wedding and her own 50th-birthday European trip in the same year. That combination didn’t sound inviting to either of us—but asking the question mattered. Transparency is part of how I show up, even when the answer might redirect us. Especially then.

The relief came quickly. There was no need to rearrange an already packed 2025–2026 vacation calendar. July, in general, is the most flexible window for Principal Jen to do anything significant like that—but even that window carried its own signals. Her son, Mehki, casually pointed out that the final rounds of the 2026 World Cup are scheduled for mid-July. Another gentle nudge. Another reminder that timing isn’t just personal—it’s contextual.

What emerged wasn’t disappointment. It was alignment.

Our hearts said later.
Our minds agreed.
And somehow, so did the Universe—Fate, the Gods, God… take your pick.

That “absolutely not” wasn’t a wall. It was a compass.

So instead of pushing forward, we widened the lens. We talked it through. We laughed at the absurdity of trying to stack everything at once. We recalibrated with intention. Because this isn’t about winning a timeline or checking boxes—it’s about building a life that feels steady, thoughtful, and shared.

And when we let all of that settle, the answer became clear.

A wedding date in 2027 doesn’t feel delayed.
It feels right.

And that’s the part I’m most excited about—the together part.

We plan on visiting possible wedding venues the right way: real, onsite research. Walking the grounds. Standing in the spaces. Listening to the echoes. Imagining laughter, vows, family, and the quiet moments that happen before and after the crowd arrives. Not scrolling galleries or rushing decisions, but showing up—physically, intentionally—and letting each place tell us whether it belongs in our story.

We’ll do that side by side. Asking questions. Comparing notes. Feeling things out. Trusting instincts. Because this isn’t a solo project or a checklist to power through—it’s a shared experience, another chapter written collaboratively. One more example of how we move through life: aligned, curious, and respectful of each other’s pace.

And yes, I’m already looking forward to the day when Jen and I get to celebrate National Spouses Day as a married couple. When January 26 carries a different weight. When the word spouse fits us not just in intention, but in name. When reflection includes vows already spoken and memories already lived.

Until then, we won’t wait for a calendar square to validate us.

We’ll celebrate each other daily—just as we already do.
In conversations. In laughter. In patience. In planning. In choosing one another, again and again, without needing an observance to remind us why.

National Spouses Day will come.
But the partnership?
That’s already here.