November 10th ~

Life is about change, sometimes it's painful, sometimes it's 

beautiful, but most of the time it's both. Never underestimate 

the power you have to take your life in a new direction...

As Julio Iglesias would say:

Vivir a veces es reír también llorar vivir es una 

carta por jugar. Vivir  a veces es perder también 

ganar vivir es un mañana que esperar.

To live sometimes means to laugh, but also to cry.  

Life is a playing card.  To live sometimes means to 

lose, but also to win. Life is the awaited tomorrow.

 Today Arvid and I celebrate 22 years of marriage.  Even I am a

 little shocked at how fast the years have gone by.  For both Arvid 

and myself, this has been the longest relationship we have had.  

Hopefully it will also be the last for both of us, for I cannot

see myself spending forever with anyone else but Arvid.

 It has not been always easy.  Somedays it still is not easy, but

 I can't see myself sharing these experiences with anyone but Arvid. 

 With Arvid I have 2 stepdaughters.  I love them and the relationship 

I have with them.  Like everything else, it took work and time to get

 to where we are today.  I would not change it for anything in the

 world.  With Arvid I/we have three beautiful granddaughters.  

I always wonder what it is I did in life to be so lucky.  

Arvid and I share so many wonderful moments and memories

 together.  In those we have Brutus, Shadow and Sniff.  If anything

 Brutus has been one of the most beautiful times we have had together.

  Our first kitty, the one we loved with all our hearts.  He taught Arvid 

what no one else did.  How to love and how to be a better person.

Our life is far from perfect.  Like everyone else we have our up 

and downs, but when it really comes to what matters most, we 

are always there for each other.  Like I have said there is no one 

in this world I would rather share forever with than Arvid.

Together we have created a beautiful life.  It's not always easy but then what is?

A big part of our time with Brutus was spent going back

 and forth to Eleuthera, Bahamas where we had a Lil' Red House 

right on the water.  Those are times we will always remember.

We enjoyed our time there, but eventually it was time to move on to

 something new.  And just like that a new adventure was about to begin. 

 It's always been this way.  After a few years in one place we move

 to the next.  My mom sometimes says we're gypsies 😂

Life in Puerto Rico with Sniff brough us a completely new perspective.  

Relaxed and to live and enjoy each day to the fullest.  That's how they do it

 in PR, and aren't I the lucky one?  I was raised in this beautiful island

 inhabited by the warmest and most kind hearted people on earth.

A part of me remains in PR.  Always will.  The memories 

of childhood, the ones shared with Arvid and my PR kitties. 

 I LOVE PR and will always consider it my first home.

We have so many things to be grateful for and I hope to never 

take anyone or anything for granted.  Our life is not perfect, but

 we are blessed.  I've seen better days, but I've also seen worse.

 I don't have everything I want, but I do have all I need. I

 woke up with some aches and pains, but I woke up. 

Fall in love with someone who makes you glad to be different...

~Nadiya~