What three binders taught me

Cleaning out my bag tonight and found the anniversary planning notebook - all three of them, actually, plus the backup folder and the contingency itinerary I never ended up needing.

What three binders taught me

Looking at this spread across the living room floor, I’m realizing something I missed in all the actual planning stress.

I made seventeen different versions of our weekend schedule. Jake made zero. But here’s the thing - he wasn’t being lazy or disengaged. Every time I showed him a new iteration, he’d scan it, nod, and say “looks perfect” or suggest one small tweak that somehow made everything better. While I was drowning in options and backup plans, he was trusting that whatever we did would work out fine because we’d be together.

Three binders, two notebooks, and approximately seventeen color-coded lists later.

Turns out we both contributed exactly what we’re good at. I handled the logistics that make me feel secure, he handled the perspective that keeps me sane. The weekend was great, but honestly? Figuring out how we balance each other might be the better souvenir.

Now if someone could explain why I still have a binder labeled “Emergency Rainy Day Activities” for a trip that happened two months ago.