What’s next for ourMode

It’s kind of hard to believe, but it’s been three years. Has time ever flown, and wow, have things ever changed and evolved. Three years ago when ourMode was just a concept, we thought a blog would be a fun way of expressing ourselves and doing something unique as a couple. What started off with taking photos on our iPhones, quickly evolved into something we loved doing, and just as quickly, evolved into the realization that it was also a lot of hard work.

But nonetheless… countless hours later of shooting and editing; many late nights and early mornings; admittedly lots of tears and arguments; but many more smiles and lots more laughter — we’re here. Three years later.

This past year has definitely been an adventure, and we truly can’t be grateful enough for all the positivity and support we’ve received from our blogging family. It was around this time last year that we welcomed Nordstrom to our city as one of the faces of their “Ottawa, we like your style!” campaign, and a few months later over the summer, partnered with Flare Magazine for Nordstrom’s anniversary sale. We also became brand ambassadors for Express, another one of our most exciting partnerships to date.

Aside from fashion-related shoots, we’ve also had the chance to participate in some really rewarding projects. We were invited by the Toronto District School Board to speak to their graduating class of students that were entering the work force, about how to take those first steps in “dressing for success”. This past fall, we were also invited by Nordstrom to sit on a panel to choose a Canadian high school student that was deserving of a $10 000 scholarship for university or college. Meeting these young men and women was such a rewarding yet humbling experience, as we learned about who they were, what they’ve had to overcome, and what they hoped to achieve.

As for our personal lives, things have undoubtedly changed over the past year. If you guys recall, I’ve spent the past four years riding a bit of a roller coaster and throwing myself into a second undergrad degree, with the hopes of possibly getting into vet school. Turns out, chasing your dreams isn’t anything short of difficult. Having applied to my dream school and being turned away not once, but twice, has a way of really breaking your spirits. I went from extreme highs, having been so confident that “this would be my year” and that I did everything right this time around — to extreme lows, when I was given the old “we regret to inform you.”

It got to the point where I really questioned my capability and considered settling. But I suppose, with a lot of perseverance and even more encouragement from my better, and very positive half, I begrudgingly picked myself up again. And I’m glad that I did, because things definitely turned around. In early December, I finally got the phone call. I’m finally going to veterinary school. I’m going to be a doctor!

With all that being said, this upcoming year will be very different, and perhaps very challenging for the two of us. The school I’ll be attending is Western University of Health Sciences in the oh-so-fabulous, and sunny California. So where does that leave us? In a very long distance relationship? What will happen to ourMode?

While I’m incredibly excited for my new adventure and CJ is beyond supportive, this is unknown territory for the both of us, both literally and figuratively. In a few months, I’ll be packing up everything that I own into a few suitcases, boarding a plane alone, and moving to a new country.

But enough about me right, what about dear ol’ Ceej? (he hates it when I call him that, btw). Well he’s started a promising career in management at Lucky Brand Jeans and is loving it so far. And he’s building his own business in the cracks of his schedule — sheesh and I think I’m busy! So will he be moving with me down south is the next obvious question? That’s the plan at some point so, for the foreseeable future, we’ll be doing the long distance thing. We’ve done long distance the first year we dated, but life has gotten a lot more complicated since then, and learning how to balance careers, professional school, “real” adult responsibilities, and a relationship is something we admittedly both know nothing about. So am I scared? Yes, definitely yes.

But are we worried? No, I don’t think so. We’ve always been super supportive of each other when it comes to pursuing our own dreams and aspirations — even if that means being thousands of miles apart. We know that in the long run, it’s nothing but a short term sacrifice to make sure that we’re both individually happy with what we’ve created for ourselves. We know that opportunities like big career moves and being offered a coveted seat at vet school are chances that don’t always come around, but we’ll always be there for each other (yup, I’ve just unleashed the ultimate cheesiness).

So then, where does ourMode lie within all these changes? To be honest, we don’t know. There are going to be a lot of “we don’t knows” in the next few months. But what we do know is that we’ve worked so hard growing our blog baby and don’t want to say goodbye. However, it’s inevitable that there will be lots of changes in our blogosphere world.

As much as change and the unknown are scary, it’s also pretty exciting. There are certainly a lot of things that I’m scared about, but in a way, this new challenge as a couple is something we’re both looking forward to, as we know it’ll bring many new adventures along the way.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank each and every one of you for an amazing three years. It’s been an incredible ride, and we are beyond humbled from all the support and love we’re received. The two of us are looking forward to the adventure that lies ahead for the upcoming year, and we hope that the little family we’ve built through ourMode will join us for this next milestone.

what she’s wearing | Lush shift dress | Valentino Rockstud booties
what he’s wearing | Banana Republic blazer | Lucky Brand jeans | Banana Republic shirt | Le Chateau tie

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