Joanna Goddard's marriage story has come to an end.
The Cup of Jo influencer shared on her blog Feb. 9 that she and husband Alex Williams have separated after 13 years of marriage. The couple—who are parents to sons Toby, 12, and Anton, 9—will "always be over-the-moon co-parents to our two beautiful boys," though they "won't be married anymore," she wrote.
"We are feeling good and confident about this decision, which of course we made with difficulty and care," Joanna continued. "I'll always love Alex (a funny, insightful person; father of my children!), but we felt like we were on increasingly different wavelengths when it came to parenting, life, and philosophies, and though we tried mightily we couldn't bridge the gap."
Joanna went on to explain that she was sharing the news because there had been inquiries from fans who noted how Alex "hadn't been mentioned lately." Outside of the internet, the blogger noted that their inner circle reacted with "gasps" and "chest-clutching" upon learning of the divorce.
"Friends have brought us soup and given bear hugs and texted 'how are you doing' every morning like clockwork," she added. "I like when people ask, 'Should I say sorry or congratulations?' because that question acknowledges that both things can be true."
The duo began dating in 2006, with Joanna noting in a 2016 blog post that they were both riddled with nerves on their first date, until she put her hand on his arm. They tied the knot in June 2009 in a wedding officiated by her uncle, Hamish P. J. Goddard, according to the New York Times.
Although their marriage included some "grindingly hard and emotional" stages, Joanna noted in her latest blog post that it "remained thoughtful and kind" overall.
"It's funny, I truly feel like our marriage was in many ways a success, even though it's ending," she added. "We had 10 amazing years together (with regular old ups and downs), and have you seen the two miracle people we made from scratch?!! The past three years grew more and more difficult (with couples therapy; arguments; distance; the pandemic; feeling like we were speaking different languages); and it felt like a necessary time for a new life chapter."