Happy birthday, Barack Obama! The former president rang in his 63rd birthday on Sunday, and his wife of over 30 years, Michelle Obama, took to Instagram to pay tribute to the special occasion. 

Michelle marked the celebration with a never-before-seen photo of herself and Barack during a hike, posed as if they’re pushing a huge boulder uphill. In the candid snap, the couple look the part of a sporty duo, with Michelle in a black tank top with black leggings and sneakers. Barack wears a white shirt with black bottoms and Nike sneakers. The couple also sports matching baseball caps.

“Happy birthday to the love of my life, @BarackObama!” Michelle captioned the photo post. “Here’s to weathering all of life’s storms and moving mountains together. ❤️”

Barack and Michelle tied the knot in 1992. They share two daughters — Malia, 25, and Sasha, 23. 

Followers of Michelle and Barack are very used to seeing the couple share touching tributes to each other and their daughters on special occasions, including birthdays and milestones. Most notably, the couple celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary last October, sharing beautiful, sentimental social media posts dedicated to one another.

Sharing a photo of the two backlit by the sunset, Michelle captioned her Instagram post by writing, “31 years, and a lifetime to go. I love going through life with you by my side, @BarackObama. Happy anniversary, honey! ❤️”

On his personal Instagram, the former president shared a sweet photo of the couple in an open field and dressed in matching dark blue jackets. He captioned his post, “Happy anniversary, sweetheart! @MichelleObama, you’re brilliant, kind, funny, and beautiful—and I’m lucky to call you mine.”

And while the couple is the picture of serene love nowadays, they’ve been candid about the hard times they’ve faced in their three decades of marriage. During a panel with Revolt TV alongside Kelly Rowland, H.E.R., Winnie Harlow, Tina Knowles-Lawson and moderator Angie Martinez in December 2022, Michelle admitted that there was a 10-year period early in her marriage when she “couldn’t stand” her husband.

“People think I’m being catty by saying this — it’s like, there were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband,” Michelle said. “And guess when it happened? When those kids were little.”

Michelle said that it was during their daughters’ early years, as Barack was beginning his political career, that the animosity between the couple hit its highest point. “We’re trying to build our careers and, you know, worrying about school and who’s doing what and what, I was like, ‘Ugh, this isn’t even,’” she recalled. “And guess what? Marriage isn’t 50/50, ever, ever.”

“There are times I’m 70, he’s 30. There are times he’s 60, 40, but guess what? 10 years — we’ve been married 30. I would take 10 bad years over 30 — it’s just how you look at it,” she added. “And people give up . . . ‘Five years; I can’t take it.’”

During a May 2023 sit-down interview on CBS Mornings, Barack elaborated on Michelle’s comments, sharing how he’s been able to get back into Michelle’s good graces. 

Barack candidly replied that “it sure helps to be out of the White House.”

The politician went on to share that having “a little more time” to spend with his spouse has also contributed to their happier marriage.

Thankfully, that rocky patch is behind the couple. 

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