About Time: A Birthday Letter
12/20/2017
Dear Tom,
So yesterday, I was driving around town . . . running errands . . . and this song came on. Coldplay's Clocks. And I got thinking about clocks. And time. And your birthday. And I got to wondering just how many of your birthdays we've celebrated together.
So I counted them up.
Today makes 39.
We started out with your 21st. It was December 20, 1979, and I picked you up at Stapleton International Airport in Denver. You were a senior at Boise State; I was a junior at the University of Wyoming. And we had a whole month together for semester break.
Remember that one? I gave you a giant afghan I had crocheted! (And we still have it.)
Back then, we looked like this . . .
Turns out . . . there have been 38 more of your birthdays together, counting today.
We've celebrated your birthday with parties. We've celebrated quietly at home. We've had birthday breakfasts and birthday lunches and birthday dinners. One year, we were getting ready to move and packed a few boxes on your birthday. And you were only days away from defending your PhD thesis on another birthday. There was the now-famous "Chocolate Vesuvius Incident" on your birthday in 1995. We've celebrated your birthday on vacation while skiing in Steamboat Springs. And we celebrated your birthday in Akumal, Mexico once.
That's a lot of celebrating your birthday together!
Time.
It flies. It marches on. It waits for no man.
I couldn't really imagine all these birthdays-to-come unrolling before us back in the airport parking lot in 1979. Yet . . . here we are. Thirty-eight birthdays later.
Happy birthday, Tom.
I love every minute I get to spend with you!
XO,
Me
Wishing Tom a wonderfully Happy Birthday! It seems like many people born this close to Christmas get short shrift on their special day, but it doesn't sound like that's happened to Tom with all those wonderful celebrations. Here's to many, many more!
Posted by: Bonny | 12/20/2017 at 09:23 AM
Happy birthday to your wonderful husband - enjoy your celebration
Posted by: Juliann | 12/20/2017 at 09:27 AM
Happy Birthday Tom! May the coming year fill you with joy and laughter!
Posted by: Vera | 12/20/2017 at 09:48 AM
Sending Happy Birthday greetings to Tom!
Posted by: Debbie | 12/20/2017 at 10:03 AM
Aw, Kym. What a wonderful tribute to all the amazing birthdays of Tom's life with you! Happy Birthday to Tom, who has an incredible wife! May you have 38 more of Tom's birthdays together!
Posted by: margene | 12/20/2017 at 10:16 AM
This post is so touching. Many happy birthday wishes going to Tom.
Posted by: Jo | 12/20/2017 at 10:38 AM
Happy birthday to your Tom! And congratulations to you too! Loved this!
Posted by: Pam | 12/20/2017 at 10:45 AM
You've brought tears to my eyes! Happy, Happy Birthday Tom! Enjoy the day you two.
Posted by: Patty | 12/20/2017 at 10:52 AM
Happy birthday to Tom! You're such an awesome couple.
Posted by: Cheryl S. | 12/20/2017 at 11:35 AM
This is a wonderful post. Happy Birthday to Tom and here's to many, many more birthdays together for you two lovebirds!
Posted by: Carole | 12/20/2017 at 01:40 PM
What a lovely tribute! Happy Birthday Tom, and here is to so many, many, many more birthday celebrations for both of you!
Posted by: AsKatKnits | 12/20/2017 at 01:52 PM
Awww... happy birthday, Tom!
Posted by: kmkat | 12/20/2017 at 05:35 PM
Happy Birthday to Tom. What a lovely post about your celebrations together. I hope you have many more.
Posted by: Jane | 12/20/2017 at 08:19 PM
Happy Birthday, Tom! what a wonderful post, Kym - happy years together do make the time fly!
Posted by: Mary | 12/21/2017 at 06:25 AM
So young,, both of you, in that picture...and 39 years later still young. Happy birthday Tom.
Posted by: Chloe | 12/21/2017 at 06:45 AM
Oh, how wonderful! Happy Birthday, Tom!!!
Posted by: Vicki | 12/21/2017 at 10:02 AM