Age is Just a Number

Steve says I'm making him old before his time, but he did turn 40 last Thursday, so I don't think he can blame it all on me. This being such an important birthday, I had spent weeks worrying over how to make it special, especially given that when I was diagnosed he backed out of the birthday trip of a lifetime - a 10-day ski trip to Chamonix, France. Though I had objected, someone pointed out that I wouldn't think twice about doing the same for him, and this is true. Luckily, this birthday fell during my second week off chemo, and I felt great.

On Thursday, we had a special dinner at The Flagstaff House, up on the hill overlooking the lights of Boulder. From the amuse-bouche (the chef's bite size interpretation of a BLT), past the intermezzo course of grapefruit sorbet and through to the final sweet spoonfuls of maple panna cotta, this was a memorable meal. As this was our first night out just the two of us since this all started, it was even more delightful.

Mary Ellen, a very wise colleague, reminded me early in the week that I should spend some of my good days at home too, and she was right. Steve and I both took Friday off, and right after radiation Friday morning we trekked up to Frisco for the weekend. Much of our Denver family joined us on Friday night, so we were rolling deep. (To ensure that Steve stays hip as he ages, I picked him up some slang flashcards. FYI, 'rolling deep' means to travel with a big entourage.)

Saturday, Alty and Brooke watched Van so that Steve and I could ski with the gang, and it was just what I needed to clear my head - four inches fresh on a warm, blue bird day, plenty of fast turns, some time spent on the kiddie hill teaching sweet Riley how to snow plow, and as there is more to skiing than skiing, beers on the deck afterward. That night we all gathered under one roof to sing happy birthday and toast Steve for being young at heart. Throughout the evening, it was just so easy to take in the joy around us; there were friends both old and new, friends quite obviously falling in love, two couples planning weddings, two expecting, half a dozen giggling children with icing smeared across their faces, champagne corks popping and wave after wave of laughter. I don't think I could have imagined a more perfect way to re-energize and prepare for these next two weeks of treatment than this.