
Dear Cortney,
Today you are 40.
I wanted this milestone of a birthday to be special. I had been thinking about it since we went to Chicago for my 40th birthday in the spring.
Then a week later we got the news about my cancer and I quit making any sort of BIG plans for anything.
But I didn’t fall apart completely because you were there.
You were there in sickness.
You were there for a bad time.
You were there when I was poor in spirit.
You were there carting our children all over the place, making sure we were all fed, and cleaning up after people.
You were doing laundry and dishes and baths.
You were taking time off work (that you really couldn’t afford to do) and buying me lattes and lemon loaf.
You were shaving my head and counting out anti-nausea pills.
You were getting up with kids in the night.
You were rearranging your schedule and bowling ahead and arriving late to meetings so that I could make all my appointments.
You were making me tea.
You were holding me as I cried. You were holding our children while they cried.
You were patient.
You were kind.
You are love. You loved me and put aside many many things to take care of me and our children.
You deserve a HUGE celebration.
You didn’t get it, and I don’t feel good about that.
So I promise you that this next whole year will be a celebration. A celebration of love and life and new chances.
And when December comes around again, we will do something BIG.
Until then, I hope our birthday date and your birthday dinner and your birthday brownies and the cards your boys made you brought a smile to your face.
We are so very thankful for you. And we love you so very much.
Happy birthday, my love.
