When one enters a new decade such as Jamie did when he turned 40 last week, there is always a bit of fear associated with it. Is he suddenly going to turn old and lame? Will he need bifocals in his 40s? What if he stops being funny and becomes a grumpy old man?
Turns out, I’m more at risk for all the above concerns because my beloved Jamie has still got it.
On his birthday, we went to a hip downtown restaurant, Zengo. If I were to have a last meal on earth, it would be their thai chicken empanadas with chile poblano rajasoaxaca cheese and mango-curry salsa.
Just thinking about it makes me want to die.
As we were driving to dinner, I babbled away like usual. The next day, I was taking the kids to see The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We did a movie marathon over Thanksgiving where we watched the first two so we were ecstatic to take in the third installment on the big screen.
“Some critics are saying the third movie is the very best one,” I said excitedly.
“I heard that, too. Though I must say the seventh and final book is the very best.”
“How on earth do you know that?” I asked my non-reading husband.
“We read them in our sixth grade class.”
“I appreciate that but I can barely remember what I read last week, let alone what I read 30 years ago,” I retorted.
“When you’ve only read 12 books your entire life, the ones you did read are a standout.”
A few minutes later, I talked about my Christmas baking. For one of my menu items (eggnog snickerdoodles) I put just a touch too much nutmeg into the dough, almost overwhelming the flavor of the cookie.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said that too much nutmeg can be a deal-breaker,” Jamie said emphatically.
Long pause.
“Really? How many times have you said that?” I queried.
“Umm…never.”
On another note, there is one gift Jamie requests year after year: a gift card for R.E.I. (a veritable Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium for outdoor lovers). He spends hours combing through their catalog and online. Only this year was different. He plopped down at my computer and typed in the URL for the North Face’s Kira Triclimate 3-in-1 Insulated Jacket.
“Amber, I want to buy you this jacket with my birthday money.”
My jaw dropped. His spoils didn’t even come close to covering the cost of a jacket of this grandeur and magnitude.
“I can’t accept that. This is your money. You need to buy something for you.”
“This is how I want to spend it. You need a jacket more than anything. “
He’s correct. I’ve had my current ski jacket for 12 years. Not only does it no longer fit but it’s literally falling apart at the seams. I just haven’t felt like I could justify spending the money to buy a new coat.
On Saturday, off to R.E.I. we went. As I modeled my new coat, he could not have looked happier than if he had bought it for himself. And I could not have felt more humbled and blessed to have married such a wonderful, giving man.
I think I’m going to like his 40s.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 