shared days

 the husband and I-- 2005

When you first meet someone, there's a moment after the introductions where you consciously, or unconsciously, attempt to find something in common. You dance around stories and topics, settling on one that you both latch onto and get excited about.


The husband and I first connected over our commonalities like this.


We met like this:

I came home from my college classes exhausted, dumping my backpack onto the ground and sinking into a chair. One of my housemates was sitting by the fireplace with a guy. Looking up, she smiled and introduced him as Evan and they were in accounting together.

I'm trying to recall now if I thought anything-- if I thought he was cute, or if there were sudden sparks as our eyes met. I just remember smiling and nodding as I introduced myself.

Later, I was eating cereal-- the typical college snack-- perched against the kitchen counter when he came into the room. He noted I was eating Honey Bunches of Oats, which we can all agree is a near-perfect cereal, and said it was one of his favorites.

And I responded, "Mine too!"

From there, we discussed favorite movie (Top Gun), band (Coldplay), and I remember thinking: "I like talking to this guy. We have a lot in common." Little did I realize what other similarities we had.

Of course my housemate being the instigator that she was (and for that I am forever grateful), told me the next day how much Evan enjoyed talking to me. I remember telling her how much I enjoyed talking to him. The seeds were planted.

2006

It was just a day or two later when we realized that we also had the exact same birthday: April 22, just a year apart. I think it was again a casual conversation, touching on small things like you do when you're getting to know someone, when we hit on birthdays.

One year apart, over 50 miles apart, we were both brought into the world. It was too much of a coincidence to not keeping talking. We had the same birthday! Of course we would be friends.

 2008

And later boyfriend and girlfriend.

And today, husband and wife, for nearly four years. (!!!)

People are always astounded that we have the same birthday-- like it's just too crazy to believe. Bartenders when checking our IDs are known to ask us if we knew we shared that date.

We then joke that it's the reason we got married: our shared birthday.

Of course that's not true, but I have to think that it's one of the things that brought us together when we first met. And so for that, I think it's pretty cool.

So happy birthday to my best friend and dear husband. I am so glad we share our birthday and our life together! Here's to several more shared birthdays together.

xo, erika