Happy birthday, SML

Today is the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML's birthday. If you're dying to know how old she is, go back to my post on this same day in 2008 and then do some quick math and you'll have it figured out. Good luck.

When you are out of the house by 6AM to get to your office, it precludes a lot of breakfast in bed traditional niceties. It doesn't help either that your kitchen is torn up for a much-needed and long-awaited "cosmetic" procedure. So I managed to warm up a blueberry muffin before she headed out to a day full of teeth and more teeth. When you're a dental assistant, that's what it's all about.

Her gift remains in a tragic heap in the basement. This thing has tested my handyman abilities like nothing I've ever encountered. I got as far as Step 2 in the myriad of steps before I threw in the towel. I called the store today and am thrilled to report that a "tech" will be out to put the thing (a treadmill - now before I get flaming comments for buying this for her - she's been asking for one, so back off, haters!)

And more birthday fun...we have no running water in our kitchen, no countertops, exposed drywall and no dishwasher. So dinner is going to be interesting. Nothing says loving like paper plates. But in the end, the new kitchen will be worth it. Like I said earlier, it's a cosmetic procedure, more of a nip and tuck than something like this train wreck:

No, no Cat Lady horror story makeover for our kitchen. Instead, it's getting rid of the wrinkly old faux granite Formica counters and purging the backsplash with its painted ivy. Gone, baby, gone. Today's destruction of the kitchen did reveal more electrical shenanigans - a newer wired junction box behind a piece of drywall. It also revealed a couple of cabinets not even mounted to the wall. Nice, nice, nice. So I'm glad the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML was at work today during this phase of the overhaul. The good news is that we have a really good contractor and I think it's going to be done by the end of the week. So we'll make that a part of the birthday fest once it's done.

So I hope this has been a good day for my wife. I'm very blessed to be married to her. She's my best friend. Really wouldn't want to live life without her. She's made this life awesome. She's awesome herself.