New Shoes Smell Good

Na na na na na na, you say it's your birthday! Na na na na na na, it's my birthday too!

So. I turned the ripe old age of 34 today. It hit me today that I'm one year away from being 5 years away from 40. Scary thought. Shudder...

I've actually had a great birthday, despite almost having a Sixteen Candles moment this morning. Neither RobbieMax or Will said anything to me this morning, until I was headed out the door. For a second there, I thought I was going to have to remind them it was my birthday, but after dwelling all day on the fact that they forgot. Thankfully, that didn't happen. Whew!

So with a "Happy birthday!" from my boys, I headed off to work. When I got in, there was a huge banner at my cube that said (of course), "Happy Birthday!" There was also a nice birthday note taped to my computer screen.

When I logged onto my computer, there were 3 funny e-cards from my best friend, Suzanne. Awwww. How sweet! She even sent me two cards with my two favorite e-card guys, Hoops and Yoyo. I sent her back a Hoops and Yoyo thank you card.

And right away this morning, my sister, Melanie, sent me a very sweet email, in which she "sang" Happy Birthday and wished me a happy day. My other sister, Lynn, called me at work from California to wish me a Happy Birthday.

My coworkers gave me cards, and even sang to me at our team meeting. I got my favorite lunch from my favorite place in the skyways - Zen Box. Zen Box is this excellent Japanese restaurant. I always get the Chicken Teriyaki, with extra sauce. And they always remember that.

So, I left work 2 hours early as a birthday treat for myself. I went and got my free birthday drink from Caribou, and then went shoe shopping.

Before I talk about shoe shopping, let me preface it by saying that I got a card and $34 from my awesome mother-in-law. She sends both RobbieMax and I birthday money in the amount of our age. Sometimes she forgets how old we are. Two years ago, she sent RobbieMax $1 too many. And last year she sent me $1 less. Cute, huh? But (unfortunately) she remembered how old I am now. Oh well...

So shoes. I am a member of the Famous Footwear rewards club. (And why wouldn't I be?) So I get points for shoe purchases, discounts, and $10 off any purchase for my birthday.

Well, of course I walked into Famous Footwear armed with my $34 and my $10 off coupon. And the first thing I did was inhale deeply. I love the smell of shoe stores. All that new leather...

Oh! Sorry - I drifted off in shoeland for a minute there.

So I wandered around the store, taking my time looking at great shoes. There was this cute pair of Sketchers I really wanted, but they were too young for me. Sigh. And they didn't have them in my size, not at that store or any other. So on went the search.

I ended up finding this adorable pair of Mary Janes!



Aren't they so cute? And they are SO COMFY! And they smell so good. The new leather. And just being new shoes. No one has put their stinky feet in them. (And my feet don't stink, so of course my shoes will never be stinky!) I made Will smell them. And when RobbieMax gets home from work, I'll make him smell them, too, in all their new-smelling leather glory.

So tonight I have to treat them with my leather protector, then I can start wearing them! Hooray!

And now I am waiting for my birthday phone call from my mom. She does what my sisters and I affectionately call the "Birthday Montage." She sings the regular Happy Birthday song that we all know, but then she segues into another song, and then another, and another, and another... It doesn't feel like my birthday until I hear the Birthday Montage. (Well, almost -I did go shoe shopping, after all.)

Since RobbieMax had to work late and Will has church stuff tonight, we are waiting until tomorrow for my birthday dinner. RobbieMax wants to make the dinner of my choice, and my problem is that I just can't decide.

So, my friends, I leave you with this question: What shall I have him make for me for my birthday dinner tomorrow night?