This is happiness.

I got a surprise this weekend - one that I can't post photos of because we forgot to take any without us in them...

but the surprise was amazing, and awesome, and thoughtful and wonderful.

it was an early birthday present from EBJ and it begins with an S and rhymes with Smurf Gourd

3 months ago he decided he wanted a surfboard

and 3 months ago I put him in touch with my buddy who shapes custom boards

all summer he has been planning his board

downloading programs to do renderings and deciding what went where

he chose the NYC subway system, a dive flag, Australia and the Yankees emblem

somehow, because he is EBJ he made it all work together

3 months ago he also decided to take a chance

well technically I would guess he took that chance a few months before that, but still

he took a gamble, one I think we both knew would work out in his favor

that Saturday August 9th would be a good day to give a girl a birthday present (1 month and 1 day early)

so 3 months ago he started planning a surprise to end all surprises

(i dont even think i need a surprise party this was so good)

he thought about my favorite things

and planned and planned and designed

never acting secretive

and never letting on

so on Saturday we woke up

he was giddy with excitement, but I didnt suspect a thing,

partially because I knew he was excited about his own board that was coming

and partially because I was coughing up a lung.

slight detour to the walk in clinic - meds, breakfast and cure-all iced tea

a suburban and 2 kiddos in the backseat

we were off to pick up his board

and it was beautiful - he had designed it perfectly and it was shaped perfectly and oh man thats gorgeous and oh wait where did you go?

and then i followed into the work room, to 'see the shaping' or something like that and then there was the most beautiful surfboard in the whole wide world

and then i didn't get it

and then i didn't get it again

and then i looked at EBJ

and then i looked at him again

and then i knew the most beautiful surfboard in the whole wide world was for me.

and it has the Montauk Lighthouse on it, surrounded by cherry blossoms and its my birthday present.

and then we spent the weekend looking at our beautiful surfboards and talking about adventures to come.

and if the past 9 (yes i know how many) months are any indication - I can't wait.