Better than Ikea?

Since the day we moved into our townhouse a year and a half ago, I have been daydreaming - make that obsessing - about a sideboard at Ikea. I need more storage in my kitchen, and this particular sideboard was not only beautiful, but would fit perfectly under the big window in my kitchen. But since we seem to be in a perpetual state of renovation, I was waiting until all the major stuff was done before I started buying new furniture.

So I was not sure what to do when a couple of weeks ago my husband came home with some free wood he had recently acquired and announced that he was going to MAKE the sideboard for me. He asked for a picture of it that I printed for him from the Ikea website, and as I was handing it to him…

Me, in my head: "No, no, no!!!! I want this one! You'll never be able to make it look exactly like this!"

Me, out loud: "This is what I like. Just like this. You think you can make one like this? Yes, really? Well, won't it be a lot of work? Because it would probably be easier to just buy the one at Ikea…"

I was not at all sure his creation would turn out even remotely like the picture, and, well, I'm really, really picky about furniture. But he's been working on it every night for about two weeks now, and he seems to be having SO MUCH FUN! He's buying new tools, and spending every spare minute in the basement. (Come to think of it, he could be hiding from the crazy pregnant lady who won't stop talking about the terrible kids on Supernanny who scare her to death …)

But I have to admit, his sideboard is turning out to be really beautiful. I'm feeling rather guilty that I doubted him and his carpentry skills. But in my defense, I've never really seen him build anything before. And we've been living together for 6 years.

So, since we are close to our third anniversary (watch out, it's gonna get mushy), I want to say I'm sorry for doubting you honey, and thank you very, very much for making the beautiful sideboard for me. It is just as nice as the Ikea one, but it will have added meaning because you spent so much time and effort making it for me. How did I get so lucky?