Hi! How exciting for you and I'm so glad your DH is not only supportive but being a willing player!
Here's my advice. Sit down. Take a deep breath. My wish for you is that you take this first amazing croc Birkin that's coming your way. Enjoy it for awhile. Then, work slowly on your list, but don't worry about setting goals of dates and such just yet.
While LV is great ( I used to collect as well) they are different animals than Hermes bags. Birkins (actually, all H bags) are hand made treasures. Many are one of a kind. The fun of buying them IS the hunt and the joy of getting the call that your bag has arrived at the store and watching your SA unwrap that orange box (which I call my Birkin CONDO - it's so huge!!.) They are meant to be savored and loved as heirlooms. I believe that there is more joy in this than racing to buy them all at once. (tempting, but trust me on this!!)
It's good to have a wish list to work from, but at this time, I wouldn't go to ebay just yet and pay that markup. If you have a good relationship with Hermes, use that as a starting point but don't act TOO eager right away. Show intrest in some other H items as you go along and you'll have much more luck!!
Also, have you ever carried a Birkin? They are wonderful but not ALWAYS the most practical bag to carry around all day. I have a 35 and it's my LOOOVE but the thing weighs a ton. YES, collect Birkins but I'd also allow yourself room to look at other Hermes bags that may be more practical for certain occasions. Of course, the Kelly - but also look at the Bolide, Plume and Trim.
These bags are French - and to me, buying them mirrors the French way of life in many ways.
Best of luck to you and be sure to show us pictures along the way.
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain things to me. I really do appreciate it. I had an idea that there was something...different about Hermes. Just by reading the threads here I can tell that all of these wonderful ladies had this type of passion, but patience as well. Maybe I am showing the "newbie" excitement. My DH stated that (by reading some of the threads together) it seemed that the purchases for Hermes was more...thoughtful, mature, and done with great satisfaction. He knows that I can have a very compulsive side (hence the LV collection). Savor the moment for each purse is probably the wise thing to do. Ok I'm calming down now.