Thirteen Again

I got braces for the fourth, yes fourth, time a little over six months ago. My teeth are still straight, but my TMJ has flared up. I first got them as an awkward seventh grader. Also in seventh grade, I got contact lenses and a unibrow (but that's another post altogether). The major difference is that as a teenager, everyone had braces, now everyone has camera phones. This is what my sweet friend Chelley chose to capture for posterity on the day I got my braces:

Isn't that nice of her? Another thing about braces at 31 is the cost of cleaning devices. When I was 13, a Waterpik magically appeared on my bathroom counter along with floss threaders, a special toothbrush, and baking soda toothpaste. Now, I go to WalMart and have to figure out where the floss threaders are and whether or not I should get a name brand Waterpik or not. And are there coupons for this paraphernalia? No way!

I ask every month how long I will be wearing them and every month I get the same answer, 'Not long'. Oh well, it's not so bad. I am very aware of how foods will arrange themselves in between the wires and my teeth. Lettuce: not my friend. I'm sure Ben gets pretty embarrassed because I'm an avid smiler and don't always have access to a mirror to check my smile. I hope this one is clean.

Making a Baby

I see pregnant people. Everywhere. Every single time I go to Target, I swear, everyone in there is pregnant. Even the men! Since Ben and I have been trying to get pregnant, it has consumed me. I'm 31, and I hear tick-tock tick-tock all day long. We've had a little trouble, so my obsession became an everyday stressor. I was allergic to Clomid, so I take Femara and it has helped me to ovulate every month, but after a year-no baby. Then, I talked to a girl I hadn't seen in a while and she and her husband have been trying for several years to conceive with no luck. She gives herself injections and takes oral medication. Next, I saw another future mama who has had three miscarriages and smiles and rubs her 26 week pregnant belly while she tells me about all that she has gone through to conceive and carry a baby. This made me really realize that the more I stress about it, the longer it will be before we have a plus sign. I'm calm now and just waiting for my turn to say 'No!' and 'Stop that!' We just tried our first artificial insemination last Friday, so we'll keep our fingers crossed as we wait two weeks before I can take a test. I never realized making babies was actually more like a scientific experiment with microscopes, test tubes and syringes!

Open Mouth Insert Foot

If you didn't know already, I'm an x-ray tech at a local doctors office. I always try to make my patients as comfortable as possible because many of them are coming for a check up on a fracture or a number of painful ailments. Children are usually scared to death of the big mean x-ray machine so I distract them with all kinds of goofy or sugary prizes. On Friday, I had to x-ray an adorable two-year old boy who had broken his elbow. His mom held him while I 'took a picture' of his arm. He was a very brave little boy and when I was finished, I said 'okay let's go back to your room- your daddy's waiting for you!' That's when it happened: his mother replied (through clenched teeth) 'that's not his Daddy' and gave me the stink eye. I turned red and apologized profusely when I heard the angelic boy start yelling 'my daddy's here? Mommy? My daddy's here?' I would have let her punch me in the face if she'd asked to. Talk about putting your foot in your mouth.

Friends

It has taken me almost twenty-nine years to realize just how important friends are. I am incredibly lucky to have such wonderful relationships with my very close friends. They were there when I lost my beautiful sister. They gave me kleenex when I got divorced. They went to Cowboys with me. They didn't think I had lost my mind when I got a tattoo. They have been there when I dated crazy people. They didn't tell me "I told you so" when I had to get one of the crazy people arrested. They were there to celebrate how happy I was to be getting married again. They gave me showers and bachelorette parties. When Ben had a heart attack they brought me magazines and snacks. No matter how happy or sad (or sometimes mad) I get, they are always just a text or phone call away. Ben and I often complain about being poor, but everytime he reminds me of how rich we are in the friend department.

Just Married!!

I got married on May 30, 2008 to a wonderful man, Ben, with six of our closest friends in attendance. We decided to do a destination wedding since we had both been married and had big church weddings the first time around. We picked a beautiful place, Sandals Whitehouse, in Jamaica. As soon as we told our friends, they wanted to join us. We were so excited to be able to share this special day with them. It was incredibly beautiful and simple. With the Caribbean ocean in the background we got married in bare feet on the beach. Next we had a tropical reception under a quaint little tiki hut. Later that night after a delicious gourmet dinner with white-gloved waiters and entrees almost to pretty to eat, we went back to our luxurious suite and found flower petals sprinkled on the floor and bed, towels curled into heart shapes and a chilled bottle of champagne. The next morning we were served breakfast in bed, complete with heart-shaped pancakes and mimosas. It was perfect!! Now we are back to reality with work, stress and everyday life. We don't have kids yet, just a spoiled little yorkie named Dudley. Hopefully, sometime next year we can add to our sweet little family.