Brace Yourselves

Mmmm… I’m back. That was nice… It’s been a while since we were able to really get away – just the two of us – and since the opportunity presented itself, we went ahead and took advantage of it! I know it was only three-and-a-half days, but it was like a mini second honeymoon to us! Three whole nights of no kids and no alarm clocks! Yay!!!! It was really a special treat, and I’m thankful that my in-laws were able to come and spoil – uh, I mean babysit for us. They’re the best!

So I guess I should offer some kind of explanation for my absence lately (even if it’s a lame one). We’ve been through a nice little round of illnesses – colds, a stomach virus and even walking pneumonia – but that’s not really all that’s kept me away. No, it seems that I was getting too comfortable with this whole new phase of life with kindergarten and all, which naturally meant it was time for another curve ball, right?

No, I’m not pregnant.

( I always have to throw that out there pretty quickly). That being said, this curve ball was one I certainly didn’t see coming.

Remember last May when Little Man nearly broke my jaw by jumping off a stage and bumping heads with me? Well I remember it. I remember it every day because my jaw has never fully healed. I remember it every time I try to eat a sandwich or chew steak or turn my head while I’m yawning. I remember it a lot.

If only we had known that going to a church musical that night was going to cause so much discomfort and pain. If only we had known that showing up to hear those little kids sing was going to result in fairly drastic change in my diet for the foreseeable future. If only we had known that our little outing to the church was going to cost us nearly $6,000 – wait – if only we had known that I think we would have stayed home and sang to ourselves!

Yes, an emergency room visit, two dentists, a chiropractor and an oral surgeon later, it’s come down to this: I have to get braces. Me – little ‘ole going-to-turn-31-in-a-couple-of-weeks me – is going to have to get braces. Ugly Betty, move over!

Well, to be fair, I’m going to the actual orthodontist later this morning, and he will tell me if he’s willing to do it. You see, braces are the only way to correct the damage (something about my teeth not fitting together anymore so my jaw can’t rest and heal), but there is a chance it won’t work at all, and a minor chance that it might make it worse. Permanently. (I just discovered that I have no idea how to spell that last word… I’m going to be how old?)

So the braces are our only shot, but he might not be willing to take them on since it’s such a weird case. I guess we’ll see in a couple of hours, huh? Although I walked out of the dentist office in tears after he explained the situation to me, I’m actually praying now that we can go through with it. Imagine eating a banana without cutting it up first! And apples and steak and Rice Crispy treats – oh my stars Rice Crispy Treats!

But all of that to say that we can’t afford braces, so I’ve had to get a job. The Lord has truly blessed me in this area, really. The day I found out about the braces thing I mentioned it to a girl in our youth group. It just so happens that her mom needs some help with her insurance business and is willing to take me on part-time and let me work from home. I couldn’t ask for a better situation – especially in this economy!

So I’ve already started working, and of course that means that the old schedule has to change yet again. I think I can still make it on Tuesdays to write a quick post (and I might be able to sneak in one or two extras now and then!), but for now all the extra writing I wanted to do is going to have to be on hold. That makes me sad, but hopefully it won’t stay that way. We’ll see – I have a Bible study idea in my head that won’t go away, so He’ll help me carve out time if He wants it written.

Anyway, that’s my long saga / excuse. Some people would say it’s not a very good one (“what’s the big deal? It’s only braces”, I’ve heard). But at 31 braces are kind of life-changing. Especially when it means you have to get a job to pay them and you really need to be putting that “extra” money towards a safer car that your entire family can ride in (instead of only three of you). There’s other things that it changes, but I won’t go into details here. Doesn’t matter anyway, right? It is what it is. And right now, I really am praying that I have to make those changes anyway, because I want my jaw to heal so I can move on with life.

And besides, what’s the worst that can happen? I’d finally have straight teeth? You mean I could eat bananas and smile?

I could live with that!