Let me TELL You!

Holy smokes have I been busy.

My husband and I were really excited about retiring from the Navy last year. I had visions of a nice little civilian life where we lived in a house with a normal life.

Ha.

My husband's new job requires him to go up North for classes here and there for a while. He's been gone now for seven weeks with two weeks left to go. The company is gracious enough to fly him home on occasion, and while we are ever so grateful for that? Less than 48 hours a visit just isn't enough.

This isn't our first rodeo. We've done this work related separation gig before (and will again), but it's just a pain in the ever-lovin' butt. The kids and I have done really well this time. I have a pretty strict routine going on in the evenings that keeps my boy on the smooth side. The girls have really stepped up and helped out with being easy going and mostly drama free.

I had the bright idea to start dental work a few weeks ago. I was sitting here one day and all of a sudden it hit me....We haven't been to the dentist since last November right before retirement!! Crap. I immediately started setting up appointments for all of us and decided that now was the time to take Paige in to get her started on braces for her teeth. I had a list of providers from our new dental insurance and started at the top of the list and started doing some crude research. I looked up the first doctor and he had an awesome website. Hmmm...if he can afford such a cool website, maybe we need to call and talk to him? I called and got the best receptionist ever. She convinced me that I should take Makenna on in and let him check her out and make sure all is well with her. No problem. I asked her who she used as her personal dentist and she gladly told me. I checked and this dentist was on the list. SCORE. I asked her if she had a pediatric dentist she used. She did and I checked and found out his name was on my list, too. DOUBLE SCORE.

Within two weeks, I had all our teeth nice and clean. Guess who has the cavity that has to be fixed. No, not the six year old I struggle with every morning to brush his teeth more than ten seconds. No, not the tween who digs candy. No, not the teen who ...well, she's a fanatic about being clean and hygiene so we know it's not her. Yeah, it's me. I was shocked. And mad. The dentist said it's a teeny tiny one we need to take care of before it gets bad and I agree. I asked him if he would have to do a shot. He replied yes. I then said, "Well, you suck." He laughed and said he's been told worse. I was able to score my appointment on the day The Man has his cleaning ( he is not used to making his own dental appointments- the military has a way of telling you when to do things). The pediatric dentist thought it a good idea to take Makenna in to the orthodontist so we could know about when to start her on braces...he figured approximately 12-18 months from now.

So, I took my girls to the orthodontist.

When the doctor walked in, I shook his hand and said, "What are you? 12?" He laughed and said right back at me, "No ma'am, I'm 13!" Loved him immediately. (He is a very nice 33 with 3 girls and another on the way.) He examined Paige and was pleased with her mouth. (I laugh to myself as I type that.) He informed her that she would be in braces a MAXIMUM of 18 months because her problems were mostly minor and they would fix her overbite for her. Easy peasy. Nice.

Makenna then jumped up in the chair and got examined. I should have known something was up.

After he finished, I was informed that my child is going to need a Herbst appliance put in her mouth. Her lower jaw isn't acting like it's supposed to and she apparently has TMJ. (This is a link to the appliance. If you ask me? It looks like my baby is in for a miserable time.) (The link is also the orthodontist we're using so look at the younger guy and tell me he doesn't look 12!)

Excuse me?

He then went on to tell me that after wearing this appliance for a year to get her jaw straightened out, she will wear a full set of braces for over another year.

Seriously?

I told him that I didn't bring her in to get braces. I was just letting him check her out so he could tell me to bring her back in 12-18 months for the regular stuff. I think I was in shock.

He was very kind to me and explained it all again very patiently. We need to address this issue now while she's younger and we can manipulate the jaw to do what we need to make it normal.

~sigh~

Two kids in braces. At one time. Holy cow on a stick.

I started texting my husband, who is way up North in a class. He left class to call and tell me to do what we had to in order to get the ball rolling.

This past Tuesday, I took my girls to get metal mouths. Makenna will have four braces across the front top to get her started while she's wearing the appliance. Did I mention that she's missing a permanent molar? Uh huh. My mother missed an incisor and I just found out at the dentist last week that I, too, am missing a molar but my wisdom tooth jumped in and filled the gap. Hold on a second while I sigh yet again.

While all these orthodontist appointments are going on, I decided to postpone my son getting evaluated for speech until next week. He's lost a front top tooth and I could just lick his cute face, but it's going to wreak havoc on the lisp he's already got.

And where is my husband while all of this is going on? Not here. This always happens and I'm not surprised at all. Can I handle it? You bet your fanny I can. I always have. It just wears a sister out, ya know?

Oh, and since my husband has ventured north where he has been able to attend an Indians baseball game (his team!), a Pirates baseball game, visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the NFL Hall of Fame and partake in at least two friendly poker tournaments...I have trekked back to South Carolina three times. I had my cousin's wedding to attend and my life friend Lu is getting married in a couple of weeks and yours truly is the matron of honor so, of course, I have to attend a shower in her honor! I am a tad bit worn out because there never seems to be a break in there for me, but it's all good. So much going on equals much fun. I tell my friends and family that if I can make it through Thanksgiving this year, they might not see me for a while. I may just have to take a month off before Santa pays a visit to our new home.

I'll be back in a day or two to fill you in a few more happenings around The Edge. Right now, I have to get that Man of Mine to hang some drapes in our newly painted office before he jets back out of here tomorrow. We might even go hit a local corn maze if we get froggy. Have a good rest of the weekend!