Saturday, April 21, 2012

Freedom From (orthodontic) Bondage!

This past week Maggie broke free from her braces.  We had two appointments with the orthodontist that day, the first one to remove her braces and take impressions, the second to get her retainers.  We headed off and I even remembered to take the camera.  I had thought that it would be a quickie appointment, just pop off those brackets and let's go, but it took an hour and twenty-five minutes to get those braces off. 
Hurry Up Mom!  I gotta be on time to get my "punch"!

Feels wierd, but I like it!
By then Maggie had missed lunch at school, so we headed to Cici's pizza for lunch and then to
Pinketzel's for taffy at Maggie's request before returning her to school. 
I've always wondered what this tastes like!

Look at all the pretty colors!


I'm as happy as. . . as a kid in a candy shop!  (Oh, wait. . .) 
After she got home from school we headed back to get her retainers, which didn't take nearly as long.  Before we left, Maggie got to spin the prize wheel at the orthodontist's office - a system to reward desired behavior (e.g. being on time to the appointment, good dental hygiene, good grades, etc.).  At one spin for every ten punches, this is her fourth time to spin the wheel, I think.  There's about twenty different prizes, but she has almost always gotten a gift card to Sonic or Coldstone Creamery.  Today, however, she hit the jackpot - literally!  She got a $25 Visa gift card, and she was over the moon.  All the way home I kept saying, "Ooh!  I know what you could get with your gift card. . ." Finally she said, "Mom, could you stop that!"  So much for dreaming.  Oh well - she's free from braces, and I'm free from orthodontia payments. . . for now.

Friday, April 6, 2012

A Post

Today is good Friday, and I am at Maggie's violin lesson, and I have nothing to do.  Well, that isn't exactly right - I have a ton of things to do, only I forgot to bring anything with me. Usually Gracie and I both sit and work on homework, but Jerry had today off, and he and I went to check out some of our new grocery stores and got home just in time for me to grab Maggie and run out the door. Gracie went to run errands with him, so I don't even have anyone to talk to. What better time to write a blog entry!

This semester has been tough. I am so tired of school, and need someone to remind me daily that I was not totally insane to take this on. I am learning a lot this semester - practical stuff this go around rather than all that theory that came at the beginning. I can't get too far from the theory quite yet though - my big end of program assessment, the "Comprehensive Examination" that I must pass to receive my degree is now less than a week away. I started having nightmares about it a few weeks ago. In fact, Jerry and I went out for Chinese food the evening after I had my first dream where I failed the exam. My fortune cookie said, "Relax and enjoy yourself."   Jerry's was, "A dream you have had will come true.". I am certainly glad the fortunes weren't the other way around!  

I am not nervous about my ability to do a good job on the test - it is a single question that I get on Thursday, and by Monday morning I have to turn in a 2 to 3 thousand word paper on that question. The reason I feel pressure is that if you don't pass the exam, you don't get the degree, even though you've spent six semesters of your life and $18,000 at this university. That just doesn't seem right to me, but I don't make the rules.

In other news, both girls are ice skating now. Gracie is on her 2nd series of lessons and is working on a one foot glide. Maggie is only on her first set of lessons and managed to work up the courage to let go of the wall last week. Maggie had been participating in Upward basketball again this year, and made a lot of progress. She made her first basket in a game, and got stars to recognize her emerging skills in all areas - offense, defense, effort, sportsmanship, and Christ-likeness. We are very proud of her.

The next month promises to be packed, with Easter, my exam, an overnight at the science museum, and a trip to California for Jerry and I to attend a family function.  The girls wish things would slow down a bit, because they are ready to get a dog, and one thing after another seems to slow that process down.  One of these days though, we will make it to the pound and pick one out.  

Well, the lesson is over, so it is time to move on.  This post is the first that I've written on my smart phone, and I guess it went okay.  My thumbs are tired though.  Perhaps I better go ice them!  

Happy Easter!