Wisdom teeth - Who needs them anyway?

Off and on through the years I have dealt with pain on my bottom left wisdom tooth. No big deal, just food particles occasionally caught in the area and had to be worked out. My top two never made an appearance and never gave me problems.
Out of the blue, 2 weeks ago, my bottom right wisdom tooth decided to start throbbing with pain. At first I endured it, trying to clean it out, supposing food particle was the issue. After 5 days of pain only worsening, I decided to call an oral surgeon and make an appointment. Discussion caused me to pursue having at least both bottom teeth removed, so I could have the sedation for minimal pain during extraction.

Wednesday, January 20, I went in for my appointment at 11:00 am. An x-ray showed the "root" of the problem: my teeth were impacted. My bottoms were pushing against my molars while my tops, though not causing any issues externally, were turned against the roots. OUCH! So, the decision was made to cut all four out at once. No pain, no gain, right?

The last thing I remember is the IV being started and the doctor telling me I would begin to feel sleepy soon. He was right....

The first thing I remember is the nurse helping me into the van while Dennis loaded the kids up. He told me later that I had conversed with the doctor about a follow-up appointment and that he and the kids met me in a room (not the same one I had surgery in) and walked with me out of the building to the van. Wow! talk about sleep-walking! He also tells me I was making goofy faces at the kids, but that's not unusual...

Dennis stopped at Chick-Fil-A for a mint chocolate chip milkshake to comfort me. Then on to the house to get me situated while he went to Kroger to pick up my prescriptions and ingredients for supper. Antibiotics and oxycodone taken, I settled in bed with an ice pack. A few hours later a tantalizing smell wakes me from my sweet slumber; Dennis had prepared manicotti from scratch, along with fresh homemade breadsticks! He had the gall to ask me if I wanted to eat ramen noodles!! I had manicotti, chopped up in tiny bites that I could savor on my tongue before swallowing, and boy, was it delish! Chef Boyardee, you ain't got nothin' on my hunny!

By the second day, my cheeks were swelling and day 4 I was bruised. I endured being called "Chipmunk Cheeks" for a few days.

A week later, the swelling is completely gone down and the bruises are fading. I am still waiting on the stitches to dissolve and will be glad to have a completely normal diet (I miss chewing up a good slab of steak!). I can talk and sing with minimal pain and am close to having a good laugh without hurting my jaws.

Hmmm, don't think I'll be pulling this stunt again any time soon...

Quick update

After taking 2 weeks off from schooling, it seems a bit harder this time to get back into a routine. School, violin lessons, swim and gym time along with endless errands can pull me in what feels like a million directions and cause stress. Sometimes I wonder if it will all get done and done correctly.
But I take it one day at a time and with sickness over the past couple of weeks, if the kids or I need a day off from school, we take it, certain to make up over the next day or two.

Snow days? We had a day of snow dusting, just enough for the kids to get excited about, so even though area schools closed, we remained "open." But the snow was pretty!

Christmas blessings

It's hard to believe that 2009 is nearly behind us as we look forward to 2010! But once again, we are so blessed of God, though undeserving we are. We were able to spend Christmas eve with most of my side of the family, lacking only Ryan and his family along with Jared's two children. Then our Christmas day was spent at home, enjoying one another and reflecting on God's goodness to us over the past year.
We have all been relatively healthy with minimal illnesses and minor complications. We have a place to call home with plenty of clothing and food. And material blessings beyond what we need at times!

Charis, who is now 8 years old, continues to do well in 2nd grade schooling. She also proves her talent as a violinist as she played in a recital with other students and ministered in two nursing homes over the Christmas holidays.

Matthew continues to give joy and excitement as he learns to put letters together in reading and writing. Both he and Charis are "A" students. I am so thrilled to be able to teach them at home and watch as the "light comes on" through learning.

Andrew, well.... he's such a joyful personality and seems to enjoy keeping us on our toes with his funny antics. What a treasure he is to all of us!

Faith lights up the home with her (mostly) sweet attitude. She seems to keep the perpetual "I love you" sign on her hand and uses it constantly when she fears she is going to be in trouble for something. As if she thinks it will rescue her from any and all punishment. She brings delight to me when she says, "Oh, I love you, Mommy!" with all sincerity about 30 times a day!

Dennis, the love of my life, is more that what God knew I needed. He takes care of our needs physically through the strength God allows him in working faithfully. A handyman at minor repairs, he put a quick fix on my dryer recently. What seems to be the motor bearing going out was tweaked by a twist of the drum while starting up the dryer! My hero.....

I am excited over what God has in store for us in the coming New Year. Will it be the year of HIS return? Will it be the year I see one of my children come to know HIM as their personal Savior? Will we face trials amid blessings? Regardless, I am going to keep loving my Lord and serving HIM; may I be found faithful in witnessing to those I come in contact with!

...and maybe, just maybe... I'll be a little more faithful to my blog and my "followers," in writing, reading and commenting!

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and ne'er brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne."

It's Been Way Too Long!

I have failed miserably at updating my blog.... but I am going to attempt it once again. I'll admit; I have become spoiled with facebook and the convenience of keeping that updated on a daily basis and posting pictures so much easier (they don't have to be edited before posting!). But then I realize, I have dear friends who still desire to read my blog and see my pictures.

Well, let's see... what have I been busy with in the past four months? Oh, yes! Matthew turned the big 5 on June 22nd. Faith now is 2, as of July 2 and I am growing older, having reached 32 years of life. Dennis also had a birthday on September 21, maintaining his age just above my own.

School has once again started for Charis; now learning 2nd grade, and Matthew in Kindergarten. Charis is beginning to understand multiplication and division concepts and will be learning more how to write stories and journal entries. Matthew is thrilled with each new word he learns and enjoys putting them together to make sentences. He is very creative when it comes to drawing as well! We have been taking advantage of a homeschool program offered by the local YMCA called "gym and swim." On Mondays, they learn more about swimming and water fun, then on Fridays, they do aerobics and exercise.
After pretty much taking the summer off from violin lessons, Charis has picked it back up and we are working on re-learning what was lost and trying to move forward with some new songs.

We are staying busy with church ministries. Dennis is now the teacher of our young married Couples' SS class and we help out in teaching children's church when needed. I enjoy singing in the choir and solo specials as well as a part in a mixed quartet. Each of our children are also involved in a children's choir group. Charis sings with the Joyful JOES (Juniors Of East Side), Matthew is with the Pee Wee Patch club, while Andrew and Faith sing with the Toddler Tunes. They periodically have opportunity to sing specials in "Big Church" which always leaves us with smiles and blessings, often laughter as well, due to the typical antics of the little ones.

We recently enjoyed a trip to Gulf Shores for a week's vacation. It was refreshing to relax and watch the waves of the ocean. The kids had a wonderful time and it was over much too soon.

The summer has come and gone and the fall is here, along with it's colorful beauty. God has truly blessed us and we are so grateful for His Hand guiding us on a daily basis.