Wired

I got my braces on last Thursday, and I'm not going to pretend that I like them. In fact, I hate them, just like I knew I would. They are making huge sores on the insides of my lips, I have not been able to enjoy solid food for three days and I look like I'm 12 (or at least 14, as one co-worker put it) whenever I open my mouth. I just ate a bowl of chocolate pudding and enviously watched Andrew devour a buttered bagel, one of my all-time favorites. Also, I am currently lisping a bit when I talk because my lips don't want to move to accommodate the wires and brackets.

Before

After

Fortunately, they won't last forever, and when they're off, I will have a DAZZLING smile and no tooth or jaw problems. And I will look like I am in my mid-twenties again. :)

Due to my headaches and inability to talk like a normal person (or eat anything not pureed), we had a pretty low-key weekend spent at Andrew's parents' house doing laundry and watching holiday movies on TV. I introduced Andrew to "It's A Wonderful Life," which was just as great as I remembered it. I actually just read an article about how copyright laws have prohibited stations from showing that movie except on Christmas Eve and one other day of the year (yesterday). That movie reminds me of my late grandpa, who really liked it, and I wished I could have been watching it with him.

I also had the opportunity to sing one of my favorite Christmas songs, "O Holy Night," at the nursing home in our stake today. It was nice and depressing at the same time, especially since one lady couldn't talk but basically made these awful moaning sounds throughout the sacrament meeting and another lady was sitting in her wheelchair by the door as we left waving to her family as they drove away, looking incredibly lonely. Andrew told me we are going sky diving and not pulling the parachute when we get old so we don't end up in a nursing home. It is sad to see so many people who can barely take care of themselves there. At the same time, though, I definitely feel the spirit very strongly there and know that Heavenly Father is mindful of his elderly children, especially when they're hurting and feeling alone. It made me happy to know that I brought a little joy to their Sunday.

May you all have the happiest Sabbath day!