gone...

Dear braces,

It's been lovely having you around, BUT good things sometimes have to come to an end. Especially the special thing we had going for us. I'll admit you were with me for a lot of good times, but there really was no choice. Thanks for joining me for college, you were always a lovely, somewhat awkward, topic of conversation. You have done me a lot of good, but personally I'm terribly glad you are gone. Adam may still call me brace face and my teeth might go wacky when I'm 75, but that's fine, I'll enjoy what you have done for me for as long as possible. Thanks for the pain, the tears and the awesome Salt Lake Express rides you provided for me. Sweet sweet memories. Enjoy your time in the trash! My mouth is happy.
With all my heart... Jen Jen

Today was the day! Two years, two months and an hour and a half later and my braces are gone. Although my gums are sore, I don't care, I am brace face no more. I arrived at the Orthodontist office with the biggest grin on my face, my braces were coming off. Dr. Cook said "Okay, let me check and make sure we are good to go." In my head I was thinking "If we aren't good to go, you will still take them off, or I will!" I was ready to grab some pliers and take care of it, but it wasn't necessary. My choppers were ready and so was I. It wasn't the braces I was sick of, but rather missing school A LOT in order to make appointments. (ok I was slightly sick of the braces too!) The whole Idaho Utah thing wasn't working for me in this case. With what little pain and blood was caused by taking them off, I can honestly say I liked it. Of course I did... who wouldn't if it meant having straight pretty teeth and no more braces? When I left Dr. Cook told me to smile a lot... little does he know it's one of my favorite things to do! Consider it done Dr. Cook, consider it done!

While the benefits of having braces are great (straight pretty teeth) the benefits of no braces are better. Here it is as I see it:
* No more hell on wheels.
* No more missing a day of class and work to visit Dr. Cook. He is a very nice nice man, but a 30 minute appointment comes at great cost!
* Biting into an apple is better than I remember.
* I will use less toothbrushes. I mean, I will still brush my teeth just as often or more, but braces tend to destroy a good toothbrush.
* Easy access flossing- now I just have to find my floss?
* No more awkward braces conversations.
* simply, no more braces.

Michael, Elaine and Ky Ky came to pick me up at the Hart when I got off Hell on Wheels tonight. I was excited to see them, it's weird being away from them. Well, Elaine and Michael were super nice and excited to see me and I was to see them. After giant hugs and showing them my pearly whites they grabbed my bags and we started to walk to the car. They said "Jenny you are going to have to open the trunk." Of course I was fine with this, they had even already opened it a just had to flip it open. I was thinking, man, they are prepared. Wait a tick... where is Kyleigh? I soon found out. I flipped open the trunk and out she popped. Well you three, you got me, you got me good! I loved it! We then went home to eat apples and this lovely sign greeted me when we got there... and boy did I giggle!