Just a quick report on the appointment today. After a very thorough search (he went over her teeth three times), the second opinion dentist could only find 3 cavities.
I'll give more details and the fun discovery of living in the electronic age tomorrow.
This week has been incredibly busy for me. After months of trying to find a dentist for the kids... I made appointments with a group that was recommended by one of the other families here.
Tuesday I took Kendra and Kim to the appointment. Kim's exam was fine, nothing unexpected. Kendra has 10 cavities, including one that "might" need a root canal. How did that happen in just 12 months? OY!
Wednesday I dragged Kim to a new orthodontist (she started treatment in Germany, but then we got orders and she couldn't complete the course). This new ortho thinks he can have her out of the braces and into retainers by December (good news) if she'll just cooperate and use the rubber bands like she is supposed to. She says she will. We'll see.
Today I take Kendra to another dentist. I have to be honest... I don't trust the results of the first visit. I want a second opinion. I'm taking her to another dentist that a different family recommended. The reason I didn't take them there is the first place is that while Denise liked the dentist, she had some reservations about the male hygienist. I wasn't sure if the concerns were of the "he rubs his crotch against my hand" variety, or that he was just rough.... but for today's visit, no hygienist is needed.
Based on what happens during this visit will determine whether I keep mine and Mac's appointment with dentist #1 next week, or cancel and set us up with dentist #2.
I'm confused because I could have sworn that I wrote an entry a couple of days ago. But now that I write this... I think I started one and then elected to delete/not save it.
I've been living in the land of denial the last few weeks (months?). I haven't really done much of anything except the few things I absolutely HAD to do to keep the family running.
Well.. that's not completely true either. The kids had their Spring break from school the first week of April. The girls and I went to the Holocaust museum (Mac didn't want to go) on that Sunday.. and then Wednesday, April 4 we (again just the girls and me) went on a one day bus trip to NYC to see Tarzan on Broadway.
We didn't really get to spend a lot of time on the NYC streets, but I have to say what little I saw reminded me very much of some of the cities we visited in Europe.
We have been having a pretty busy month. The prom is Saturday night and both girls are going. We've shopped for dresses and jewelry, for transportation and everything else. But today are the hair appointments. Simple enough.. just trims (they both intend to wear their hair straight down.. no fancy do for either of them). Tonight we'll be sitting at home giving ourselves pedicures.
Monday I went on a field trip with Kim's Algebra2 class. We went to the Spy Museum in DC. Very cool. Not enough time to see it all though. It's on my list for another visit.
Of course... being on the field trip kept me out of the news loop and I was shocked to get back in the afternoon and hear all the sad news coming up from Virginia Tech.
During a conversation with a friend of mine, she stated that now her son is really shook up and unsure that he wants to go anywhere. It is upsetting, even more so for the families and friends of those involved. But we can't allow the shadows that are out there to dampen the sun all the time. I struggle with this everytime that our children reach a new level of autonomy. I can't protect them from all the dangers out there. All I can do is give them thebest all around knowledge of safe behavior and trust that they will be okay.
You really can't anticipate every possible bad thing that could happen. And I do believe that if we obsess on it too much, we can draw that negative energy into our lives.
The problem with tragedies like this is that for all the information the gunman left behind, I don't think that it can ever give us the understanding that we look for to explain away such senseless waste of human life. There is no comfort to be found in understanding someone so off the mark from the rest of us.
Our prayers go out to everyone affected by this great tragedy.
Wednesday Paul's parents were in DC on their way to Upstate NY. We were able to spend about an hour with them. Paul's mom looks pretty good considering all she's been through lately, but she also looks so much smaller than she seemed the summer of 2005. I know that Paul is worried about her and her health. I'm glad we had a chance to spend this little bit of time with them. On their way back, their connecting flight is through Cinncinati, so I know we wont be able to see them then.
Well.. I know this has been a bit of a ramble. Guess that's what happens when journalling takes a back seat to everything else. I'm still in denial.. but I think I'm just about ready to get up and get started again.
Found this at Russ's journal a meme for adults and actually wanted to complete it. Thanks Russ!
What is the longest shift you have ever worked? When I was in high school, I worked 12 hour shifts on weekends so I wouldn't have to work during the school week.
Do you have Life Insurance and a current Will? I have life insurance, but no will. I think I'm in denial.
How many times have you been married? One time, I guess it "took" . We celebrate 25 years of marriage in May.
How old were you last time someone asked for your ID while you were buying alcohol or cigarettes? I was 38. I ran into the local quickie stop for cigarettes and the clerk wanted to see my ID . I had to go back out to my car for my license.
How much was your last electric bill? I haven't paid an electric bill in over 3 years. Military housing includes basic utilities. But that will be changing in the next few years.
Do you know your cholesterol level? If you can trust those quickie cholesterol checks, mine is 140.... 10 points lower than it was two years ago.
Ever been fired from a job? Once, Paul and I had been married about a year. I was working at a Nephrology practice and office politics came into play.
Have you ever owned an 8-Track player? The car we had when we first got married had an 8 track player in it.
What did it costto go to a rock concert when you were a teenager? I think about 15.00. It kills me to pay what we pay now, so I don't go to many music concerts. I have to honestly say I don't care that much for the experience anyway.
What was the first concert you attended? Peter Frampton
Have you been tested for HIV? Yes.
What is the furthest you have lived from where you were? Born and raised in Phoenix, AZ... so the furthest I have lived from there is Illesheim, Germany
When is the last time you went to a kegger? I'm pretty sure I've been to at least one since I became legal to drink.. but what I keep remembering are the keggers we had at the "trailer courts" (abandoned concrete slabs in the middle of nowhere) when I was in High School.
Remember when MTV began? (You know, back when they played music?) Yes,... we used it as background noise when we were working on other things.
What time do you get up when you are "sleeping late"? 7 A.M.... It's sad really.... I'm surrounded by people that can truly sleep all day and all night, but I bounce out of bed after no more than 6 hours no matter what.
Easter came this morning, bright and early, as it always does. I wake up ahead of everyone, as I always do. I start wandering out to the kitchen when I suddenly remember that it IS Easter and I need to place the baskets in the kids' rooms. ( I put them all together last night, so they were ready to go.)
This year, Paul was with me while I was choosing the stuffed animals (yes, even my son usually gets a stuffed animal). I found the little critters from Blue's Clues. I picked up Periwinkle for Kim (fav color purple), Magenta for Kendra (fav color pink), and I was searching for Blue for Mac when Paul informs me that Mac is too old for a stuffed animal (he's 14).
In my state of denial that my kids are not too old for Easter, I told Paul.. "nuh-uh". But his logic and sound argument convinced me to pick up a card game called "Bullspit" for Mac instead of the stuffed animal (which is probably just as well since I couldn't find Blue anyway).
We have always tried to de-emphasize the candy and put entertainment in their buckets rather than candy. So each kid got a DVD, a chocolate bunny, some bits of favorite candies, and either a stuffed animal or a card game.
Mac is the first to get up, he comes out says thank you for the basket (apparently we're not fooling them anymore). He says the movie I chose for him is perfect (Eragon). And then he wanders off to the playroom.
Paul wakes up and starts putting together breakfast (french toast). So I decide to wake up the girls. First I go into Kim's room, wake her with a cheery "Happy Easter"... and sit on her bed. I ask her if she wants her basket now, and I reach to pull it up onto the bed with her. She sits up, all smiles (a rare morning thing with my non-morning child) and starts rummaging through the basket. Her first words "I thought you were going to get 'Happy Feet' for Mac?"
Kendra gets into her basket and she decides she's being mocked because Magenta is wearing glasses.
Mac finds out his sisters got stuffed animals and he's sad that he didn't get one.
I'm officially ready to retire as Easter Bunny. Someone else can wear the tail now. 
P.S. While these events are true and happened in the order mentioned, all ended well. I will learn not to listen to my hubby when it comes to stuffed animals and my son.. but we did enjoy playing his card game with him.
