What’s the first thing you notice about someone when you meet them for the first time? Their eyes? Or maybe their hair? Are you first drawn to the clothes or shoes they’re wearing? You want to know what I first notice about someone? Strangely, I immediately look at their teeth. It dawned on me recently that I probably look at people’s teeth because that’s the one thing in my appearance that I’m most insecure about.
From far away, they don’t appear that bad.
But close up, and especially at certain angles…ugh.
One of my most secretest wishes has always been to get braces. Brian and I have often discussed it and there was even one time that we had some extra money and he told me to use it as a down payment for braces but I just couldn’t. I felt so guilty and selfish for wanting to spend that money on myself. I had just resigned myself to being ok with the way they were, thinking maybe if Brian was a pastor one day there might be an orthodontist in our church that could give us a deal on them, and if not, well I’d just get my straight teeth once I got to heaven. :)
About a year ago at a routine cleaning, I asked my dentist about Invisalign braces because I knew he did them. After looking at my teeth, he told me he thought I’d be a candidate for them and told me a little about them and that was that. Just filed that information away in my little noggin, just in case.
Back in September I got a flier in the mail from my dentist advertising Invisalign and at the bottom was a $500 off coupon if you signed up for Invisalign braces before the middle of December. “Wow…$500 off,” I thought. Not that we were in any position to pay for them then or by December, but for some reason I kept that flier and stuck it in a drawer in my desk. Every now and then, I’d think of that flier. I can vividly remember one day walking through my kitchen and I thought, “I wish there was just some way I could get braces.”
One day in October I was on the phone talking to my dad and he turned the conversation to braces and asked if I had ever heard of Invisalign. I told him I had and a little about what my dentist had told me about them as well. My dad said, “I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of months, and I wanted to say something to you about it when you were home a couple of weeks ago but didn’t get the chance, but I WANT TO PAY FOR YOU TO GET BRACES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (emphasis mine) I have never talked to my dad about braces and he had no idea that I would even want them.
Needless to say, you could have picked me up off the floor. I was hesitant at first because I felt so unworthy for my dad to do something like that for me. I mean there are a million other ways he could be spending his money and I just hated for him to be spending so much on me. But once he insisted that it was what he wanted to do, I accepted his offer and the tears rolled.
In November I had another routine cleaning, followed up by a filling in a cavity. A couple of weeks later in December, I had my impressions made and everything was set up for me to get Invisalign braces. (I did get to use the coupon!) And today was the big day: I FINALLY HAVE BRACES ON MY TEETH!!!!
I don’t have a picture of me with them on yet, but here’s what they look like…
I have a top and bottom aligner that I have to wear 22 hours a day, except for when eating. I wear each aligner for 2 weeks and then I put in a new one. Each new aligner moves my teeth ever so slightly. I have to wear a total of 19 aligners on top and 13 on the bottom. So basically, the whole process should take about 9 months, with my bottom teeth being straight in about 6 months. Brian and his mom both saw me today and they couldn’t even tell I had them on. So far, I LOVE them. I also love that technology has come so far that I don’t have to be a 32 year old brace face.
I am elated, thrilled, overjoyed- you name it. But at the same time, I have felt so humbled. Humbled that the God of the Universe, my Heavenly Father, loves me so much that he took my most secret wish and whispered it to my earthly father who He used to provide the means to make that dream come true. Wow.
You have given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.
For You meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a crown of fine gold on his head put braces on his teeth.
My Psalm 21:2-3
I've been married for eight years to the most amazing man and I'm a stay-at-home mom to a beautiful two year old little girl. I was born and raised in the Heart of Dixie, but have spent the last five years living in Louisville, Kentucky while my husband has attended Southern Seminary. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, playing games, shopping for little girls’ clothes, gardening, decorating, and attempting to sew. I absolutely love watching SEC College Football and I'm a huge Auburn Tiger fan.