Oh, friends. I have reverted back to sixth grade; to the taste of rubber bands and metal; to the inevitable humbling that accompanies........braces. :) I have really had quite the history with my beloved teeth. It all began one day in the second grade
........
Our family was mid-move into what was then my Grandma's house. She had just built a new house next door, and most the family was hanging out there for the evening. Phil was playing basketball and I was rollerblading on the driveway, imagining that I was Michelle Kwan. Inspired by my daydream, I decided to attempt a graceful spin. I pulled my heels together, flung my body to the right, and (gracefully) landed face-first on the pavement. Right on my two front teeth.
I stood up and let out a mighty wail and high-tailed it across the lawn to Grandma's. Blood was all over my oh-so-stylish windbreaker jacket, and I remember feeling my teeth with my tongue and thinking "Is it just my imagination, or are my teeth a little shorter than they used to be?" I convinced myself that I was just paranoid, but alas, I was not. Upon arrival to Grandma's, my entire family confirmed (in the from of extreme pandemonium and "Yikes" face expressions) that indeed, I had lost my two front teeth, or at least half of them.
It was nearing dusk by this time, and it was decided that we needed to go find my teeth before it got dark so we could get them fixed. Imagine it: our whole family on their hands and knees in our yard, trying to find my teeth. To add to the irony, our next door neighbors got home from a family vacation in the midst of our tooth-seeking........our next door neighbor was the family dentist. :) Soon, their entire exhausted family was also part of the tooth-quest. I am sure Dr. Bondi was just thrilled to return home from vacation to a search for a patients knocked-out teeth. :)
Weirdly, we never found the teeth, and I went to school for 2 or 3 days with some awesome fangs! I remember Chantz (my childhood heartthrob) telling me I looked like a vampire. My heart sank. He then added that vampires were good at basketball (my ultimate goal!) My heart soared! :)
Well, soon I had 2 half fake front teeth and life moved on. About a year later I had a root-canal on both teeth. A few years afther that I got braces for my overbite. Mid high school, Phil and I got our widsom teeth out on the same day, which is kind of a funny memory. He actually drove home from Lafayette after being put out. Is that even legal, Phil? :)
So, the conclusion to this long and vexing tale...remember those fake teeth I have? Well, all along I knew that in my early 20s or so, they were going to re-do them with something more permanent and "nice-looking" (whatever that means). Well, My bottom jaw grew out further in high school, leaving me with an under bite and teeth that hit right on in the front. Apparently they can't re-do my front teeth with a bite that hits right on those teeth, so they had to put braces on AGAIN to fix my under bite.
Kind of makes me think that if I'd never gotten braces to fix my overbite to begin with, I wouldn't have needed them at all! Oh well, I will just have to grin and bear it. :) It's only for a few months!
Speaking of grinning.... I am trying to decide on the best style of smile for my bling-bling teeth! The options are:
#1. The "Aw shucks!!" (a full concealer)
#2. The "Mysterious, do I REALLY have braces?" (only partially concealing)
or..... #3. The "Urwaaaaaaaaaaaga!!" (all-out exposure, folks!)
So, what is your vote?
Well, have a super day! You can tell it's Christmas break...... :)
16 comments:
Christen, your eyes in that last photo make for a somewhat creepily enchanting look...I definetly suggest the urwaaaaaga:)
Looking forward to bustin some moves with ya this upcoming "midweek":)
oh my word. this is BY FAR the funniest post i have ever, ever read! i concur with my dear friends kathy&dani in that my vote is for the "urwaaaaaaaga".
sadly i emphasize with you my dear friend...i have had quite the teeth experience as well...and based on my middle school pictures my choice of smile was also number #3.
p.s. no one will even notice you have braces with those awesome bangs! you look DARLING! you pull them off great.
love you girlie! can't wait to see you.
Oh Chrissy!! you had me laughing until i cried, and about the vote?----as a mom who loves you, i still can't bring myself to vote for one. Oh my.
wear 'em loud, wear 'em proud. you'll look so cute you'll bring braces back to college. :)
so fun. love you mucho. can't wait to be with you in the morrow. did you also cut your bangs??
oh and going with the new title of the ol blog...
live your life (lyrics revised)
you're gonna be a shining star
fancy teeth, fancy brackets
just live your life...oh, ay ay ay
aint got no room for no haters. :)
AWWWW.....I think you look mighty fine!!! #3, #3, #3 I cry!!! You are a braced up beauty:) I love the bangs as well!! You have better hair than I. In other words, my hair cut=not so good para me:( Oh well, we've all done it; you looked like Willy Wonka and I look like a boy, what's the big deal:) Love ya!
Truthfully Lisa is not really Lisa but Ashley or Tricky, whatever you prefer:)
haha thanks for the comments guys.... makes posting worthwhile.
Yah, about the bangs.... I am glad you all seem in favor. It was sort of an accident. Majorly, actually. I really should have learned long ago that my bang-cutting intentions don't go as planned, but i figured since they were cut, I might as well live 'em up!
Em-- I loved the revised lyrics! :)
Ash-- I was like who is Lisa? Its a clear now! :)
Excited to see you all in a day!
Oh, and Ashley-- I highly doubt your haircut is bad! I am excited to see how cute it looks! :)
Leah called me at Bible study and said, "You HAVE TO read Christen's blog...read it and then call me."
Klint and I were laughing SO HARD! A few times I couldn't even read because I was laughing/crying. Hilarious!!!
We both vote for #3...My sister did it all the time and looked uh...really cute (?) in Middle School.
Thanks for the laugh!!
grrr.... this is the 3rd time i'm tying to post a comment. but anyway, this was hysterical. :) i had no idea that you had so much teeth trauma at such a tender age. two root canals?!!!
and now to have to get braces for the exact opposite reason that you got them originally? how depressing. makes me think that i'll resist the dentists who say to do braces young, when my kids get to that point.
and i'd vote for smile number 1, byt the way. cute and funny!
~shar
My vote:
The "Urwaaaaaaaaaaaga!!"
:)
Love ya,
Rachizzle
Chris...I would definitely vote for #3 although, you look adorable in all three! :) I can also relate to your teeth trauma...I just had my second root canal, AND I've had braces twice, AND I got them the second time when I was in college. Not fun,and it should have been worth it in the end...except that they took my braces off when my teeth were still crooked, so I still have croocked teeth. Very depressing...I think I may need to do Invisalign at some point, 'cause I just can't bring myself to wear braces for a third time! :) love ya!!!
I loved this post, Christen!:) Genius idea with the pictures. You are so wonderful and I love you!:)
Oh and...number 1 was the funniest, but I also think you should embrace this chance to recapture the joy of braces. Few people are given this opportunity, you know. So I say go with number 3.:)
Chris, you are hilarious! I really like you.
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