The End Is In Sight

Yesterday, I had an appointment with my orthodontist.  I thought it was going to be just like every other appointment.  I would go in, he would make a few adjustments, and then I would schedule an appointment for 4 weeks later and do the same thing at the next appointment.  But yesterday was different.  Yesterday was special.  Yesterday was the day that I scheduled the day for removal of this 2 year commitment.  June 19 is the day!!  I was hoping to have them off by my birthday (which is June 11), but I can handle having it as a late birthday present.  I immediately made a countdown in my phone.  I will be able to know down to the second when I will get them off.  As of right now I have, 2 months 20 hours and 24 minutes.

I have 2 appointments set up for that day.  9:00 in the morning is the big deal one.  The time that they come off.  Then I have an appointment 4:00 that afternoon to get fitted for my retainers.  I will have a permanent one put in on the bottom, and I will be super cool and have the old school metal one for the top.  He said that normally they do the clear ones ( the ones that look like mouth guards), but with my treatment and all of the work that has been done, I need the metal one.  I am not super jazzed about that, but I will do whatever I need to do, and wear whatever I need to wear in order for my teeth to stay perfect.

I don't know what I am going to do without them.  They are part of my identity now.  I don't really notice that they are there anymore.  I am no longer annoyed that I have them.  I have accepted that I have adult braces.  And those will eventually give me beautiful and perfect teeth.  I haven't really thought about the day that they would come off.  Now that it has been brought to my attention, and there is a date set that is fast approaching, I can't wait!!  I can't wait to see what I look like with straight, beautiful, white teeth.

It's hard to believe that my teeth looked as bad as they did before. . .

1 month before they were put on.  We were zip lining in Costa Rica.

And as of a couple of weeks ago, they look like this. . . 

Taken a couple of weeks ago.

And in 8 weeks, there will be a picture of me braces free!  I can't wait for that day!!  Only 8 weeks to go.  Seeing as I have had them on for 2 years already, 2 months 20 hours and 16 minutes doesn't seem so bad.