So ...

... no pics with this story - I really need to get on the ball! As I look through all of your blogs - with the amazing pictures of your beautiful children ... I realize that anything I might possibly post will pale in comparison ... What to do? Well, today I feel like complaining! Ha ha ha! I'll go ahead and take the corner on that market ... I had to go to the dentist this morning, and like the television show "Cheers" - everybody (at Dr. Reamer's office) knows my name. When I call the receptionist, she knows who I am without having to say my name, "Oh hi Carrie!"... Isn't that great?!?! This morning I had to get a tooth, that recently had a root canal, prepared for a crown. They ground down the tooth and took all kinds of impressions ... no big deal. I've gotten to the point that the shots and drilling don't even bother me. In fact, on my last visit to the endodontist, I almost fell asleep DURING a root canal. It was awesome. I just thought of my 'happy place' and let them do their thing. But after all the drilling and sanding this morning - the hygienist had to put two little rubberbands around the base of my tooth and push them down below the gumline so that when my permanent crown is ready, the gums will have room for the new tooth. Criminitly! It hurts so bad! It's the most annoying pressure ever! I just want to pop the bands off ... ugg ... I'm sure that those of you who've had a crown know what I'm talking about ... there is just something so odd about knowing where the pain is coming from ... knowing you could do something to fix it ... and doing nothing. Ha ha ha ... Good grief. Now, there are so many more important things to think about ... and in the 'big picture' - to complain about something so inane is ridiculous. I know this. But this is MY blog (ha!) and instead of having a pity party for myself about not yet adding to the Smith-Nottingham clan ... I'm choosing to scratch a superficial 'itch' ... and maybe it's the pain pill ... or maybe it's the pressure build-up in my tooth - backing up to my brain ... either way, thank you for indulging me. I guess it's kinda like the little bands around my tooth ... Unexpectedly, it's the minor, everyday things that make you appreciate all of the big, happy AND sometimes painful moments in life. I'm grateful that The Lord knows what each of us needs ... in His time, and not ours. Please know how very much I love all of you ... and all my (almost) eleven nieces and nephews! I wish we lived closer so that I could see their beautiful smiles and hear them laugh more often. Love each other ... appreciate one another and hug each other for me, will ya?