I guess I’m lucky, because even though my teeth aren’t perfectly straight, I never had to deal with getting braces. As for you, we knew since you were very young that you would need them.
After a recent visit to the dentist, and then the orthodontist, you learned you would have to go back to get your remaining baby teeth pulled; in preparation of getting either braces or Invisalign.
The next morning, I found a Ziploc bag with a tooth in it; lying on the kitchen counter. You figured you might as well save yourself the trouble of getting that one pulled when you could just do it yourself.
Well, you saved us some money there so I definitely appreciate it. Granted, you were sure to remind Mommy the next day that the Tooth Fairy forgot to pay up.
Because apparently in our house, even when you’re 14 years old, you don’t have to actually believe in the Tooth Fairy for her to pay you.
After Aunt Dana’s birthday dinner at Nonna and Papa’s house Sunday night, your cousin Darla came over for a sleepover; as the two of you were out of school the next day for Martin Luther King Day.
Mommy was off, but I had to work on Monday. When I did emerge from my office/bedroom, I noticed something peculiar:
Legos were being taken of “eternal storage” in our garage and brought into the house for the two of you to play with. From there, you both decided you needed a new matching set of “Lego Friends”; which Mommy was nice enough to pick up for you at the store, after she took you both out for Starbucks.
I’d say you would consider the sleepover a success!
Last Friday, school was cancelled due to the possibility of snow… and it definitely snowed enough to keep the buses from running.
Mommy and I both had to work. Not only were we both too busy to take you and your brother out in the snow, you also didn’t need us to.
That’s because you had plenty of fun following your brother around as he made our family’s snowman.
I truly appreciate the fact that you both were able to take care of yourselves outside in the snow, as Mommy and I watched through the windows as we worked.
This may be hard to understand now, but when you get older, the snow can be more exciting to experience from the comfort of inside your own warm home; as opposed to actually being outside in the snow.
But for now, I want you to enjoy the snow outside!
You took it all upon yourself to build our family’s snowman for the first official snow since we moved to Alabama last year.
Of course, you put your unique spin on it: The snowman’s facial features consisted of fruit from our fridge.
You also took the top layer of ice from a bucket in the yard to provide a snowboard for the snowman.
Definitely one of the most unique snowmen in the whole town.
Speaking of unique…
A couple of months ago, you and I were driving home at night and we happened to see a strange duo in the parking lot of the animal hospital; which is 8 and a half miles from our home:
An unlikely pair consisting of a dog… and a goat that didn’t realize it wasn’t a dog. We pulled into the parking lot and you took a few pictures on your phone.
Well, this week while you were busy building our snowman, the dog and goat duo showed up on our street. Perhaps they are on tour through out town as local celebrities!
Today makes exactly one year of me not drinking any alcohol. To be clear, my decision on January 14th, 2024 had nothing to do with me abusing alcohol or being addicted to it.
If it’s possible to naturally be the opposite of an alcoholic, I was surely it. I could never bring myself to the point of drinking so much alcohol that it would lead to me having a hangover.
Not even realizing it was a trend, I just happened to join the “Sober Curious” movement a year ago. So now I want to look back and assess what benefits I have personally discovered by making this change in my life.
I am consuming less empty calories. There’s no way around it- even the lowest calorie alcohol options are going to be close to 100 calories, assuming I only had one.
I can spend that money on other things. Just like with “spending” calories on alcohol, it’s interesting how much money I am not spending, over the course of a month, as I simply am now longer participating.
I am always the designated driver. For me, it’s one less thing to worry about; knowing that I am always “above the law” in a sense.
I am now feel more in control of any situation. Instead of letting my guard down, my guard is up; but in a proactive and healthy way.
I have evolved into a more masculine version of myself. The absence of any alcohol in my system means that any sense of bravery, ambition, and motivation is all my own. Instead of handing over control, I am taking control.
I no longer have anxiety. I now understand that each time I consumed alcohol, it actually took my body weeks to compensate and correct my hormone levels; including testosterone.
I feel happier now. My feeling of wellbeing is never attached to an upcoming event in which I can finally chill out, based on consuming alcohol. Instead, I simply feel good most of the time anyway.
I like myself better. As petty as it may sound, there is a sense of pride I have now in knowing that even though it’s the social norm to drink alcohol, I am an even more likeable person by not drinking any.
Now that I have easily survived on no alcohol for the past year, will I decide to go back to it? I think the best way to answer this question is to stay open-minded to the idea. I don’t want to paint myself in a corner by saying I will never drink alcohol again.
However, it is difficult for me to logically go back to alcohol again after I know firsthand my life is better without it, as opposed to with it.
And when given the choice between making a decision between logic and emotion, I have this habit of choosing logic.
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