Braces

H. started 'Phase 2' today in his orthodontia treatment. After Phase I, they said they didn't think he'd need a Phase 2. But of course, that would mean they wouldn't have the excuse to charge us THIRTY EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS for treatment. So even though his teeth look completely fine to us, he 'needs' Phase 2. We aren't the type to 'argue' with professionals and want his teeth to be stellar - so he got his Phase 2 bands on today. His mouth is adorned with black and red bands - which are the coincidentally the school colors for where I work. He says his friends say he looks 'cool'. Braces are apparently still as big a deal today as they were in my day. Only now, they come in lots of colors and are glued to the front of your teeth instead of banded around the teeth. He still talks a bit funny at the moment and his lips look 'fat'. But we'll all adjust. He's glad to have them.

We upped J's 401K a bit with my soon to be raise. The remaining 'raise' will go to pay the monthly payment for the braces - so that raise is officially 'a wash'. So much for trading in the van for a new hybrid. J. will just have to share his hybrid Camry which I drive every chance I get - it has an MP3 hookup which I LOVE and it gets 35 MPG which I also love. And J. is very sweet about letting me drive it when he's not commuting. If I don't drive the Camry, I drive the Acura - better mileage than the van, which now sits somewhat 'retired' in the driveway. We are signing B. up for drivers training with a drivers ed school in town and before too long, HE will be driving the Acura and I'll be back in the van. Oh well. B. doesn't want to drive the van - what 16 year old boy wants to drive a Honda Odyssey VAN - a clear 'mom-wagon'. So he will drive the Acura - not too shabby for a 'first car'. It's approaching 100K miles but runs fine and will get him through commuting to high school.

AND, other exciting news is my sister K., my niece H. and their office gang (who we met in the summer while they visited San Francisco) had such a great time, they're coming BACK in December - so we will get to visit with them again and enjoy their company and their boss and his family. Can't wait.

Dani is still not great. The scope of her lungs last week (at a vet 40+ miles from home - a 'specialist') shows a lot of swelling and 'fluid' which so far, has not 'grown' into any specific organism they can identify. The specialist provided another stronger antibiotic and said she will keep us posted if the culture produces a specific organism. Dani is still pretty 'lethargic', though compared to last week, she is a bit more active. She eats very little (we have been enticing her with scrambled eggs mixed with her kibble) and sleeps a lot. If she's active, she will wheeze. And there have been moments in the past week when I'm sure this wheeze is the last wheeze and she will just not be able to breath anymore - but she always makes it through and trots to her bed. She's such a sweet dog. The total bill so far has exceeded $2K and we still have no diagnosis. But she's here and she's OK so we're all hanging in with 'no official cause'. We are grateful that we have the money to do what we need to do and so far, haven't had to consider any alternatives BUT finding out what's wrong and treating her. I'm thankful for that more than I can say.