Wisdom Teeth

This past Monday I got my wisdom teeth removed. I have been really nervous about this for a long time, and my anxiety was not helped by the horrible dreams I experienced the night before my surgery. I drempt that I was in Sarah's room on a rickety stretcher, awaiting the arrival of my doctor. A short, blustery japanese woman entered bearing no surgical tools. In my dream I was very upset, because I was told my doctor was a man. The woman then told me that I would have to be awake for the procedure because she didn't know how to anaesthetize. I began shouting and crying passionately "give me the drugs! You are NOT my doctor."

That morning I got up and headed to the car. I was really quiet the whole ride to Landsdowne hospital. Mom kept looking at me anxiously, I think trying to figure out if I was mad at her. It really wasn't her fault. I needed to have this done, I knew that.

The doc and I took a look at my X-Rays. He was young and had a brooklyn accent. Craig Vigilante. Doctor Vigilante? Needless to say, I was still a little apprehensive.

The surgical room was this sterile octagon of menacing-looking instruments and machines. I had to look away for the IV insertion. Sorry, I'm a wimp. I started to feel really heavy, like I was sinking within myself, and then they were done. Whoa.

I don't remember getting home, but I do recall driving by the shell and remarking to mom that gas had gone down to 3.89 a gallon. As my whole face had been numbed, it must have sounded something like "gatfh wennndun." Sweet mommy just smiled and nodded, having no idea what I had just said.

Two hours later I woke up with a big face and a lip that felt like brotwurst. (sp?)

The next few days I lived off of pudding, ice cream, yoghurt, and the occasional jell-o cup. I slept with bags of peas next to my face and endured the taunts of my family as I wrapped a white ice pack around my head and was compared to Jacob Marley.

But I am now fully recovered in body and spirit, though I have gaping holes in my gums and can safely promise that I will not swish with saltwater for a good many years.

Thanks to all who made me soup and cheered me up. :)

Hacker--Haha!

So Melinda, unsuspecting, left me alone while I was adding my link to her blog. She doesn't think that I am this sneaky. She even just walked by and declared, "Samsonite!" in a ferocious tone (the name of her new luggage for college." She also just said a most profound statement. "Look at our walls; with our lights on, they are yellow." Um...hate to break it to you, but yes. We did, indeed, paint the walls yellow two years ago. Well, a little scoop on Melinda, and a little dose of her own good medicine. Gotta keep things real here at the Cummings' house. Speaking of keeping it real--it's time to clean the bathrooms.
--Sneaky Celeste

As Youth Conference approaches and we get ready to go to Palmyra, I've been reflecting a lot on the prophet Joseph Smith and his life. Mom, Heather and I are singing in the YC choir and there is a lot of beautiful music about the restoration. My two favorite songs are "O How Great the Goodness of Our God" (mom has a solo in this song) and "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee." That last one is my favorite, because it is based on the scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants when Joseph is in jail. The words are so comforting.

You can listen to clips of them here.

I Love Trina

She can be hyper, but she can also be incredibly funny without realizing it.

I was looking for a movie to watch this afternoon while I pieced together my college quilt. Trina was allowed to join in the movie-watching fun if she vacuumed the family room first.

Trina: (done vacuuming) Don't worry, Melinda, I'll read off titles of the grown-up movies that I actually like.

Melinda smiles.

Trina: Harry Potter?

Melinda: No.

Trina: Cheaper by the Dozen?

Melinda: No.

Trina: Care Bears?

Melinda and Jenny: NO!

Melinda: Stardust? It's new, but I think it might be PG-13.

Trina: (Solemnly) Oh, then I don't think I could see it. PG-13 stands for parents and grown-ups over thirteen.

Jenny: (laughing) Do you know how many PG-13 movies you've seen? Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter...

Melinda: Yeah, Trina, those are scary.

Trina: For you, not for me. I'm scared of the dark, but I'm just not afraid of any DARK LORDS.

A Moment of Silence, Please

Oh, precious van of navy blue,
With seats so wide and space so great,
We fondly do remember you,
As this Monday thou didst finally break.

We reminisce of car trips past,
Of sleepless sleeps in the narrow footwell,
Of the stuffy back where no AC didst blast,
and Aaron's "rosy," footish smell.

Thou hast carried us to Disneyworld, Utah, and Kansas
Withstood wood, boy scouts, and bandits,
Surely no other car has merit
To compare with that of thee, Oh V-8 chariot.

Mother says that this is our last 15 passenger,
All we can say, is thanks for the ride.
You will be missed by all who have ridden thee,
And by the squirrels which in your vents did abide.

And so, valiant warrior, we bid thee adieu,
With tears for the "blue bullet," that will no longer run,
But though thine earthly travels are now over,
Thy greatest journey has just begun!

A little Eulogy for our sadly out-of-commission van. It's engine was going, and it broke towing 15 scouts to camp.

Trina Story

Trina: I'm bored! There's just nothing I like to do but play on the computer.

Melinda: How about you go play outside?

Trina: No, it rained last night, and I would slip and fall.

Melinda: Why don't you call up a friend to play with you?

Trina: (evasively) No, they're all busy for the next three weeks.

Melinda: Well, why don't you read a book.

Trina: (Really frustrated by this point) No, because you just can't learn anything from them and plus, it's NON-FICTION.

Oh, the woes of a seven-year-old in the summertime.

PITH day

Trina came up to me, her mouth covered in chocolate from a hershey's syrup-and-milk concoction, and stated quite solemnly "Tomorrow is pith day."

"Pith day?"

"You know. P.I.T.H. day."

"What is P.I.T.H. day?"

(Rolling her eyes) "The fourth of July, 'party in the house' day, of course!"

Oh, of course.

Happy PITH day, everyone!