That is what I have asked Stan every morning this week as he leaves for work. It works like a charm. His answer is always an enthusiastic “Yes!” and he does it every time I ask. Cranking my expander. The expander is doing it’s job and the gap between my teeth is getting bigger and bigger. Over half way to full expansion now. My mouth is getting bigger and bigger as well. Some say I have a big enough mouth as it is. To you I say “I represent that remark!” Whether I have a big mouth is true or not, I will keep asking him to crank me before he leaves.

Some of you have asked what the hell I am doing to myself and WHY. My teeth were fairly straight (I had braces for four years when I was a kid, hence the fairly straight teeth.) Why would anyone do such extreme measures to correct fairly straight teeth, you ask? The pain I am putting myself through has very little to do with the cosmetics of my smile. It has everything to do with the pain in my jaw from years of TMJ. The pain was getting to be unbearable. I eat ibuprofen like it’s candy…don’t think they recommend that sort of thing in doctoring school. My jaw joint is so out of whack and bone is deteriorating so I thought I would do something to correct it as much as I can now. I would like to have use of both my jaw and my teeth when I am older. Stan says I am giving up the use of my jaw in my middle years so I can have it in my later years. Ha ha, very funny Stan. I am only temporarily giving up the use of my jaw and right now I am on the mend! I am eating macaroni and cheese for lunch and am actually chewing! Woooohoooo — on the mend is GREAT!

What does any of this have do with “For the love of my children” you might ask? Everything, I say. When a mama doesn’t take care of herself she runs the risk of not being able to be the very best mama she can be. So this mama will take care of herself, get cranked twice a day for the next week and do it all for the love of my children…