Oh Dear - It's Been A Year!

365 days ~ Of course things have happened! (and some pretty big things too). SOOO, I'll try to update with the basics:

************Disclaimer: I should have probably labeled this post "Jaw Surgery"*************

1. Skyler got into PT school at the UofU. This is where we left off with posts last April. Now, Skyler is finishing up his first year of PT school with "only" 2 more years to go. He is SO amazing at this stuff. His brain is a sponge and he's constantly teaching me (or trying to) about the interesting things he's learning. Keep up the good work Sweetie!!

Here is Skyler with some of the lovely ladies in the PT program with him. I felt like a GIANT next to them!

2. One of my BFF's from AZ, Lauren, got married. Skyler's parents flew us down to AZ so we could be there for the wedding. Thanks mom and dad Nelson! I got to be a bridesmaid for the very first time and we got to spend time with family, including new little baby Levi.

Skyler and I at Lauren and Daniel's wedding reception

Hanging out with family after Levi's baby blessing

3. I had my jaw surgery!! Recovery was one of the most miserable things I've been through, but I am SOOO happy with the results I would do it again in a heartbeat (I say after enough time has past to forget how horrible it was LOL)

Day Before Surgery: Last pic of me with "old" jaw

Here I am with my good friend the Jaw Bra I was so swollen I couldn't close my lips

My friend Jeri came to visit me. She said I wasn't very nice, but I'm pretty sure I can blame it on the drugs. I hardly remember her coming by - and yes, I am smiling in this picture....

The swelling was pretty extreme, but the bruising wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I'm smiling as big as I possibly can in this pic. It seems silly now, but I was SO worried that this was my new face...

I went back to work and school the week after I had this surgery. I would not recommend that! The second week was the hardest part of the recovery as Dr. Egbert removed and re-applied the rubber bands here and there to fine tune the jaw placement.

Part of the fun experience was having my jaw banded shut completely for the first week after surgery. Then slowly I was able to start eating soft things a.k.a. mashed potatoes.

Here I am enjoying a heavenly discovery - Gerber's peach baby food. Next to the discovery of instant mashed potatoes which I was able to suck through my teeth, this was the next best thing.

I didn't loose my sense of humor [completely] in the experience

Little by little the swelling continued to go down and I started looking a little more normal.

Here I am, first time in makeup since the surgery. I waited just over 2 weeks to wear it again.

The before-and-after shots are pretty cool I think.

Okay, that took forever to post those pics and I probably need to go accomplish something like cleaning or laundry. More on the rest of our lives to come................