I got my braces on Tuesday.

I guess this is the part where I'm supposed to complain about how my twenties are ruined. I guess I'm supposed to tell you about how ugly I feel and how much pain I'm in and how my life is over for the next 94 weeks, but I'm not going to do that because that simply isn't the case.

Now, don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that I don't occasionally look in the mirror and my self-confidence immediately plummets; I'm saying that I'm not ashamed of my braces. Boys will still like me and my friends will not tease me and I will still do everything I have always wanted to do. My life will go on and it will be just as marvelous as it was before. I am still beautiful, with or without braces. I know that. And in the end, the healthier bite will be worth the time and discomfort.

In other news: My front four teeth are bracketed, and will be wired in eight weeks when my expander is put in place. My bottom teeth are currently wired, and I think I've moved past the point after tightening where it is not at all enjoyable to eat. I know it has only been two days, but I think I can FEEL a difference. And I am already looking forward to the day that I can bite into an apple again. These 94 weeks will be full of constant yearnings for foods I cannot have.