Nicole feels

Val tagged me with this �meme�, a word association activity, so here goes nothing�

Settled. It sounds kind of boring, and it isn�t all-inclusive, but now that Rob and I have been together close to 18 years married � 19 as a �couple� � I feel settled. In a good way. I don�t have to try real hard to be with him, you know what I mean? We get each other (for the most part � that PMS week can still throw things for a loop). We enjoy each other. There isn�t anyone I�d rather be with in this world. While we still try to add a bit o� flair and excitement to our relationship, it is wonderful to have someone you can just BE with.

I guess close to two decades can do that to a pair, eh?

New. At this very moment, my teeth come to mind. Oh yes, more dental woes. I was supposed to have shiny, new veneers/crowns on my front choppers today, but alas, the lab made the buggers too thick, so after enduring more numbing, the removal of the temps put on a week ago, and more sanding and poking of my natural teeth, I was subjected to the application of more temps rather than purty white crowns.

And did I mention that they couldn�t find my impressions from last week? So they had to slide the Bugs Bunny crowns onto my teeth to make a new impression, soooooooo these temps are longer and thicker than my old teeth or the last temps, even though they sanded them down and shortened them a bit after attaching them.

Wearing these new temps actually makes me pretty happy that they�ve order newbies from the lab (though still disappointed that I get to go away this weekend with toofers that look fake), because these are annoying. But they are smooth at least. The last set had a distinctly sandpaper-ish feel, so I felt like I had perpetual morning mouth no matter how many times I brushed in a day.

Okay, so what does that have to do with new? Well, by golly, I will have new choppers one of these days, and today�s two hour stint in the chair will be worth it. Right? Right?!

Did I mention that one of the crowns fell into my mouth, but this time I had the wherewithal to sit up instead of letting it fall to the back o� my throat?

An-y-way�

Technology. Thank God for it! I enjoy watching movies of eras gone by, but when I think of the practicalities � like bathrooms and ovens and tampons and the Internet � I think, oh my word, I am so glad to be born in this era. I also think of how �close� our world is now � how many friends I�ve been able to make from myriad places, all because of this cyber-age. I love communicating, and the instantaneousness of the web fits me hand in glove.

Trust. Maybe because our anniversary is just days away, but when I think of trust, I think of Rob. We�ve had our tough moments, for certain, but I cherish having someone I can trust my thoughts, feelings, joys, frustrations - my heart - with. It came at a price � giving myself to another - but the result is priceless.

Okay, Mar, Janie, Paige, and Bec. Y�all are it.

Oh, and the words are fret, faith, fractious, and football.

(I don�t know! For some reason, I wanted to use f-words. Must have something to do with my dental frustrations.

Heeee. Another f-word.

Okay, I�ll stop now...)