Before I get into today’s post I wanted to let you know a few things going on with Sarah.
We recently found out that she is going to need oral surgery to have two wisdom teeth removed, which she will be sedated for. When she gets fully recovered, she will then have another procedure to correct an extruding top molar.(An extruded tooth is one that has migrated beyond its normal position.) And then when she is over all of THAT, she will be sedated again for her follow-up colonoscopy. (If you remember last year, several polyps were found.) So a few not-so-fun things ahead for our girl!
On the good side of what’s coming up, she finishes her freshman year of college the first week of May and then the week after that, she will attend a week-long leadership and discipleship conference for college students. Most of the students attending will drive/fly in, but for her, it will be about 10 minutes away,since it’s being held in a big house near the ocean, right on the Outer Banks. She will, of course, stay the whole week and not come home at night—just like all the other attendees. She’s looking forward to that, but she is not so much looking forward to the surgeries and procedures that will come after that.
And speaking of Sarah, here are a few pictures from a year ago when she graduated High School. I am posting them for a reason that you’ll discover as you read further.
(Photos by Stacey McDonald.)
All those photos were taken at the entrance area to the Elizabethan Gardens which, up until last Friday, Steve and I had never toured. However, after 5 1/2 years of living just two miles away, we figured it was finally time We spent two hours there, awash in the beauty of a 70-degree sunny day, statues, birdsong, plants, flowers—and of course, plenty of pollen.
I loved this scene, especially with the (as it turns out, fake) bird sitting on the cage.
As we got a little closer, we caught sight of a truly rare bird which the Audubon Society has identified as the yellow-bellied, plastic tweety bird. It appears that the two fake birds are the best of friends although I don’t think they talk to each other a whole lot.
I loved that the ground was carpeted in flowers–the very best kind of carpet ever invented.
Pathway meandering was a joy.
We stood together and read this inscription and got a little teary-eyed in the process. When you’re in your 50’s, those kinds of words mean a lot more than when you were newlyweds.
We got to make the acquaintance of Queen Elizabeth.
Like the two birds earlier, she didn’t have a whole lot to say to us but we enjoyed saying howdy, just the same.
One of my favorite places was the big lawn. A sign informed us that at first, only the wealthy had the time or money to cultivate a well-manicured lawn that was purely decorative; therefore, a big lawn was a status symbol. (These days it’s just a sign that you need a riding mower!)
One of the highlights was the Sunken Garden. I kept feeling like someone from Downton Abbey was going to pop out at any moment.
Near the sunken garden was a gazebo with a sign saying it was constructed with period tools and techniques. The reeds for the roof came from Norfolk, England.
My sharp-eyed husband noted some pretty modern looking screws beneath those wooden plugs.
We walked by some people working and I found myself wondering how many thousands of hours a year it must take to maintain such a place. My hat is off to those who work so hard to make it beautiful.
This gate led to the water and was called the Watergate. I love names that are elegant in their simplicity.
There were little benches tucked all over, everywhere we looked. One of my favorite features.
It was fun to think we were looking at the same tree the colonists saw. What a different world it was back then. They were amazing, brave people–especially the women.
At one point along the way, Steve wrested the camera from my grasp and got a picture, (My shoes were $3 from a thrift store. I looked them up online and they usually sell for $130. Hooray for a comfortable bargain!)
For his picture, he decided his admissions sticker would make a lovely addition to his nose. And he was right!
One more view of the queen from a distance . . .
and then we were back to the starting point.
We left behind amazing beauty as went back out to the real world, but we took with us the memories of time shared and love treasured.
A truly lovely day.
Praying for Sarah. The gardens are beautiful. It has been several years since we visited them. I really like the two “live” attractions there.
Ann,
Glad you liked the live attractions–it’s not many visitors that get to see them! 🙂
Oy… I have impacted wisdom teeth as well, and thus far have been flatly refusing to have them removed. They aren’t bothering me, they aren’t in the way or moving my other teeth, and I don’t WANT to go through that. My dentist has strongly advised I reconsider, and I’ve been contemplating getting it over with. But I really, really don’t want to. I detest being put to sleep (it’s a control thing, apparently) and the dental surgeon in town will not to the procedure any other way. And I’m not looking forward to the pain that will inevitably follow, either. Yuck!
Good on Sarah for facing up to it. WHY humanity comes with more teeth than will fit in our mouth is a mystery to me! Whether you believe in the Creation, or in evolution, or in some other ‘how we got to be here’ theory… that seems like a flaw!
Kristina,
Well, here’s what you need to do. Schedule your wisdom tooth removal around the same time as Sarah’s and you can do it (in a virtual sense) together!
🙂 Seriously though, one of my favorite quotes is, “The dreading of it is worse than the doing of it.” Maybe this is your year to git ‘er done!
As for your question about why we even have wisdom teeth, I found this explanation, which I thought was interesting.
Our permanent molars come in 3 sets in 6 years intervals respectively. That is 6 years old, 12 years old, and 18 years old. Before the development of modern dentistry, our molars would easily decayed out and broken apart completely simply in a few years. So the 12 years molars and later 18 years molars will naturally have spaces to grow into. But due to the advance in dentistry, we stop losing our molars, so naturally there is not enough spaces for those spare molars. The wisdom teeth are not there for extra chewing power, but for replacement at a later age.
Well, how about that! I’ve learned something already today, and my day has scarcely begun!
So glad you looked it up and then posted the answer here. I should have thought to look it up myself! I just assumed that there was no rational point to having them, and didn’t even bother to carry through… I work with the science/research community, and should have known better. Shame on me!
ugh – *** through the ***
I was just scrolling throught he pictures again just because they are so peaceful and noticed something. Did you and Steve plan on being color co-ordinated? 🙂
Mel,
You are very observant! Yes, Steve often waits to see what I am going to wear (if we’re doing something a little special or out of the ordinary) and then tries to find something to coordinate with it. It’s one of his (many) endearing qualities.
We have learned many wonderful things about Steve over the years of reading your blogs… but that is flat-out adorable! I absolutely LOVE that he does this!
Kristina,
Yes, that is a very dear quality. 🙂 Unfortunately, we are different “seasons” as far as the colors we gravitate towards and look the best in so sometimes coordinating isn’t always possible. But whenever he can, he does!
Very pretty walk through a southern spring. Ruth
Ruth,
I thought of you and Mom the whole time I was walking.
What a beautiful sanctuary that garden is…gorgeous. Thank you for sharing the photos, it’s always lovely to meander along with you on your photo journeys!
Poor Sarah, with all of those procedures coming up, one after the next. I wish her the best of luck with them! I had my wisdom teeth out when I was about her age, and I distinctly recall that it wasn’t very pleasant. I was knocked out with a twilight sleep during the procedure because they were taking all four wisdom teeth at once (my own choice – I didn’t have much time available to take off from school, and I thought that it would be best to get it all over at once). I ended up with eight stitches in my gums. I remember being a very unhappy camper and looking like a Cabbage Patch Kid for a few days. I was, however, very amused that the dentist gave me my teeth in an envelope. I actually still have them.
To add my post-wisdom teeth extraction food suggestion to the others here in the comments: Jello. I remember that I didn’t want anything too hot (like soup), too heavy (like pudding) or too cold (like ice cream) and for a few days Jello was the only thing that I could really eat.
Denise,
I liked your “post-wisdom teeth extraction food suggestion” phrase. Sounds like one of MY long, meandering phrases. Thanks for good advice. We will definitely stock up on Jello because she will be needing it again for the colonoscopy prep. Good times at the Smith house!
It’s funny you still have your teeth from way back when. I wonder if they will give Sarah hers? 🙂
Prayers for Sarah as she undergoes multiple procedures. I cannot believe she is almost finished with her first year. The pictures are lovely, I felt like I was right there. Your weather is wonderful, we are in the 40s with wind a rain today. Thank you for the beautiful diversion.
Lesley,
With wind, rain and temps in the 40’s you were definitely in need of a peek at some sunshine! Glad the pictures arrived just in time. Shouldn’t be long till spring pays a visit to your corner of the world, too. I know you all will appreciate it more than you ever have with the kind of winter you’ve had. Hang in there!
I love the pictures of Sarah! She exudes such beauty and quiet strength. Prayers up for the procedures to come. Oh to have the Water Gate and its view for my yard!
Guerrina,
What a sweet thing for you to say and I agree wholeheartedly. Her beauty and her strength run deep.
And yes, wasn’t the Water Gate lovely? I just fell in love with it.
Sorry to hear about Sarah’s upcoming procedures, especially since they are being done under general anesthesia. Too bad she can’t just be sedated but I am sure there is a reason. Will keep her in our prayers.
Liz,
I actually just went back and changed the wording in my post. “Put to sleep,” which I wrote, is probably misleading although I always think of sedation as being put to sleep. She will not be under general anesthesia. Thanks for helping me rethink that phrase. 🙂
My goodness, Sarah has a busy schedule ahead of her. I recommend getting some sherbet in the house for her to enjoy as she recovers from her oral surgery. And, of course, a huge meal after the colonoscopy.
As for the gardens…AMAZING! What great pictures you took. Sarah could take her laptop there and she’d find herself writing Elizabethan novels!!!
Jan,
Sherbet sounds like a great idea–for daughter AND mother! 🙂
And yes, I agree about those gardens inspiring novels. If Sarah and I can’t make our dream trip to England, at least we can pretend we are there when we stroll through the garden grandeur.
Beautiful pictures, so peaceful and good luck to Sarah, I had all 4 wisdom teeth out in college as well, actually on my 21st birthday, do I know how to have a good time! Back then, it was done in the hospital and I spent a few days there!
Dale,
That’s interesting that there have been several readers mentioning having wisdom teeth out in college. That must be the time when the teeth really start acting up! Having the surgery done on your 21st birthday was surely a memorable way to celebrate. I can’t believe they put people in the hospital for a few days after the procedure. Things have sure changed; they didn’t even want me to stay overnight after a double mastectomy! (Thankfully, I insisted.)
What a beautiful place. It looks like it would be so peaceful just walking through. Prayers for Sarah and her upcoming procedures.
Mel,
It truly was a beautiful. I want to go back again soon around the golden hour (in the early evening) and experience it then. I bet it will be extra amazing. Thanks so much for the prayers.
I’m so very glad you’re back online!!! The pictures were beautiful and made me think I was there!!! I’m sure Sara will not dread the colonoscopy as much as she did the first time since she knows what to expect. I didn’t dread my wisdom teeth coming out, but they just sedated me instead of putting me to sleep. I also had an extra tooth that had to be removed because it was outside of the line of my teeth and affecting my bite. Too bad it couldn’t have helped me eat more!!! 🙂
Lib–thanks. It’s great to be back!
You’re right about Sarah not dreading the colonoscopy since she knows what to expect. That makes a huge difference.
What beautiful gardens. I love your pictures Becky!! Sarah is almost done with her first year of college…already?!?!? Where does the time go?? Hang in there on the body maintenance procedures Sarah. At least you get to sleep through it. 😉 I had two of my wisdom teeth out as a college student too. It wasn’t bad at all and I didn’t even get the induced nap. I hope yours go just as smoothly!
LeeAnne,
Nice to know that your wisdom teeth removal wasn’t too traumatic. Here’s hoping the same for our sweet girl!
Thanks for posting such beautiful pictures. They way you had taken them almost made me feel that if I closed my eyes, I would be there. Prayers for Sarah. I know they are just regular procedures, but the butterflies still come. Can’t believe she’s almost done with her first year of college – how time flies.
Sharyn,
You’re right–even those regular procedures can still be traumatic. Thanks for your prayers.
And no, I can’t believe she is almost done with her first year of college either!
I so needed those photos of that lovely garden this morning. Prayers for Sarah and all her procedures coming up. No fun at all dealing with the stress leading up to them and then recovery. She is such a strong, beautiful young woman and how wonderful that she is completing her first year of college. Such a fun and enlightening time of life.
Mary,
So glad the pictures arrived in your life right now; you need some beauty to feast your eyes (and soul) on right now. Prayers and hugs . . .