forever twenty-four

Apparently I turned 26 yesterday.
 
I say apparently because for 362 days of the last year I firmly, and I do mean FIRMLY AND WITH MY ENTIRE BEING, believed I was 24 and approaching my 25 birthday. I was preparing myself for my quarter life crisis. Last time I had an age related crises I was given a lovely necklace. I was hoping for something really spectacular this year. It wasn't until Monday when Mom said, "I can't believe you're going to be 26" that I was brought kicking and screaming to face reality.
 
I lost an entire year of my life.
 
I only had THREE DAYS to prepare myself that I am now closer to thirty than I am to twenty.
 
As an early way to celebrate, my jaw decide to partially dislocate itself. You may recall (I'm sure everyone takes detailed notes on my physical history) that I have been suffering from recurring ear infections/sinus infections/jaw pain/feeling like my head was going to explode since December. I tried four different kinds of medicine including a steroid shot in my back side. I know. The fun never ends over here. I finally saw a specialist a few weeks ago who informed me that my ears and sinuses weren't currently infected, and the root of the problem was my jaw. To be specific, it's not hinged properly and probably hasn't been since, say it with me, December. Now I feel like I've been walking around with half my face hanging off. She told me to wear a mouth guard while I sleep and we'll reevaluate things in a few months. The mouth guard is as flattering as it sounds. Add Christopher's sleep apnea machine to the picture and we have all the married romance I envisioned when I was 18.

The only bright side to my old age is I've only found one new gray hair so far. But maybe my eyes are getting so bad I didn't see the rest.