Million Dollar Smile

While we were waiting for Nick & Charlie to join us for the start of our hike up Mt. Timpanogos, the following scene unfolded ibefore me in super-slow motion. Ella & Greta were goofing around, being a bit too physical & not listening to my repeated requests to tone it down.


I was trying to figure out how to carry all the layers of coats Nick suggested we would need & I look over again & Greta's mitten-covered hand is swinging wildly toward Ella. Ella doubles over & I see blood coming out of her mouth. It was like a scene from Million Dollar Baby.



Her front tooth had been ridiculously loose for about a week, so I knew before I reached her that the tooth was gone. And it was gone. As in no where to be found. Either swallowed or catapulted far, far away. Luckily, Tia literally lost a tooth this summer & Ella knew that the tooth fairy still came. And, luckily, her friend Iain had a tooth knocked out by his sister Hannah. Ella was in good company.


(doesn't this remind you of a school photo from the 80's?!)

I was surprised that Greta realized that she needed to apologize & Ella took the event in stride. On the drive home, Ella she recounted her war stories (Miss Kate pulled out this one, this one was a cheerio, this one was corn on the cob, this one was string cheese, this one just fell out & this one was Greta). There was a momentary panic in the morning that the tooth fairy had flaked out again, but she came & all was well.