All the kounouz, plus a little girl who could be Lil Kinz’ twin, went to the dentist this week. As we walked, we got a lot of the kind of looks and attention I don’t mind at all, the ‘ma sha’allah 3alayhum’ looks that says: “Wow, I guess foreigners do love children after all. Look at that ajnabiyya with, whoa, how many kids is that?”
All the ladies at the office know us, and break into big smiles when we open the door. Images of our kids for the last eight years are on our dentist’s laptop, Lil Kinz at 6 months was her screen saver for years. We decided to eschew the popular West Amman dentists to go support more local businesses. I am glad we did. Other than the pamphlets in the waiting room telling me I will go to hell for not wearing the hijab, it is always a great experience.
Doctora has done a great job, and it is great not paying an arm and a leg. Imagine, four check ups, two cleanings and two primary teeth removal for 20JD/$30. Good thing, because this visit we got the news: all the other kids need braces too. Ouch.
Yup, got the bad news. Spikekid’s orthodontic need was clear,and he is even going to need several implants being born without wisdom teeth or one set of molars. Ouch…good thing American magazines pay 10 to 20 times what Jordanian magazines do (hope it lasts!). We do go to one of the West Amman , the kind who has pictures of royalty in his office. He is still half to 1/3 the going US rate. I thank God He has allowed us to have the royal treatment. How many kids in Jordan never see a dentist?
Lil Kinz’ secondary teethies are an interesting puzzle, and the in-between kinzayn have maloclusion issues just like their mommy. The Hub says: “As long as they got your looks, I don’t mind”. He is a sweetheart. My dad warned him “Her smile is engineered, her teeth were an expensive mess”.
At this point, pulling out at least ten teeth to make room, sealing 14 molars, getting three sets of panoramic x-rays, plus the ortho itself, we are going to be eating mujadara without the lentils.
That is not even mentioning the cost of gas used driving around town. Today, I had an interview near Zarqa, a meeting in Jabal Amman, and between school pick-ups, leaderships meetings, a teacher inviting little girls to bake cookies, taking one girl home, dropping off two other boys in two places, taking one son to small group Bible study, picking up one boy, taking him and another son to their small group Bible study, taking a friend’s daughter home on the way, then picking up the first studying son. Thankfully, another mom is bringing big boys back later.
We have a great life here in Jordan. This post is more for family memories than anyone else, thanks for joining along for our Jordanian Journey.
Aw, sweetie, you read my post on mujadarra. loved that line. Just remember throw in a ton of cumin and you’ll be okay. And it’s easy on all those sore mouths from removed teeth and braces. I love Jordanian dentists too.
And now for my favorite dentist joke:
What time is it when you need to go to the dentist?
2:30
Get it?
2:30?
Tooth hurty?
hahahahhahahaha. sigh. Oh, it never gets old.
I love lauging at my own jokes.
=)
Almond, that was awful… Booo! Kinzi, yikes! All those train tracks and no little train? Here’s hoping none of them beat my distance record (5 years with braces)…
I’m going to hell too, then.
Almond, I laughed, never heard that one!!! I’ll tell my son with the 2:30. hey, I had NOT read your post, I went back and did…great women cook alike!
MommaBean, LOL!!! Now I am really laughing….’little’ train! Wow, I did think of your experience when I was there…we may only exceed it in kounouz cumulative totals
Marvin, you could be the first alien hijab-man! There used to be a hilarious Muslim blog called Hijab-Man, wonder if he’s still at it.