SMILE & LAUGHTER
This has probably got to be my favorite feature. But it wasn't always so easy for me. When I was little I used to eat lemons like crazy. I would cut the top off and stick saladitos in the lemon, if you don't know what that is, look it up. In English its a salted, dried up prune. DELISH!!! We had an amazing lemon tree in my backyard and I would eat about 4 lemons a day. No joke. This went on for years. It literally ate the enamel off of my teeth. I don't recommend having lemon directly touch your teeth. It could be a horrible situation.
Well, when my dad was alive he wanted me to get my teeth fixed. I remember him coming to me when I was around 20 or so and telling me that I would no longer be on his health insurance and that he wanted me to use his dental insurance before it was too late. My 4 front teeth were half the size a normal tooth should be. But I was stubborn. Yes me. I didn't want to stop eating lemons. I would hide my smile behind my hand. Anytime I laughed my hand would immediately go up to my mouth to hide my teeth. My dad saw how this made me self conscious. And he just wanted to help. I was 25 when my dad passed away of cancer. He left behind life insurance money for me. I made sure that I would make him proud and used some of that money to get my new veneers. After that, I couldn't stop smiling and laughing. Naturally I would still bring my hand up to my mouth to cover my smile but eventually I learned how to love my smile. And there is nothing in the world that could stop me from doing so.
And my laugh, oh goodness if you have ever met me in person, you know my laugh can be obnoxious. My son gets it from me. And I love it. I had a friend find me around the corner at a restaurant because she heard my very distinctive laugh. I get embarrassed sometimes because I know it can be loud. But sometimes I just can't control it. It is who I am. It's definitely one thing people say they love about me. So I don't hold back. A gentleman at the airport, sitting across from me at the bar once said, "I love your laugh. Its one of the most genuine laughs I have ever heard". This warmed my heart. Because if a stranger can say something like that, it must be pretty awesome. I know that laughing and smiling can be infectious. And I'd rather be around people that smile more often throughout their day, than frown. It puts me in a great mood. Smile more and enjoy life!!! It's too short not to.
Photographer: Modern Love Photography
Hair and Makeup: Ashlyn Taylor