Meet Emerie, Our Team’s Little Lion Cub Our Assistant Brenda Had a Baby! Brenda Rivas is one of our best orthodontic assistants, but eight months ago she took on a new title: Mom! After nearly a year of hoping for a baby, Brenda and her longtime boyfriend, Daniel, welcomed their little girl Emerie this spring. It was a blessing that came at a difficult time. “I feel like it’s so hard being a first-time mom as it is, and getting to experience that during a pandemic makes it even harder. You want to do so much, but at the same time, her safety and health come first,” Brenda says. The family’s low-key holiday celebrations gave Brenda and Daniel plenty of one-on-one time with their baby. Emerie is less than a year old, but she’s already her own person. “Her personality is completely starting to flourish,” Brenda says. “She’s into making noises. She growls like a lion! It’s the craziest thing, and she just started doing that out of nowhere, all by herself! … She’s such a happy baby, it’s crazy. First thing in the morning when we go to wake her, she’s already waiting for us to come pick her up. As soon as she makes eye contact with you, the first thing she does is smile.”
EASY ONE-POT LENTIL SOUP
Inspired by MinimalistBaker.com
We can already tell that Brenda is a fantastic mom, which is no surprise because she excels at her other job, too! Brenda has been an assistant on
This delicious plant-based soup is loaded with vegetables, so it’s a healthy way to stay warm on a winter night! This recipe makes four servings, and you can freeze the leftovers for up to a month.
our team for nearly two years, and she brings a lot of enthusiasm to her work. It took her a while to find orthodontics, but when she did, she threw herself into it completely.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tbsp coconut oil • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 2 shallots, diced • 4 large carrots, sliced thin • 4 stalks celery, sliced thin • Sea salt, to taste • Black pepper, to taste
• 3 cups red potatoes, cubed • 4 cups vegetable broth • 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme, chopped • 1 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed and drained • 2 cups chopped kale
“I was in general dentistry for almost 11 years, and it gets really repetitive. It’s pretty much the same
thing every single day, and I got to the point where I was asking myself, ‘Do I want to do this forever?’” Brenda says. “But then a job opportunity came about at an orthodontics office. I didn’t have orthodontics experience, but they trained me on the job and I loved it.”
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and sauté garlic, shallots, carrots, and celery for 4–5 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. 2. Add potatoes to pot, along with more salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes. 3. Add vegetable broth and herbs, then bring soup to a simmer. 4. Add lentils, stirring until soup returns to a simmer. Then, turn the heat to low and cook soup uncovered for 15–20 minutes. 5. Finally, add kale and additional salt and pepper as needed. Cook for 3–4 minutes, thin soup with additional vegetable broth as needed, and serve!
Here, every patient’s journey is unique, and that keeps Brenda’s work interesting. Next time you come in for a tightening or other treatment, ask her about her little lion cub — she’d love to show off a photo!
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