Catching up on my "Metal Madness"

Okay, so I have decided to keep a virtual diary of my experience wearing braces. Ever since I got them I've searched numerous videos, articles, and images of how to maintain my braces and why certain procedures have been done on me thus far. In seeing the various updates that people of all ages are doing with their braces, it just seems like a fun thing to do.
I have wanted braces for so long now, and I've wanted them since I was a teenager, but my mom always gave me some type of run-around about them so I wouldn't pressure her about it. Well at 22 (I am now 23), I decided enough was enough because I was tired of hiding my smile. Also, every now and then I would grind my teeth while I slept, which put pressure on my crooked teeth, so I always woke up sore.
I got my braces as a Christmas gift in December 2009 (the date was actually 12/24/09). However, before I keep going about post-braces, I need to fill you in more on the pre-braces period. The "run-around" that my mom always gave me was her telling me that I would need some of my teeth removed because it looked too crowded (I didn't want to believe it because I am a sucker for pain). There came a time when I was 18 that one of my impacted molars had to come out ASAP! During that procedure my oral surgeon told me that I had 3 other impacted molars which needed to come out. But since I was awake for the one molar removed, the pressure was too excrutiating to bear again 3 more times! Which led me to waiting 4 years before I removed the other 3.  Now I had a friend who had braces and seeing him with those inspired me to go ahead and get them. Before I went to get an orthodontic consultation for braces I decided to take the liberty of removing the last 3 molars but under the condition that I was asleep to removed them all at the same time! (Boy was I a mess $200 later, and bed ridden for nearly 2 weeks). After I awoke from my extraction surgery I asked the technician how long would I have to wait before I can get my braces, and when she told me only about a week, I was thrilled! *Note: I had my surgery done 12/16/09*
The day that I went to get information on braces was the same day that I got them, and with them more bad news for me; I needed to have 4 of my permanant teeth removed because there was crowding. Being that I was tired of being on medications (for the pain from my surgery, and the pain from the soreness of the braces), I decided to put off the extra extractions for a month or two.  When I went to my next several adjustments the doctor stressed the fact that I needed to remove them ASAP otherwise I will delay my treatment. In March I decided to go ahead and get the extractions done (that was hell, because I was AWAKE for all four of them at the same time!)
Since march I have gotten one ring around my top left second to last molar, power chains on top and bottom(08/16/10), and elastics to correct a class 3 underbite (08/16/10). The power chains are to close the gaps (obviously) from my four extractions. Here are some photos from my current adjustment that I got yesterday, to the first day that I got braces. P.S. the power chains left my mouth incredibly sore this morning!

*Note I did not take a picture of my last adjustment which had pink and orange bands, and is what I had before I got my power chains (which are silver I think).

Timeline: White-->Purple-->Red-->Red/Black-->Teal-->Pink/Orange-->Silver power chains
Note* I missed one adjustment (in June), because I was out-of-state.