He is risen indeed.
As a little girl, I can remember my excitement on Easter morning. The whole day, from the Easter basket, to the new dress, to the service at Church, all combined to make Easter Sunday an anticipated day, something only Christmas could top.
Today, I'm still excited. Or more precisely, I'm filled to the brim with awe and hope and joy. Yes, there will be Easter baskets, new dresses for the girls thanks to Grammy and a new dress for me thanks to Target's $20.00 special, and there will be a church service. But more than all of that, I'm so happy that I "get it" more today than ever before. I hope the same is true every year until I am with HIM who we celebrate.
Jesus came, voluntarily, laying down His will and His rights, to be our gateway into relationship with Him. What we messed up in the Garden of Eden, Jesus knew He would redeem on Calvary. And He knew it all from the start. That kind of love is still impossible for me to get my head around, and I don't believe any of us truly will until we see Him and know in full. But for now, as far as my mind will take me, I want to know the depth of the love that Easter represents. Feeble as it is, my understanding blows me away when I take in the magnitude of GRACE.
Today I hope we all take the time, wherever we are, whatever we are doing, to celebrate the LIFE Jesus has offered to us because of Easter. It truly is amazing!
"Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
Philippians 2:1
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
the results!
I had so much fun reading through all of the responses! To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but whatever it was, I know I was surprised by the answers. Like several of you commented, it is a weird phenomenon that we moms love to read about each other's experiences. Hearing the wide range of experiences must help us learn, and at the same time reinforce what we already know but sometimes forget, there is no normal.
But before I give you the results, here are my answers!
1. Do I stick to a strict feeding schedule? I guess if you take out the word "strict" I might say yes. As long as it was within 30 minutes of my target of three hours, then I was okay with it. Most of the time, both girls would eat every 3 hours on the dot, but if either seemed hungry a little before, that was okay. I also didn't ever wake either of them to eat, so if they slept through a feeding, I'd just start the three hours over once they woke up. And with Adrienne, if I ever felt like I could get her to take a little extra, that was fantastic! She didn't eat well at all right at first, sometimes taking two hours off and on to finish three ounces. That made the schedule a little harder to keep, but after about 2 months, she came to grips with formula and we haven't looked back since.
2. At what age do I put my kids in the nursery? I'll answer both church and home options. Church: Neither one of my girls ever did good in a service at church, and I ended up spending the whole time concentrating on making every effort to keep them quiet with the result that anything going on in the service was virtually lost to me. Because of that, I believe I put Marianna in the nursery at 4 weeks and Adrienne at 5. I know that's young, but trust me, the nursery workers couldn't wait to get their hands on such a tiny little one. Home: Both of the girls' rooms are upstairs, and since I didn't want to get my stair-master credits at 3 in the morning, I kept them both in a bassinet until it was time to sleep through the night. For Marianna that was at two months, and for Adrienne, it was a few weeks earlier.
3. Philosophy on germs? I believe the circumstances around Marianna's birth dictated much of what I do regarding this topic. My grandfather died 12 hours after Marianna was born, surrounding her birth with more emotions than I could have ever dreamed. When we were discharged from the hospital, we went straight to the funeral home, and for that entire week, we were hardly home. Any ideas I might have had of keeping her in an isolated, germ free world, went right out the window, and with everything going on, I wasn't going to let that bother me. Instead, I let anyone who wanted to hold her, hold her. She was kind of symbolic that first week to many people, the promise of life and hope in the middle of the sadness. So, I couldn't put a n exact number on it, but I would guess it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 people who held her that first week. After that, it seemed just silly to do anything other than continue to be laid back.
4. I've gotten most of my advice, not from books, but from people. I've tried to take advice from people who I trust, and then I go with those God-given instincts from there. When Marianna was born, my best friend, Julie, was the only person I knew with a baby. She was so laid back, taking things as they came without getting uptight if something didn't happen like she expected. I saw that she and Maggie were both doing great, so I adopted much of her philosophy and I haven't ever regretted that for a second!
5. Laid back or uptight? I guess I just answered that. I am laid back, except, like many of you mentioned, about discipline. I believe that is an area that I've got to be strict in in order to be laid back about everything else!
6. Did I change from Marianna to Adrienne? Hard to say. I don't really think so. Both kids were very, very different, and so I've adapted to meet those needs that were different, but I think my perspective was largely the same.
7. One word: miraculous.
Now to the analysis. I was surprised to see an almost down the middle split on the first question. It seems that feed on demand vs feeding schedule is a toss up! Just goes to show that different things most definitely work for different people and kids.
The nursery question, was also a question where there was not much consensus. It sounded like those with babies that did well in church stayed out of the nursery much longer than those who didn't. That makes sense. And for at home, there was a wide range from straight from the hospital, all the way to a year! Very interesting.
The question about germs was one of my favorites, and I was quite surprised to find that the majority of you treated germs more or less as an unavoidable part of life that wasn't to be fought against. Not everyone, but many stated that beyond normal carefulness (staying away from sick people, etc) there wasn't a reason to treat germs as the enemy. I really expected the response to be the opposite, with just a few for being proponents of building the early immune system. Again, I found that enlightening.
The fourth question was by far the most stream-lined. Almost everyone replied that they went primarily by instincts. I think that is really great, but it caught me off guard. With all of the books and ideas floating around out there, I just assumed that most people would have gravitated to some philosophy or system. There is certainly not anything wrong with that, but I did enjoy seeing that most people trusted the God-given mothering instincts rather than what a book told them was "normal."
Question five came back with many more responses of laid back than uptight. Again, I was expecting, especially in regard to the first baby, an opposite reaction. But, I'm seeing that I'm being proved wrong on a number of areas, and that doesn't bother me one bit!
Question six was a mixed bag. Many stated they didn't change, some changed because of the personalities of different children, and some just plain changed.
Thanks to each of you who participated! It was fun and it reminded me again that there is no right and there is no wrong. It's fun to learn from each other, accept differences, and admire different style.
But before I give you the results, here are my answers!
1. Do I stick to a strict feeding schedule? I guess if you take out the word "strict" I might say yes. As long as it was within 30 minutes of my target of three hours, then I was okay with it. Most of the time, both girls would eat every 3 hours on the dot, but if either seemed hungry a little before, that was okay. I also didn't ever wake either of them to eat, so if they slept through a feeding, I'd just start the three hours over once they woke up. And with Adrienne, if I ever felt like I could get her to take a little extra, that was fantastic! She didn't eat well at all right at first, sometimes taking two hours off and on to finish three ounces. That made the schedule a little harder to keep, but after about 2 months, she came to grips with formula and we haven't looked back since.
2. At what age do I put my kids in the nursery? I'll answer both church and home options. Church: Neither one of my girls ever did good in a service at church, and I ended up spending the whole time concentrating on making every effort to keep them quiet with the result that anything going on in the service was virtually lost to me. Because of that, I believe I put Marianna in the nursery at 4 weeks and Adrienne at 5. I know that's young, but trust me, the nursery workers couldn't wait to get their hands on such a tiny little one. Home: Both of the girls' rooms are upstairs, and since I didn't want to get my stair-master credits at 3 in the morning, I kept them both in a bassinet until it was time to sleep through the night. For Marianna that was at two months, and for Adrienne, it was a few weeks earlier.
3. Philosophy on germs? I believe the circumstances around Marianna's birth dictated much of what I do regarding this topic. My grandfather died 12 hours after Marianna was born, surrounding her birth with more emotions than I could have ever dreamed. When we were discharged from the hospital, we went straight to the funeral home, and for that entire week, we were hardly home. Any ideas I might have had of keeping her in an isolated, germ free world, went right out the window, and with everything going on, I wasn't going to let that bother me. Instead, I let anyone who wanted to hold her, hold her. She was kind of symbolic that first week to many people, the promise of life and hope in the middle of the sadness. So, I couldn't put a n exact number on it, but I would guess it would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 people who held her that first week. After that, it seemed just silly to do anything other than continue to be laid back.
4. I've gotten most of my advice, not from books, but from people. I've tried to take advice from people who I trust, and then I go with those God-given instincts from there. When Marianna was born, my best friend, Julie, was the only person I knew with a baby. She was so laid back, taking things as they came without getting uptight if something didn't happen like she expected. I saw that she and Maggie were both doing great, so I adopted much of her philosophy and I haven't ever regretted that for a second!
5. Laid back or uptight? I guess I just answered that. I am laid back, except, like many of you mentioned, about discipline. I believe that is an area that I've got to be strict in in order to be laid back about everything else!
6. Did I change from Marianna to Adrienne? Hard to say. I don't really think so. Both kids were very, very different, and so I've adapted to meet those needs that were different, but I think my perspective was largely the same.
7. One word: miraculous.
Now to the analysis. I was surprised to see an almost down the middle split on the first question. It seems that feed on demand vs feeding schedule is a toss up! Just goes to show that different things most definitely work for different people and kids.
The nursery question, was also a question where there was not much consensus. It sounded like those with babies that did well in church stayed out of the nursery much longer than those who didn't. That makes sense. And for at home, there was a wide range from straight from the hospital, all the way to a year! Very interesting.
The question about germs was one of my favorites, and I was quite surprised to find that the majority of you treated germs more or less as an unavoidable part of life that wasn't to be fought against. Not everyone, but many stated that beyond normal carefulness (staying away from sick people, etc) there wasn't a reason to treat germs as the enemy. I really expected the response to be the opposite, with just a few for being proponents of building the early immune system. Again, I found that enlightening.
The fourth question was by far the most stream-lined. Almost everyone replied that they went primarily by instincts. I think that is really great, but it caught me off guard. With all of the books and ideas floating around out there, I just assumed that most people would have gravitated to some philosophy or system. There is certainly not anything wrong with that, but I did enjoy seeing that most people trusted the God-given mothering instincts rather than what a book told them was "normal."
Question five came back with many more responses of laid back than uptight. Again, I was expecting, especially in regard to the first baby, an opposite reaction. But, I'm seeing that I'm being proved wrong on a number of areas, and that doesn't bother me one bit!
Question six was a mixed bag. Many stated they didn't change, some changed because of the personalities of different children, and some just plain changed.
Thanks to each of you who participated! It was fun and it reminded me again that there is no right and there is no wrong. It's fun to learn from each other, accept differences, and admire different style.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
I'm curious
This is a post on babies! And no, we are not having one. But I have raised two, and several people I'm close to, including my sister, are just about to have their first. So that's had my mind running on the baby track more than usual, and what my musings have deducted is that there is a huge spectrum of thought on how to do things right, especially in the first few months. It seems to me that parenting styles vary the most drastically during that period, as people choose what path they will take in mothering their little ones. I've lived long enough to know that there isn't one right way! Goodness, if there was, this parenting thing would be quite a bit simpler than it is.
But I am curious. I love to hear about how different people do things and how it works for them. I also like to hear who did what they did and enjoyed the experience. That's the real fountain of El Dorado as far as I'm concerned! So here's a little quiz. I'm going to take the responses and very un-scientifically see if there is any kind of consensus on any of the following issues:
1. Do you abide by a strict feeding schedule, or do you believe in a feed on demand philosophy?
2. At what age do you put your baby in the nursery for the first time?
3. What is your philosophy on germs? Can anyone hold the baby? Do pacifiers get boiled?
4. Do you adhere to a parenting model that you've researched and read about, or do you go by instincts?
5. Were you laid back or uptight in regard to all things relating to raising your little one?
6. Did any of the first 5 change after your first child?
7. If you could use one word to describe the first 3 months, what would it be?
Okay, there it is. Answer any or all, and you don't have to answer in any particular order. Remember, this is very un-scientific! I just want to hear from you and see what you are doing, or did, or plan to do in the future.
But I am curious. I love to hear about how different people do things and how it works for them. I also like to hear who did what they did and enjoyed the experience. That's the real fountain of El Dorado as far as I'm concerned! So here's a little quiz. I'm going to take the responses and very un-scientifically see if there is any kind of consensus on any of the following issues:
1. Do you abide by a strict feeding schedule, or do you believe in a feed on demand philosophy?
2. At what age do you put your baby in the nursery for the first time?
3. What is your philosophy on germs? Can anyone hold the baby? Do pacifiers get boiled?
4. Do you adhere to a parenting model that you've researched and read about, or do you go by instincts?
5. Were you laid back or uptight in regard to all things relating to raising your little one?
6. Did any of the first 5 change after your first child?
7. If you could use one word to describe the first 3 months, what would it be?
Okay, there it is. Answer any or all, and you don't have to answer in any particular order. Remember, this is very un-scientific! I just want to hear from you and see what you are doing, or did, or plan to do in the future.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
let's read
I am so happy with all of your suggestions!! Gracias! There were many named that I haven't read yet, and there were also quite a few that I have read, and some of those several times over. I loved how varied the responses were, and I'd love to have some discussion on what you put out there.
As the comments started coming in, I realized right off the bat that I had left off a genre that I have read quite extensively: the Christian fiction novel. Let's park there first, as that seemed to encompass many of the recommendations. I'll start with Francine Rivers, one of my favorites. To my knowledge, I've read everything she's written, including Redeeming Love, which is most definitely a powerful allegory of Christ's love for us. It's lengthy, but it is a fast read, and worth the time if you haven't read it. But, even though I love that story, my favorite by far is her Mark of the Lion series set in AD 50 in Rome. There is some fantastic early church history, and Francine's character Hadassah goes down in my record book as one of the most amazing and inspirational I've encountered. Rivers also has a fantastic series on the women in the lineage of Jesus, including Mary, Ruth, Tamar, and Rahab.
Karen Kingsbury was also highly recommended, and while I have read some, I certainly have not read all. I did read the entire series on the Baxter family shortly after Marianna was born, but for some reason I didn't ever read any of her other stories. Her books are easy, entertaining, and encouraging, and if you usually don't like to read, they are a great place to start!
Another author in this genre that one or two mentioned was Bodie Thoene. While not as well known as the others, to me her writing style surpasses them both. She is a master of the historical fiction novel, and her two series entitled The Zion Chronicles and The Zion Covenant are unsurpassed. Each series has 7 books, so it is a huge commitment time wise, but if you are an avid reader, I would say these two sets are a MUST. One series focuses on the beginning of World War II while the other details the years preceding Israel becoming a nation.
Several of you also mentioned The Red Tent, by Anita Diamont, and this is one I will be adding to my short list on what to read next, as it definitely sounds like it will be right up my ally.
I told you last post that I am a history nut, and several suggestions looked like they would be great reads. I am definitely intrigued by the book on The Great Depression, The Forgotten Man, especially considering our current economic climate. I also would love to read 1776 and John Adams, by David McCullough.
I knew this would happen, and sure enough, several of you were proponents of the Russian novel. I have read my share of classics, but something has been holding me back, some strange apprehension or fear of getting in over my head, which has resulted in my continually avoiding anything Russian. Maybe it's the fact that I can't even spell the books titles, which makes me wonder about what lies within. Whatever the case, maybe now is the time. I just might make that my poolside read this summer and see how it goes.
There were a few suggestions for books that were garuanteed to make me cry, and when the mood is right, I'll admit that I like to settle in for a book that will bring some tears. But the thing is, I usually like to sit down with that sort when I have an uninterrupted block of time, and as any of you with young children know, those are few and far between.
Someone mentioned the Anne of Green Gables series, which brought back wonderful memories of when I read those when I was a little girl. It made me want to read them again, but this time with Marianna when she is just a little bit older. I think I will read a chapter a night and see if she loves them as much as I did.
There were many, many other suggestions, and I promise you, I will be coming back to check them as soon as I get through the first few on my list. Which brings me to what I have decided I will start tonight. It would have been hard to choose, but fortunately, Mrs. Livona made that decision easy for me when she lent me her copy of The Shack. I've heard lots of chatter about this one, so I am very much looking forward to reading it for myself. I have only a vague idea of what it is about, but when I'm done, I'll make sure I give a little review.
I hope many of you will choose one of the books suggested and let me know how you liked it! Happy Reading!!
As the comments started coming in, I realized right off the bat that I had left off a genre that I have read quite extensively: the Christian fiction novel. Let's park there first, as that seemed to encompass many of the recommendations. I'll start with Francine Rivers, one of my favorites. To my knowledge, I've read everything she's written, including Redeeming Love, which is most definitely a powerful allegory of Christ's love for us. It's lengthy, but it is a fast read, and worth the time if you haven't read it. But, even though I love that story, my favorite by far is her Mark of the Lion series set in AD 50 in Rome. There is some fantastic early church history, and Francine's character Hadassah goes down in my record book as one of the most amazing and inspirational I've encountered. Rivers also has a fantastic series on the women in the lineage of Jesus, including Mary, Ruth, Tamar, and Rahab.
Karen Kingsbury was also highly recommended, and while I have read some, I certainly have not read all. I did read the entire series on the Baxter family shortly after Marianna was born, but for some reason I didn't ever read any of her other stories. Her books are easy, entertaining, and encouraging, and if you usually don't like to read, they are a great place to start!
Another author in this genre that one or two mentioned was Bodie Thoene. While not as well known as the others, to me her writing style surpasses them both. She is a master of the historical fiction novel, and her two series entitled The Zion Chronicles and The Zion Covenant are unsurpassed. Each series has 7 books, so it is a huge commitment time wise, but if you are an avid reader, I would say these two sets are a MUST. One series focuses on the beginning of World War II while the other details the years preceding Israel becoming a nation.
Several of you also mentioned The Red Tent, by Anita Diamont, and this is one I will be adding to my short list on what to read next, as it definitely sounds like it will be right up my ally.
I told you last post that I am a history nut, and several suggestions looked like they would be great reads. I am definitely intrigued by the book on The Great Depression, The Forgotten Man, especially considering our current economic climate. I also would love to read 1776 and John Adams, by David McCullough.
I knew this would happen, and sure enough, several of you were proponents of the Russian novel. I have read my share of classics, but something has been holding me back, some strange apprehension or fear of getting in over my head, which has resulted in my continually avoiding anything Russian. Maybe it's the fact that I can't even spell the books titles, which makes me wonder about what lies within. Whatever the case, maybe now is the time. I just might make that my poolside read this summer and see how it goes.
There were a few suggestions for books that were garuanteed to make me cry, and when the mood is right, I'll admit that I like to settle in for a book that will bring some tears. But the thing is, I usually like to sit down with that sort when I have an uninterrupted block of time, and as any of you with young children know, those are few and far between.
Someone mentioned the Anne of Green Gables series, which brought back wonderful memories of when I read those when I was a little girl. It made me want to read them again, but this time with Marianna when she is just a little bit older. I think I will read a chapter a night and see if she loves them as much as I did.
There were many, many other suggestions, and I promise you, I will be coming back to check them as soon as I get through the first few on my list. Which brings me to what I have decided I will start tonight. It would have been hard to choose, but fortunately, Mrs. Livona made that decision easy for me when she lent me her copy of The Shack. I've heard lots of chatter about this one, so I am very much looking forward to reading it for myself. I have only a vague idea of what it is about, but when I'm done, I'll make sure I give a little review.
I hope many of you will choose one of the books suggested and let me know how you liked it! Happy Reading!!
Friday, April 3, 2009
new material
I love to read. I don't know if I can honestly classify it as a passion at this point in my life because there are only so many hours in a day I have to dedicate to it, and those are usually late at night, which makes it difficult to burn through a book like I did in my younger (pre-kid) years. But I do love it.
I can remember connecting with literature for the first time when I was in second grade and I began checking out the American Girl books from the school library. I fell in love with Samantha first before moving on to Kirsten and Emily. Then a few years later I discovered a new genre that I couldn't put down. Mystery in the form of Nancy Drew novels took over my 4th and 5th grade years, turning me into a verifiable book worm. I read nearly two hundred mysteries over that time, and I don't think one single plot ever disappointed.
From that point on, I was hooked. I was the dork who held onto the summer reading list each year to make sure that I had a suggestions handy when I went to the library. I re-read required reading in the summers because I had enjoyed the books so much the first go around.
I love almost all genres, although I am not a huge fan of sci-fi, but deep in my heart I am a lover of the classics. Dickens is my favorite, followed by Jane Austin, and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre ranks right at the very top as well. I also love a well-written historical fiction novel, because it brings together my two favorite subjects (and consequently, my major and minor). Recently I've read a few political books, the Twilight series, a trilogy of mysteries by Tasha Alexander, and a book by Randy Alcorn on stewardship.
Books are amazing. To me there is nothing like reading a book and connecting with a character to the point that you wish you could know that person, or becoming so involved in the plot that it is painful to walk away, even briefly, to attend to real life. For me, a good book is preferable to a movie any day of the week, and it is light years better than wasting time on the computer.
Which brings me to my point. I am in need of some suggestions for a new read. I finished Wuthering Heights last week, and since then I have found myself wasting ridiculous amounts of time on here simply because don't have anything to pick up and throw myself into. It's always better to me to read something on recommendation, and if you share a comraderie with me in this regard, I would really love it if you'd share one or two of your favorites. Maybe we can even start a little bloggy book club =). But in the event that doesn't work out, I really would like some suggestions!
I can remember connecting with literature for the first time when I was in second grade and I began checking out the American Girl books from the school library. I fell in love with Samantha first before moving on to Kirsten and Emily. Then a few years later I discovered a new genre that I couldn't put down. Mystery in the form of Nancy Drew novels took over my 4th and 5th grade years, turning me into a verifiable book worm. I read nearly two hundred mysteries over that time, and I don't think one single plot ever disappointed.
From that point on, I was hooked. I was the dork who held onto the summer reading list each year to make sure that I had a suggestions handy when I went to the library. I re-read required reading in the summers because I had enjoyed the books so much the first go around.
I love almost all genres, although I am not a huge fan of sci-fi, but deep in my heart I am a lover of the classics. Dickens is my favorite, followed by Jane Austin, and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre ranks right at the very top as well. I also love a well-written historical fiction novel, because it brings together my two favorite subjects (and consequently, my major and minor). Recently I've read a few political books, the Twilight series, a trilogy of mysteries by Tasha Alexander, and a book by Randy Alcorn on stewardship.
Books are amazing. To me there is nothing like reading a book and connecting with a character to the point that you wish you could know that person, or becoming so involved in the plot that it is painful to walk away, even briefly, to attend to real life. For me, a good book is preferable to a movie any day of the week, and it is light years better than wasting time on the computer.
Which brings me to my point. I am in need of some suggestions for a new read. I finished Wuthering Heights last week, and since then I have found myself wasting ridiculous amounts of time on here simply because don't have anything to pick up and throw myself into. It's always better to me to read something on recommendation, and if you share a comraderie with me in this regard, I would really love it if you'd share one or two of your favorites. Maybe we can even start a little bloggy book club =). But in the event that doesn't work out, I really would like some suggestions!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
warning: another haircut story
But at least this time it's mine, and not Marianna's, or heaven forbid, Adrienne's. And even though you know I have been prone to take matters into my own hands in the past, rest at ease that I did not attempt a home remedy for the current situation. I know that if I had, this story would no doubt be much, much worse.
Fortunately, it wasn't two days ago that I posted this, so it was difficult to get truly upset with how the cut unfolded. After all, who hasn't at some time had a haircut turn butcher job? So sit back, read on, and let this bring back memories of the day when my story was your story.
As is usually the case with my hair and me, I woke up and came to the abrupt decision that today was the last day I could live without a trim. So I made my appointment and looked forward to the fresh cut feel I would be enjoying come evening. It was an appointment with someone new, but I had very few worries. Today I was going to ask for something conservative, something I have had done before and been very happy with. It was a "safe" haircut day.
My first indication that there was going to be a problem came shortly after meeting Annie. She asked if I wanted my hair washed, and I told her whatever was easiest for her worked for me. She opted for the wash. When I was little the wash used to absolutely terrify me because of the pain that was usually present when someone else shampooed my head, but 20 years has separated me from that last unpleasant encounter.
Until today.
As Annie began working the shampoo into a lather, my not-so-formally tender head memories came rushing back full force. I tried to focus on the pretty modern lights hanging above me instead of the sharp, follicle pulling, sensations that were zapping my scalp like a machine gun. It didn't work. I hated to be a wuss, but I had to admit that she was really starting to cause some pain. Several minutes passed and things escalated. Tears (not just pretend ones) sprung to my eyes, and I knew I was at the point where I was going to either risk sounding like a jerk or else start wiping the water out of my eyes. And it wasn't until that do or die moment that she finally switched to rinse mode and I was able to put on a smile before I was found out.
Hoping the worst was behind me, I followed Annie back to her station where I described the haircut I was hoping for: inverted bob, front to hit below my chin, minimal stacking in the back. And she was off.
I try and look somewhere besides the mirror when I'm getting a haircut because it always seems that if I look too closely, it will come across like I don't trust the person, and whether that's true or not, I hate to give that impression. So I took in all the details of the shop while I waited for the verdict.
And I waited.
And waited some more.
The haircut was not getting anywhere fast, and again, that made me worry.
Finally, it was time for the moment of truth, better known as the hair dryer. I sneaked a peek, and in that moment, I knew it was one of those haircuts. I tried to keep a calm, panic-strickenless face as I surveyed the result.
But that got harder and harder to do as it became apparent that Annie's hair pulling ways didn't begin and end at the washing station. With each stroke of the round brush, I began to feel the individual "pings" of hairs being torn from the root, follicle and all. Emotion rides high enough with a haircut without pain, so let me tell you, things were not pretty. I began wondering how many hairs had prematurely lost their hold with my scalp during the ill fated 45 minute period of time, and that thought didn't make me any happier. To add insult to injury, my eyes watered again, giving every impression, no doubt, that I was crying over the haircut.
Finally my hair was dry and the torture was over. I steel myself for whatever the end result is going to be, determining ahead of time that I will not let my tongue get away from me! But it didn't end there. Before turning around the chair, she pulled the hair clippers (the ones that buzz) out of her drawer and put those bad boys to work on trimming my neck. That was the final nail in the coffin. If the clippers are a part of the equation, nothing good ever follows. I look in the mirror and confirm what I had expected. My definition of below the chin and Annie's most definitely did not see to eye, or should I say, chin to chin. Oh well.
I was ready to leave it at that when Annie asks, "So, are you happy with it?" It just had to be that, didn't it? Am I HAPPY?! I scramble for something delicate to say and end up blurting out, "Well, I had in mind something a little longer when I said 'below the chin'."
Annie was not going down without an explanation. She grabs her comb and, you might not believe this but it really happens, she pulls my hair, roots straining, as far as it will go, to illustrate that when taut, the tip of my hair almost touches my chin. I said, "I was actually thinking that below the chin meant it would hang below my chin when dry, without pulling it."
Ah ha. That seemed to clear the air for Annie. She informed me, very nicely, that if that's what I wanted, next time I should detail those specifications- that I didn't mean I wanted it below my chin when it was wet and being pulled, but that I actually wanted it below my chin when it was dry and it was hanging loosely on its own.
Believe me, next time I will make it clear.
But, truly, Annie was a very nice person. In fact, she hardly charged me a thing for my cut, which she certainly didn't have to do. I won't go back, but there are no hard feelings.
Just a sore head, and a funny story.
Fortunately, it wasn't two days ago that I posted this, so it was difficult to get truly upset with how the cut unfolded. After all, who hasn't at some time had a haircut turn butcher job? So sit back, read on, and let this bring back memories of the day when my story was your story.
As is usually the case with my hair and me, I woke up and came to the abrupt decision that today was the last day I could live without a trim. So I made my appointment and looked forward to the fresh cut feel I would be enjoying come evening. It was an appointment with someone new, but I had very few worries. Today I was going to ask for something conservative, something I have had done before and been very happy with. It was a "safe" haircut day.
My first indication that there was going to be a problem came shortly after meeting Annie. She asked if I wanted my hair washed, and I told her whatever was easiest for her worked for me. She opted for the wash. When I was little the wash used to absolutely terrify me because of the pain that was usually present when someone else shampooed my head, but 20 years has separated me from that last unpleasant encounter.
Until today.
As Annie began working the shampoo into a lather, my not-so-formally tender head memories came rushing back full force. I tried to focus on the pretty modern lights hanging above me instead of the sharp, follicle pulling, sensations that were zapping my scalp like a machine gun. It didn't work. I hated to be a wuss, but I had to admit that she was really starting to cause some pain. Several minutes passed and things escalated. Tears (not just pretend ones) sprung to my eyes, and I knew I was at the point where I was going to either risk sounding like a jerk or else start wiping the water out of my eyes. And it wasn't until that do or die moment that she finally switched to rinse mode and I was able to put on a smile before I was found out.
Hoping the worst was behind me, I followed Annie back to her station where I described the haircut I was hoping for: inverted bob, front to hit below my chin, minimal stacking in the back. And she was off.
I try and look somewhere besides the mirror when I'm getting a haircut because it always seems that if I look too closely, it will come across like I don't trust the person, and whether that's true or not, I hate to give that impression. So I took in all the details of the shop while I waited for the verdict.
And I waited.
And waited some more.
The haircut was not getting anywhere fast, and again, that made me worry.
Finally, it was time for the moment of truth, better known as the hair dryer. I sneaked a peek, and in that moment, I knew it was one of those haircuts. I tried to keep a calm, panic-strickenless face as I surveyed the result.
But that got harder and harder to do as it became apparent that Annie's hair pulling ways didn't begin and end at the washing station. With each stroke of the round brush, I began to feel the individual "pings" of hairs being torn from the root, follicle and all. Emotion rides high enough with a haircut without pain, so let me tell you, things were not pretty. I began wondering how many hairs had prematurely lost their hold with my scalp during the ill fated 45 minute period of time, and that thought didn't make me any happier. To add insult to injury, my eyes watered again, giving every impression, no doubt, that I was crying over the haircut.
Finally my hair was dry and the torture was over. I steel myself for whatever the end result is going to be, determining ahead of time that I will not let my tongue get away from me! But it didn't end there. Before turning around the chair, she pulled the hair clippers (the ones that buzz) out of her drawer and put those bad boys to work on trimming my neck. That was the final nail in the coffin. If the clippers are a part of the equation, nothing good ever follows. I look in the mirror and confirm what I had expected. My definition of below the chin and Annie's most definitely did not see to eye, or should I say, chin to chin. Oh well.
I was ready to leave it at that when Annie asks, "So, are you happy with it?" It just had to be that, didn't it? Am I HAPPY?! I scramble for something delicate to say and end up blurting out, "Well, I had in mind something a little longer when I said 'below the chin'."
Annie was not going down without an explanation. She grabs her comb and, you might not believe this but it really happens, she pulls my hair, roots straining, as far as it will go, to illustrate that when taut, the tip of my hair almost touches my chin. I said, "I was actually thinking that below the chin meant it would hang below my chin when dry, without pulling it."
Ah ha. That seemed to clear the air for Annie. She informed me, very nicely, that if that's what I wanted, next time I should detail those specifications- that I didn't mean I wanted it below my chin when it was wet and being pulled, but that I actually wanted it below my chin when it was dry and it was hanging loosely on its own.
Believe me, next time I will make it clear.
But, truly, Annie was a very nice person. In fact, she hardly charged me a thing for my cut, which she certainly didn't have to do. I won't go back, but there are no hard feelings.
Just a sore head, and a funny story.
bedtime stories
Last night when I tucked Marianna into bed, I told her this story.
"Once upon a time there was a girl named Madeline who was so very sweet. She loved her mom and dad and little sister very much. Madeline was a good little girl, but sometimes she enjoyed doing mischievous things that got her into trouble.
One morning Madeline was watching her mommy work when she suddenly came up with an idea. She thought it would be fun to go get the Sharpie markers out of the drawer and color all over her hands and toes and tummy. She knew she wasn't allowed to play with those markers, but it was so fun to make marks all over herself. She got the markers out and made beautiful designs all over her body. She thought she looked so pretty!
But when her mommy came looking for her, Madeline ran to hide behind the curtains because she knew that she was in trouble.
Her mommy found her and said, "Madeline, did you use the markers that you are not allowed to play with?
"Yes, Mommy."
"Madeline, you know I love you very much, but it disappoints me when you do something you know is against the rules. That is disobeying. I will have to punish you for this, but I know next time you will make a better choice and we won't have to do this again."
Later on, Madeline and Mommy played with crafts, read books and went outside. Then when Madeline wanted to play with markers she said, "Mom, can I have my markers and some paper to color with?" Mommy told her that was a wonderful idea, and she had fun as she made pictures for her mom and dad. What a lovely afternoon!"
As I finished, Marianna looked up and said, "Mommy, that's just like when I went and got the paint out of the closet and painted my body today! Madeline is just like me!"
The similarities between Madeline's little adventure and her own did not escape her, and I'm hoping that the subtle (or maybe not so subtle) reinforced message might help her conceptualize a little bit better. Let's hope that it doesn't result in an episode with Sharpies =).
"Once upon a time there was a girl named Madeline who was so very sweet. She loved her mom and dad and little sister very much. Madeline was a good little girl, but sometimes she enjoyed doing mischievous things that got her into trouble.
One morning Madeline was watching her mommy work when she suddenly came up with an idea. She thought it would be fun to go get the Sharpie markers out of the drawer and color all over her hands and toes and tummy. She knew she wasn't allowed to play with those markers, but it was so fun to make marks all over herself. She got the markers out and made beautiful designs all over her body. She thought she looked so pretty!
But when her mommy came looking for her, Madeline ran to hide behind the curtains because she knew that she was in trouble.
Her mommy found her and said, "Madeline, did you use the markers that you are not allowed to play with?
"Yes, Mommy."
"Madeline, you know I love you very much, but it disappoints me when you do something you know is against the rules. That is disobeying. I will have to punish you for this, but I know next time you will make a better choice and we won't have to do this again."
Later on, Madeline and Mommy played with crafts, read books and went outside. Then when Madeline wanted to play with markers she said, "Mom, can I have my markers and some paper to color with?" Mommy told her that was a wonderful idea, and she had fun as she made pictures for her mom and dad. What a lovely afternoon!"
As I finished, Marianna looked up and said, "Mommy, that's just like when I went and got the paint out of the closet and painted my body today! Madeline is just like me!"
The similarities between Madeline's little adventure and her own did not escape her, and I'm hoping that the subtle (or maybe not so subtle) reinforced message might help her conceptualize a little bit better. Let's hope that it doesn't result in an episode with Sharpies =).
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