Drastic!

Oops!  Almost forgot to tell you ...

I did something DRASTIC this week ... something RADICAL and CRAZY and OUT OF THE NORM for Mama D.

I got my hair cut ... really CUT this week.  Not a trim.  Nope.  A new hairstyle.  New ... as in ... it has been 28 years since I have had my hair cut this short.  Scary?  Yes.

For the past 28 years, I have had "long hair".  Last time I got it cut "short", Papa laughed at me.  So, right then and there I declared, "I will never get my hair cut short again."

I go to my hairstylist (and awesome friend) every 4 months for a trim and a color.  (I didn't ever color my hair until I was 40, and only started then so that I could keep it the "natural" light brown ... because it was darkening.)  Over the years, I have changed things up a bit ... sometimes keeping it 1/2 way down my back ... sometimes keeping it just below my shoulders ... sometimes a blunt cut ... sometimes adding layers ...  It's not like I've "looked the exact same for 30 years".  No.  But, I have always like my long hair.

Well, a few days before the appointment, I started looking in the mirror and wondering.  Should I cut it a little shorter?  (It was quite long.)  Maybe I should go back to the "below the shoulder" length?  Maybe I should add a few more layers?

Then, when my sweet friend said, "Trim it as usual?" I responded ...

"Maybe a little more."

"Maybe 3" or 4" instead of 2"."

"I want to keep it long enough for a pony tail."

"Keep it below the shoulders."

"I like "long" hair."

"Maybe a few more layers."

"Just do whatever you want to do ..."


What did I just say?!?!

I'm sure that my sweet friend's mind was racing.  Did Laurel just give me permission to "do what I want to do"?  What fun this will be!  (Sweet Friend is very young and very beautiful.  I'm sure she has always wanted to do away with my "1970's look".)

Now, Sweet Friend and I LOVE to chat when I get my haircut.  So, I really wasn't paying too much attention to how much fun she must have been having while snipping and snipping and snipping.  I never did look down to see how big the piles of hair were on the floor.

I noticed that the front was a bit shorter than usual (as it bounced on my shoulder).  However, she usually cuts the sides a bit shorter than the back.  So, I was envisioning the back of my hair sweeping below my shoulders, with a few layers for added bounce.

Then ... I looked in the mirror and about fell over.  The back was shorter than the front.  (Does that mean that Mama D. actually has a "modern hair style"?)  It was layered quite a bit more than the sides.  And, the layers were flipped up.  Oh my!  I LOVED it!!!  So different!  So fun!

Sweet Friend obviously only heard the "do whatever you want".  She totally assumed that that one little comment negated all of the other instructions to ...  "keep it long" ... "I still want to be able to do a ponytail" ... "keep it below the shoulders" ...

As I bounced out of the hair salon (with my new bouncy hairdo), I laughed and told Sweet Friend, "Jim will definitely notice this haircut."

Then, I thought ...  Uh oh!  What will Papa say?  I think I'll keep it a secret until he comes home tomorrow!

When Papa came home the next day, I was so nervous, remembering clearly when he had laughed at my haircut 28 years ago.  He came home.  We chatted.  He didn't say anything.

Okay ... better than laughter ... but he must HATE it ...  What should I do?  What should I say?

After Papa had been home about 2 hours, he and I were sitting on the couch chatting when Josiah suddenly said, "Papa, did you notice anything about Mama?"  He brilliantly responded, "She's just as beautiful as ever."  Good job, Papa!  

But ... guess what?  Papa seriously HAD NOT NOTICED  the haircut.  Nope.  Didn't notice the "new do".   Too funny!

Oh yes ... after I got home from the salon I had a horrifying thought ... How am I going to style this?  I have no idea how to keep this cute style.  What am I going to do???  It took awhile the next day, but I did figure it out.  (Goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks.)

I know ... now you are all wanting to see pictures.  But, I don't have any yet.  I'll try to remember to do that this coming week (after practicing the styling techniques a bit more).

Thank you, Sweet Friend, for stepping out and helping to modernize this "old mama".  Thank you for not letting me get stuck in the 1970's rut.  Thank you for helping me to feel young, even when the calendar shows otherwise.  (When out and about with my little 8 year olds, I often wonder if people think I'm the Mama or the Grandma.)

Mama D. is sportin' a "new do" ... and lovin' it!!!