Herding Morgans: A Hair Raising Experience!

I am not necessarily an impulsive person. I can be very flexible...kind of a necessity when you have four children...but I usually think through major decisions. Hair, for any woman, is a major decision. We spend a lot of time finding just the right person to cut, color, and style our hair. We purchase products that give quality results. We spend time making sure our hair looks just right. The only exception to this rule is when we can't get an appoint with our cosmetologist...then...we do impulsive things!

Last spring, I asked my hair dresser to start working in some of my gray to the color scheme. I have had gray hair since I was 16 years old and was growing tired of coloring it. I could schedule an appointment every 4-5 weeks for a color, but my gray was becoming very noticeable at 3 weeks! I thought since I was turning 50, it would be o.k. to show my gray (especially if it was as pretty as my brother's.) I also noticed that more people were asking my children about their "grandma" that drove them to school...well...if I was going to be referred to as my children's grandmother - then why was I paying to have my hair colored?

My hair stylist tried all sorts of things for 8 months trying to work the gray in. I had highlights, more highlights, low lights, a medium base with highlights, and more highlights, and more highlights...until I was bleach blonde. Not really what I had anticipated. I had very dark, german, curly hair before. I had told my husband that I may have to cut it all off and start over to get back to my natural color. I think he was tired of me complaining and said, "Well, why not! You wouldn't have to color your hair anymore!" I mistakenly took this as encouragement, forgetting how frugal my minimalist husband is...who was probably just thinking he could save a lot of money if I quit coloring my hair. I should've known better...he usually doesn't agree with me.

Well...I tried to get my hair colored in February when I was 4 weeks into the bleach blonde...no open appointments. I tried at 5 weeks...nope...at 6 weeks...nothing! O.K. Now I am desperate! When I volunteered at the school one day, my son's first grade classmates asked me what was wrong with my hair...why was it 2 different colors? Rotten kids! That was it!!!! I went home and thought..."I am going to do it!" "I have at least a half inch of white hair showing...I can shave it off." Always wanting to make memories for my children (whose hair I always cut)...I decided to let my 6 year old shave my head. Hmmmm. Looking back now...probably not the greatest idea.

I walked out of the bathroom and my 16 year old son fell on the floor laughing. Not the most encouraging sign. My six year old kept staring at me with a look of horror. My 12 year old daughter came down the stairs to see what all the commotion was and started screaming then started laughing. I picked my 4 year old up at preschool (wearing a hat) and he yelled across the room..."MooooooooooM! What are you wearing a hat for? Take it off!" He ran over and tried to rip the hat off my newly shaven head. I was dodging and ducking him in an effort to keep my head covered...I wasn't ready to go public yet with the previous reactions I received. We made it to the car and the the little scoundrel pulled off my hat. He yelled at the top of his lungs, "What did you do that for?! Who cut off all your hair???? You need to put it back!!!!"

I wasn't feeling very confident about my impulsive decision right about then. My husband came home from work and laughed...a little too hard and too long. That was the point I thought, "Surely, there is not much more humiliation that a person can endure." I was wrong.

As my hair is growing out...it has gone through some interesting stages. I can't say they have added to my confidence level, but they have certainly made for some interesting observations and discussions with family and friends. The following are the stages...each one named by a family member or friend. I hope you can laugh along with me...because at this point...it is either laugh or cry...I choose...laugh.