This is a long one but it makes up for the month since my last post... it will be worth it!
So...... There was to be a wedding! A wedding that would have my son getting married! To very special young lady! I had the dress ordered, and as the date drew near I talked with my mom about what to do with my darn hair! It's just weird - it never does what I'd like it to do! I slso do not really try very hard to do things with it - I most of the time do not care about my hair!
Above is my usual hair! Hot mess not quite a brown football helmet!
She said "I am giving a "Love You Gift" card for you at
The Hair and Color Bar in Wasilla. You will go and get your hair done before the wedding!"
In theory, this is so awesome it brought me to tears! In reality, I also cried a little with anxiety about going to the hairdresser! I have some issues! I also had to go shoe shopping at some point in time and get just the right shoes to go with said dress! I also do not love shopping unless it is at a fabric store!
But Mom said she had seen a lot of ladies coming out of there when she was waiting for one of my neices (pre driver status days) to get done working and there "was never anyone who came out of there who wasn't beautiful!"
The dress arrived and I made the hair appointment and prepped to go shoe shopping too! The making of the appointment was interesting - I use pretty generic shampoo and conditioner and I dont own a blow dryer, straightener, or curling iron and I have not had my hair professionally done for about 20 years! I have been cutting my own hair for most of that time - literally when Im sewing and hair falls and is in my way - I grab those paper scissors and cut it off and in the garbage it goes! Totally not kidding! The appointment application asks lots of questions about your "hair regimen". I do not have one!
I know one of the hair professionals at the Hair and Color Bar but of course she was to be out of town until after the wedding so I messaged her and asked who I should go to as an anxiety ridden self hair cutter? She said - Stephanie all day long! So I booked with Stephanie.....
Day of the appointment - I did some housework and then went and visited my father in law for a bit and then I went shoe shopping - had the day all planned out so I couldnt freak out and cancel any of the things! Famous Footwear has Birkenstocks and that is what I wanted for the wedding shoes - they can be kind of fancy but still work at work too! Double win!
Shoe shopping took a little longer than I thought it would, there was a young lady trying to find her perfect pair of Crocs, and a couple who were beach shoe shopping and I couldnt find exactly the right thing either until I only had about 15 minutes to get across traffic, through a few stoplights and up a hill to the hair appointment. So ..... I rushed us - me and the shoe clerk. She opened the box, said "left, right, 41, 41 and same color! Great!" Rang me up and away I went - with the reciept in the box. (Make note that we opened the box during this transaction at least twice - it will be important later).
I made it to the place - Hair and Color Bar - tucked into the mall in between the Geico offices and the Northern Knives store. Took a few minutes to get ready to go in - "everything will be ok- everything will be ok!"
And Im in! Smiling and greeted kindly by a very lovely receptionist. Checked in and told Stephanie will be right with me. "Everything will be OK!"
The before picture - in the chair and ready to do the hard thing that is also very exciting!
They offer you tea and water and here I am with Stephanie behind me uptting the "fun Foil" in my hair to get me "sun kissed highlights" started! Notice that both of us are smiling! I very much liked the idea of "sun kissed highlights" I want something seriously low maintenance, and not trying to cover up my grey, but just to have it be a little brighter and look good for the wedding! They ask you when you make the appointment if you will committ to having an "hair update" at least every 6 months - I said "I dont know when Ill be able to do this again so lets just see how today goes?" She was good with that - having seen my level of anxiety coming in the door!
Drinking my tea and reading a real paper book while waiting fot the "fun Foil" to do its thing!
When Stephanie had started the whole process, she asked me what it looked like when I look in the mirror and brush my hair? I know I had a confused look on my face and I said "I don't look in the mirror - I just brush my hair and go out the door!" Stephanie is familiar with my story as the lady I know who works there is also a loss mother and had told her some of the things. Apparently, not looking in the mirror is a trauma response - for various reasons - I had not realized that I didn't often look at myself in the mirror - rarely ever....
Stephanie gently said "I know you want to look good for your sons wedding, that is the whole reason you are here today. Part of self care is looking in the mirror to brush your hair so that on the day of the wedding you will know what to d and how to make it look the way you want! I need you to start looking in the mirror!" Then she showed me how she was brushing it.
Done! I love it! Stephanie was amazing, gentle, kind and didn't berate me for the uneven levels in my hair from cuttin it myself. She just fixed them, and showed me how great getting your hair done can be! As I was leaving I said to her "Stephanie - I would do this again!"
Cool Mo Lis in the car headed home with a beautiful new do and some confidence (along with shampoo and conditioner) that I can manage my hair for the wedding and for all the days really!
Once I got home I was exhausted, but happy! Until I opened th box with the shoes to make sure they really did go with the dress and.....
TaDa! Two different shoes in the box! Yes! The box we opened at the counter twice! Holy Crap! I have to go back to the store!
The next morning I toodled back, and when the clerk asked if I was returning or exchanging I said "Neither, I just need two of the same shoes in my box please!?"
The clerk sort of freaked out - "What if the other pair of shoes got sold too and they dont return them in time for the wedding!?" I did not freak out - "Then we will find another pair that will work for me!"
It took us 40 minutes and the clerk and the store manager and anyone else who would jump in to help - but finally.....
TADA! towo same shoes that fit me in the same box! Yay!
Here they are on - perfect with my dress and ready for the wedding!
Stay tuned for the wedding post - coming up sooner that I have been doing - its all a long story!
I hope you have people who love you enough to help you get your hair done when you are afraid to and shoe people who care to get you two shoes in one box!
Blessed Be!
