a new do, & thankful for locks of love.

I

I can't believe a week has gone by since Lexie had her hair cut off, and it also took a whole week for her to let go of her locks...literally. The day Lexie got her hair buzzed off the hairdresser handed me a ziplock bag with her locks in it. I thought that they would donate her hair for us but apparently we had to do it. Well...that bag of hair sat on my dresser all week. I don't know why I hung on to it for this long. Every time I'd grab something from my dresser I'd just stare and look at it. Some of y'all might think "ok, that's creepy weird", but I had not opened it since it was handed to us. Before we mailed it off I decided to open it. I guess you can say I wanted to see how it smelled. I washed my hands opened it gently & got a whiff of her scented hair. It smelled like her so fresh and clean. It was bittersweet. It's surreal that she completely has it buzzed off now, and although I feel as if I have a different daughter in the house she is the same Lexie. Witty, funny, and still oh, so serious! She is striking & looks beautiful & because of her height looks like a model. A friend of mine on FB even said that she looks like a bad a** (pardon my french.) 

Apparently there are pros & cons with short hair. I should know because I had super short hair too in the form of an Afro. 

For example-she loves that she can spend less time in the shower & that she can just get up & go in the morning without spending an extra 10 minutes brushing her hair. I don't have to buy a lot of hair product for her so that saves me some money, and not take her to the hairdresser every few weeks for a hair trim. One thing she'll miss about her hair is styling it in different ways. She can't braid it or put it up in a bun. She even catches herself wanting to run her fingers through it, and will toss her head back thinking there's hair in her face. It's so funny when I catch her doing that. One huge pro she loves about her short hair is wearing cute beanies. 

Apparently some of her guy friends from school buzzed their hair too, but didn't shave it. Now she looks like their twin. I guess they all wanted to look like her. haha! She's their idol.They're all good friends & have gained so much respect for her.

In all honesty I personally love her short hair. It seems like a trend right now too. She looks like an Anne Hathaway from Les Miserables as well as Emma Watson from Harry Potter. 

She loves her new do but is still getting used to it. Too bad she'll only have it short for one summer, but be forewarned. I'm going to take advantage of documenting her with this pixie cut every chance i get... so be prepared. There are about to be many pictures posted in the near future for her posterity. Time flies and it won't be too long before she has her long hair again. 

One question I asked her the other day was if she would take it back. You know, cutting her hair & all. She responded with an emphatic no. I could see it in her face that she was sincere. She truly is happy to have been able to done this great deed for a kid with cancer, and for that she'll forever be grateful.  

a good cause.

I began to cry. Not because of the fact that her hair will be gone. Not because she's going to look different. Not because I'll be embarrassed to be seen with her. Not because of the questions I might get asked. I cried because my 14 year old daughter decided on her own motive to be one of the candidates to have her hair cut, and buzzed to raise funds for child cancer research. I cried because of her bravery. It's official. She has been chosen, and so the short story goes like this... 

"Mom, what would you think if i shaved my entire head off?" I was like..."uhhh...why, what for?" "It's to raise funds for cancer research." Without hesitation, and a little bit of tears I said "it's fine with me." (my wow moment came shortly after!) She then asked me what her dad would think? I then told her go ask him. Better yet I called his name out to come into the living room. "Hun...come here." "Okay Lexie, ask him now." She asked him and he immediately said "go for it". I knew he would be supportive as we usually are when it comes to something huge, and different like this. I stood up from the couch, gave her a great big hug, kissed her on the cheek, and told her she was amazingly brave for her wanting to do this. 

We began to discuss the details of when it's going to take place, and how does one get chosen. Apparently the staff chooses three students from each grade. Lexie was so serious in wanting to do this that we got up early the next morning to sign a permission slip allowing her to be one of the candidates to participate. We got there a little late, but signed the permission slip anyway. She didn't think she'd get chosen, but I had a strong feeling that she was going to be, and sure enough she came home Friday after school telling me she was one of the chosen ones. I was really happy for her, and let me tell you something...I didn't recant in telling her that she shouldn't do it, and wasn't disappointed that she was chosen. As much I love her beautiful hair, I will love her even more without it! 

My heart swelled because of the choice as to why she's doing this. It is such a great feeling to know that I have a child full of strength and courage with a heart so big that she is willing to do this even thought she's not sick. The fact that we have had many family members from both sides of our families die of cancer has given her more encouragement to do so. Uncles, grandparents, and even friends who have suffered long battles with it, and eventually died from it. 

I began to cry because of the offering she is so willing to give, and in thinking of the cause. I am so pleased with myself in the way that I have raised this child. All of our children are sooooo different, and not everyone would have the audacity to do such a thing. I know that I would not have even thought twice about cutting my hair (was made fun of too much as a kid with an afro) much less having it buzzed off at her age. What an awesome young woman! 

I am in awe of her bravery, and the willingness for her to do such a selfless act of love. I count my blessings that the Lord continues to give me when it comes to our children. I am thankful for having a heart so big in allowing my daughter to give up her gorgeous hair for this stupid thing we call cancer.

And lucky for locks of love to be soon receiving some beautiful, healthy hair that has never been damaged by any chemicals! 

She has three weeks to enjoy her hair before it gets buzzed off! 


The End.

**Our goal is to raise at least $500.00, but we hope to surpass that. If  any of you who would like to donate funds please visit the St. Baldricks Foundation website and you can donate there.  Donations as little as a dollar will help increase the funds! This is such great cause, and again I am humbled that our daughter has chosen to do this.  

A special thanks to those who keep up with this blog!

xxx-Rose