Hair today, gone tomorrow

We spent the past weekend in Helena visiting friends, attending a wedding and getting family pictures taken. We stayed with some people who had lived in Fort Benton. They have a six-year old son who is just finishing kindergarten.

We arrived Saturday just before the wedding. Etta was very excited to see Uncle Eek-Eek, Baba Eddie and Grandma Cynthia. Here is a pic from the "reunion" moment.

Very excited to be with Uncle Eek-Eek!



After the wedding we headed over to our friends' house. Etta was very excited to have a playmate (and not be told, "Don't touch that! Get down! Be careful! Stop!"). The little boy was also very excited to have someone to play with. They played together in the living room. They went in and out of his bedroom, laughing and having a great time. We heard drum playing, we heard laughing.

We heard...silence.

When the silence got to the point of, "Uh oh, what's going on?" the little boy's dad got up and headed in to the bedroom. I decided that I should perhaps follow. As I was approaching the bedroom I heard a whimper start. I rounded the corner.

"What happened to your clothes?"

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR?!?!"

Etta's clothes were in tatters and her hair was, well, not completely gone, but not there. Curls missing, a couple of deep gouges on top and in the back. After I picked her up she was pretty quiet. Kind of in shock I think.

We tried not to make too big of a deal about it in front of her for the rest of the evening. Although multiple times she would reach up and say, "Where'd curls go?" Or, "Hair all gone." Before bed Bob showed Etta herself in the mirror. I was not there to witness her reaction but apparently she was quite upset.

I myself went through many stages of, well, processing, we'll call it. There is a little part of me that is crumbling. Those beautiful locks that have taken over two years to get to the point of "piggies". That soft, baby hair that would curl over her ears and at the nape of her neck, just gone. Back to, "What a cute little boy you have there". Even looking back at pictures is almost too hard for me right now.

But then the sane part of me takes over. At least we aren't having to shave her head because of chemo treatments. At least he didn't take a part of an ear or poke out an eye.

It's. Just. Hair. It will grow back. Maybe the curls will be gone. Maybe they won't be. I don't have curls. I turned out okay. It's summer time. She likes to wear hats. She never wanted me to brush it or put piggies in it anyway.

The spiritual side of me knows that God is teaching me a little lesson about pride. And that I had reached the point of a little too much for my own good. There are many ways that He could have taught me this lesson. I am just glad that this is the way He chose to do it.

So even though the hair is in a different style she is still the same beautiful, wonderful, fun, loving little girl that is no longer our baby but our "big girl" and almost "big sister". No amount of hair oops will change that.

My hairdresser in Fort Benton was kind enough to add an extra 15 minutes to her day OFF and even out the tresses for FREE! Who can argue with that kindness?

Getting ready.



Getting the bib.



First cuts.



Sitting so still.



Ready for summer with my new 'do.