LIFE CHANGES AND THE END OF MY NATURAL JOURNEY!

My Life has been upside down the past three months. I lost my mother on Labor day, September 2, 2013. Two days before my wedding anniversary. My mother passed away while she took a midday nap. Her friend had checked on her at 12 noon. Mom was cooking a dish for a back to school block party. When her friend arrive to get her four hours later, she was lying on the sofa with the remote in her hand and the TV on. When her friend tried to wake her, she discover she had left this world!

I will never forget that Phone call from my sister. I never imagined the pain that I would feel. I did not get to my mothers apartment in time to say good bye. The medical examiners picked up her body in record time. I wanted to make sure she did not suffer, so I asked my nephew to take a picture of her. When I got the picture, I knew God had her! She looked like she was peacefully resting. 


My mother was my best friend, my psychologist, my teacher and my everything! After many years of witnessing to her, she told me one night she thought she was going to die.The Lord came to her and held her all nite. I began receiving inspirational text and E-mail! unknowingly my prayers came true! She had accepted The Lord Jesus Christ as her savior!



As my mothers natural hair journey ends, so does mine. The day after her death, I asked my mom why did she not visit me before she left. As I was writing her eulogy, I began to cry. I heard her tell me her story.
 

" Don`t cry for me. I`am free! I felt like a trapped bird in a cage on Earth. I lived my life and suffered the consequences for some paths taken. Now I`am soaring free like a dove on the right hand of God. Please do not cry. I`am free"

Six weeks ago, I began talking down my locs. I felt a load lifted off of me! Four weeks ago, I went into the salon and came out with a short, colored and RELAXED doo! I LOVE IT! 
I`am taking cosmetologist classes because I want to be knowledgeable with taking care of my own hair. From what I learned in my books, there are many cosmetologist taking short cuts, mine included! 

 

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 I loved my locs for the time they were here! They taught me to love myself and they taught me lots of humility. They also taught me how to care for my own hair and pay close attention to how cosmetologist care for my hair!

I`am not finished! I`am beginning a new chapter!

BLESSINGS!

 

ONE MONTH BABY LOCS!

It took me three weeks to complete my baby locs. Since I do not have SISTERLOCKS! I will not be counting how many locs I have! I do know I have more locs than I had when I was sisterlocked. This was not done intentionally. As I started parting my hair in the front, I have large and medium locs. Towards the back, they are small and medium.

 

Not perfect parts. That`s OK with me!

   
I did not seal my ends like my SisterLock Consultant did five years ago. I had enough length to leave the ends open. My hair is as unruly as it were the first time I locked. My hair is not neat. It likes to slip and slide. Hair strains like to come out of the patterned loc as they did five years ago! The only difference is that I can take care of my own hair. When my locs slip, I can re-tighten. If a loc comes out of pattern, I`am equipped to place back in to pattern.

 My hair loves to be locked! My scalp is abundant with sebum. My hair is never dry. I do not have to worry about placing anything on it. My new growth is salt and pepper. More salt than pepper. I`am tired of chasing gray. I may just let it be! We shall see!

 

Gray scalp.

God is so good! I have learned so much during my first loc journey! I wear my locs with pride, gray and all!

" All the days of the vow of his separation there shall be no razor come upon his head: until the days br fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
                                                   Book of Numbers 6:5 KJV 

MY NEW DREADLOCK JOURNEY!

My three months of loose hair became boring very quickly! I thought of perming again, but then I would have to be at the mercy of a salon. I wanted to maintain a short do.  Then I would begin the vicious cycle of hair mutilation. That thought left quickly! I also thought of texturizing my hair. Again that would lead to hair and scalp damage. I thought, If I place a texturizer in my hair, I will have to have another big chop to lock up my hair. 

I love my wigs, but they do get hot! I could not wait until I got home to pull the wig cap and wig off so my scalp could breath!
 My wigs have allowed my hair to grow and stay healthy. I plan to wear them until my babies begin to lock. I will continue to use them as fashion accessories.


I`am going to Barbados for vacation and to unite with cousins I never met in October. The first thing I thought about is my hair. How the hell could I possible swim in a wig? Yes, I could get braids. Then I would have to deal with the soreness of tight braids and potential damage to my scalp.

Why would I waste time and money on micro braids, when I could re-lock my hair!

I wanted traditional locs, so I twisted my loose curl textured hair. When moisture hit it, they began to unravel. That stressed me out! I decide to interlock.
 I found my self going to the SisterLock web site searching for consultants and trainees in my area. I really did not want micro locs. I wanted my locks smaller than traditional locs. I don`t give a shit about perfect grids and lock uniformity. All I want is neat looking locs.
When I thought about paying $600 + for someone to install my locs because of my laziness and impatience, I said to my self, WTF!! You can loc up your own hair!

With the help of two mirrors and my husband helping me straighten my parts that I can`t see, my babies are being born! Thanks to my wigs, I birth a few babies at a time! When I get tired, I stop. I place my wig mesh cap on and keep it moving!

BABY LOC CARE:

Wash locs with a clarifying shampoo. NO CONDITIONERS!
Remember to braid and band new interlocks. If you can`t braid your short locs, group them together and place small rubber bands at the ends.

SHAMPOOS I USED:
Knotty Boy Shampoo Bar: Baby loc stage.
Bronner`s Pure Castile Soap: Unscented Baby Mild.
Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo. 
Beauty Without Cruelty Shampoo: Rosemary Mint Tea Tree 

TO PREVENT ITCHING: 
 1 tbs- Sweet almond oil
5 drops Tea tree essential oil
5 drops Peppermint essential oil
5 drops  Rosemary essential oil

I apply this oil to my scalp only. To keep my developing locs moisturized, I use Jane Carter Leave in conditioner. It does not make the locs unravel. To rid bed head, I spritz with water. WATER IS YOUR FRIEND!

MINIMAL MANIPULATION OF LOCS ARE KEY!

Until next time, stay blessed! 

HARLEM 125: JU322 (KATE) WIG REVIEW

HERE IS ONE OF MY WIG REVIEWS. LOVE MY WIGS! THEY ARE GREAT FASHION ACCESSORIES FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO TRANSITION FROM PERMED HAIR TO NATURAL HAIR WITHOUT THE DRASTIC CHANGE!

I`AM USING WIGS TO PROTECT MY NATURAL HAIR UNTIL IT GETS TO A LENGTH THAT I COULD STYLE.
LIFE IS TO SHORT TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT HOW YOU SHOULD WEAR YOUR HAIR! DO YOU! HAVE FUN! LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO RESTRICT YOURSELF! 

 




KEEP YOUR HAIR HEALTHY NO MATTER HOW YOU CHOOSE TO WEAR IT!

BLESSINGS!

My New Fashion Accessory: Wigs!

A wig is a head of hair made from horsehair, human hair, wool, feathers, yak hair, buffalo hair, or synthetic materials which is worn on the head for fashion or various other aesthetic and stylistic reasons, including cultural and religious observance. The word wig is short for periwig and first appeared in the English language around 1675.
Some people wear wigs to disguise the fact that they are bald; a wig may be used as a less intrusive and less expensive alternative to therapies for restoring hair. Wigs may also be used as a cosmetic accessory, sometimes in the context of religious practice of cutting or shaving one's natural hair. Actors often wear costume wigs in order to portray characters.

When I cut my hair off to get locked, I was on a spiritual and personal journey! Today, I have grown and I`am being me! Before I decided to lock, I did all kinds of things to my hair. I pressed, permed, colored, braided, and weaved my hair. I really was not in to the artificial hair thing. I owned a fall and a ponytail, but I still had to manipulate my hair to prepare for the ponytail or fall. Every two weeks I came out of the salon with a new hair style. It was a surprise to me when I abruptly cut my hair of to lock.

Now short and natural, I quickly became bored with my super short cut. One day as my husband and I were driving, I spotted a beauty supply store. I told my husband to stop the car! I jumped out the car and went in. I was like a kid in the candy store! All these wigs! I wanted to stay conservatively close to natural hair. So I purchased a medium length curly front lace. I did not know what a front lace was. when the woman in the store ask if I wanted her to cut the lace for $ 5.00, I told her I will look it up on YouTube and politely declined.

 I went home to get info on how to cut front lace wigs. I saw all of these different women reviewing wigs. I stumbled on JoAnn Grays videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/JoAnnGray That was the beginning of my newly found fashion accessory.

I love the idea that I can wear the latest looks without damaging my hair. Until I decide what I will do with my hair, My natural hair will be nice protected under my meshed wig cap until until further notice! P.S. The wig cap comes off at night. Husband still loves to run his fingers through my hair! 


WIG MAINTENANCE AND REVIEWS ARE COMING!

My DreadLock Journey Comes To An End!!

I have been wrestling with the idea of taking down my locs. I decided not to re tighten. Then I thought about the maintenance of loose hair, so I re tightened them again. Tonight, I became aggravated with them. I decided to cut my ends, wet and condition my locs. The ends began to unravel. I took down one loc and I felt liberated! 

Friday, after work, I sat at my vanity and began taking down a few locs.  The hair in some locs were long and some were very short. As I looked in the mirror, I saw how many locs I had to take down. I took the scissors and began to cut my locs where the new growth end. In 30 minutes, my dreadlock journey was over!



It felt so good to run my fingers through my hair without any obstructions! I washed my hair with Carol's Daughter's TUI moisturizing sulfate free shampoo following with the TUI conditioner. It felt so good to massage my scalp as it tingled.

I placed some S curl stylin gel on my hair. I watched as it curled up. I placed a big grin on my face. My husband was in shock when he woke up. Then he said," honey why did you not let me cut it for you?" I said " I was afraid you would talk me out of it." He Stated, "Honey now I can see your beautiful face!" I told him, "After all, it only hair! It will grow."

I honestly don`t know what I will do with my hair. I will not be locking again. I miss the versatility of styling. I do plan to wear my hair natural and short for a while. 

I will always remember my dreadlock journey. It has taught   me humility, self-control, gentleness, patience and love! 
A new journey begins! 


Thanks everyone for your support! 

EPIPHANYI

T

                                                               NEW BABY LOC

EPIPHANY: A sudden, intuitive perception of insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by something, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

I was on the fence about cutting my locs. I realized that when I faced a life crisis, I always had the urge to drastically change my hair. After deep thought, I wondered what will happen to my hair if I cut off my locks. For five years and three months, I had not stepped into a salon. I did not have to wait for hours to get my hair done. I did not have to spend money on them other than my hair products (which are minimal) and perm rods.

 I awake each morning not worrying about whether I will be late for work because I`am having a bad hair day! To tell you the truth, I have not had a bad hair day since my baby loc days! When I workout , swim, or get caught in the rain, my locs stay looking the same.

Last week, at my new job, a surgeon and I had a conversation about how our people are so fixated on European beauty. We spoke about long hair weaves, skin lightening and the desire to be model thin instead of healthy thin. When I took my surgical cap off, she stated how beautiful my hair was. I told her that I started with SisterLocks. I gave her the SisterLocks information and a list of consultants. I also gave her a list of blogs of women with different types of locks and their journeys. Then she can decide what best for her,

I want people to accept me as  a Black Women! Not a wannabe. My husband says my locs are my trademark. They were one of the features that had attracted him to me. He said I wore them with confidence.


              TIGHTENED LOCS

I will continue to wear my locks in confidence. I will just chock it up as the five year itch! If God is willing, will continue to wear my locs for another five years! 

 "During the entire period of his vow of separation no razor may be used on his head. he must be holy until the period of his separation to the Lord is over; he must let the hair of his head grow long" Numbers 6:5

TRANSITIONING TO UNLOCKED HAIR!

 Five years two month locked, I`am loosing my love for my locs! Five years ago, I was transitioning into myself. God was working with me. Through my locs, he has taught me to love my self. As a result I learned to love others. My locs have taught me humility, self control, and gentleness. I have experienced joy and I have inner peace! Those are all the fruit of the spirit. Galatians 5:22-23.

 Besides shampoo, conditioner, natural oil and a demi-permanent hair color,My locs are healthy.

 My husband loves my locs, but it is not enough to keep them. I `am still on the fence, but I still have a strong urge to cut them off!

 I blame Rihanna! I was on the net when I saw her with this cut. It reminded me when I use to wear my hair short. I loved it! I `am so obsessed with this style, I printed it and placed it on my mirror.


 
   
 

 I`am transitioning from locked to unlocked hair. I cut my locs to my shoulders. I will not re tightening my hair. I plan on picking the top of my locs out. By April, for my 52nd birthday, plan to let the locs go.
 




Trimmed Locs

  






New Growth











Cut Locs

Stay tuned!

 God Bless! 

TIME FOR CHANGE!

Happy New Year, 2013! This is my year for change!

In the last  two years, my life has had a lot of change. In February 2010, I started a new a job as a Nurse manager in a level one trauma center. In April 2010, I met the love of my life. A month later, I had a motorcycle accident that had me literally learning how to walk again. I did not brake any bones but I tore tendons that are just as important in ambulating than bones. During the first three months of recovery, my then boyfriend proved his unconditional love for me by nursing me back to heath. We were engaged by August. He moved in with me in November. We were married in December and still planning a wedding ceremony in September. 

During all this time, I had become a step mother to two beautiful teenagers that had to blend in with my household of two young adult college students. The teenagers when they visited every other weekend, had to learn my house rules. 

At work, my old boss was re-located to another shift in another role. My new boss was a delegator who provided little to no support system. 

Then through all of that stress, Mrs. Menopause decided to add some stress too! Because I did could not exercise because of my knees, I gained 20 pounds in less than a year. By the time my first wedding anniversary came, I could not fit anything from my honeymoon. As a result of the weight, I developed bone spurs in both heels and had to get steroid injections for the pain in the past year. On top of that, I commute an hour and a half to and from work each day. A total of three to four hours each day!

Under all the stress, my stomach began to hurt,I felt I had a lump in my neck. Sometimes it felt that something was pressing on my throat. My voice started changing. I went to my physician and he diagnosed me with something bogus. I talked to a gastroenterologist that I work with. She said I had silent acid reflux. I had no burning, but I got home late and I would eat and go to sleep without allowing my food to digest. The acid would come up and spill unto my voice box causing my voice to become hoarse. I went to a GI doc and I had a medical procedure to look in my stomach. I had gastritis, inflammation of the stomach and a hiatal hernia. A hiatal hernia occurs when part of the stomach pushes through your diaphragm, leading to heartburn.
This can be cause by excess weight that causes pressure around your abdomen. It is very uncomfortable. If I over eat or eat the wrong foods, I`am in pain.No more chocolate, coffee, pepermint  tea, onions, tomatoes, fried foods, spicy foods, citrus fruits or cinnamon on my oatmeal.

I recieved a call from a hospital that I applied for a job about two years ago. The recruiter wanted to set up an interview. I had a interview with my old nurse manager. She was now a director at the new hospital. She had ask the recruiter to get in touch with me. I always though she was an angel. She and God was my saving grace.

God knew I was at my wits end! But I continues to be committed to my job even when I was crashing and burning. God knew I had enough! So he sent an angel to deliver me
 Now I will be a 20 minute drive to and from work. I`ll have time to eat properly and exercise. I can spend more time with my husband and hobbies. Most of all, I will have a piece of mind!

I will miss my staff dearly, but I`am no spring chicken. I have a few good years left and I intend to live them to the fullest! i`AM TO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!

Let go and Let GOD! 
 

                                                      SOME OF MY CREW

                                                     My Assistant and I

                         My going away cake.