Adventures in hair coloring

The first time I ever colored my hair I was 18. A friend talked me into frosting it. That was really big back then. Of course, she volunteered to do it, even though she had never done anything like that before. My hair is naturally very dark brown, almost black. It ended up being very blonde. I was horrified. I went back to the store and got a dark brown semi permanent color thinking (in my naive mind) that by the time it washed out I would be back to my own color. All it did was turn my hair a darker shade of blonde. So I just let it grow out. The next time I ventured into color territory I went wild. I colored it eggplant. Now if you have ever looked carefully at an eggplant you will notice that it is almost black with a purple cast to it. I loved it. When I was in the sun the purple really came out, and purple is my favorite color. I wore it like that for several years and finally decided it was just too expensive. I had to be done at a salon and after about three weeks the purple faded away. After that grew out I found out that it was time to start coloring for a different reason. I was unbelievably gray (or is it grey). Any way I had always heard that as you get older your hair should get lighter. So I started coloring it a medium brown, which by the way, is very dark. From there I went to light brown. For the last several years it has be sometimes a dark blonde sometimes a medium blonde.
I can imagine you are thinking, ok so why are you telling me all of this. Well, my hairdresser wants to do something dramatic with my hair. I have an appointment for Valentines day. We are going to a wedding that day and I figured it would be the perfect time to try something new. So if I don't see you very often, the next time may be something of a shoch. We'll see.

2009

As I think back to the last year of my life. How blessed I am. I spent from February until July on the couch, homebound. Recovering from what will be my last knee surgeries. God sent us to the Mayo Clinic and to Dr. Arlan Hanssen. He truly is a God send. He saved my leg and my life. I spent four years recovering from various knee surgeries and in that time I learned a lot. I learned to be thankful for such a wonderful husband, not that I wasn't befoe. This is different. He proved/showed me how very much he loves me. I learned to be thankful for my daughter who was there to help when ever she could be. And then there is Shelby. She had never known Grandma without a boo boo. She helped me with my walker, helped me lift my leg and generally watched out for me. When I got to the point that I was using a cane, she would remind me to take it with me. I learned to be happy in my circumstance. I would be lying if I told you being alone most of the time unable to do the smallest thing for myself was fun, but God was there with me and kept me from getting depressed. I tried hard not to complain and look for the bright side.
Now that I am recovered I find I am more content. I don't need to be entertained like before. Before I didn't like sitting at home, I wanted to go. Now even though I am still very social, I find I can be content. I am calmer, more at peace. So if you are ever going through a trial just remember God's word says: Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. I figure he waited four years to heal me because I had a lot to learn, and I am at the point now that I have taken steps to see that this does not happen to someone else. God never waste suffering.