Leopard Print......rrrrraaarrrrr!!!

By my 2nd month in Beauty School (1994) I was pumped!!! I was graduating from only being able to work on mannequins while being confined to the instruction room  to working on the 'floor'- There was a group of us that started Beauty School together that October- We had all been told the same story by our instructor Miss Roux......'Statistically only 10% of those who begin beauty school will graduate and of those 10% only 3% will still be doing hair after 5 years'.  I looked around the small table where we were gathered and wondered which of us would be the failing statistic-
Brian had just moved down from a town 3 hours North of us, Janette was trying to better herself by getting a trade behind her to help support her 2 little girls, Sara was a natural- she caught on to everything super quick, Margie M. had amazing red hair and was a fire cracker- she had me convinced that no woman should be without a concealed weapons permit, Margie H. could have you talked out of any possession you own- the girl was a classy mooch (she didn't just come out and ask for what she wanted- she worded it so that you felt this need to give it to her), and Max......Max was all about his girl friend who was pregnant with their son that they were going to name Max-
As we were being ushered out onto the floor (except for Sara- who had found out she was pregnant in that 2 month time and decided not to keep going) and shown our station's I distinctly remember thinking I had it all under control- I had been doing hair since I was 11 years old and in my mind I knew it all......
Back in the day, when you made an appointment at a beauty school you could choose what level of hair dresser you wanted- The cheapest was the freshman (right out of the instruction room with no experience on 'actual' people) up to a senior- which was someone getting ready to graduate from the school- The price range would go from $4. for a haircut by a freshmen up to $8. from a senior-
In my know it all state, I turned my nose up to asking for any sort of help and dove right in- Bring on those clients and make sure I get the colors cause I love me some colors........
The poor unsuspecting woman that sat in my chair that first day- She had short black hair that in my mind needed hi-lights......I envisioned her (after I was done of course) with blonde accenting those black locks- she would be asked by all of her colleges at work who had done her hair and then the beauty school would have a line out the door with people wanting my expertise........hee! hee!
Doing a Weave was not allowed yet at my school- It was to new and the instructors wanted us to stick with a method called frosting- Frosting was when you put a tight plastic cap on one's head- the cap had small blue markers where you would use your sharpened crochet hook to break the lining of the plastic and pull through small amounts of hair all over- If your hair was long, it looked like spaghetti noodles dangling out when you had bleached the hair-
As I put the frosting cap on my client I noticed that it had already been used once- someone had made some pretty big holes when they had pulled the previous person's hair through- Not to worry though because I would not use those same holes- I would make my own holes- smaller ones that were closer together-
After the appropriate hair was pulled through and the bleach was put directly on the plastic cap and extended out to the ends of the hair- I put my client under the dryer to process my perfection-
As I was rinsing the finished product I knew something was not right- Her hair looked just like someone had skinned a leopard and placed it on her head-
This whole story is true- each and every last word...........She took one look in the mirror and a shocked look came over her- the shock wore off and in it's place she furrowed her brows- I called over my instructor to figure out what in the world was going on- Collette (instructor) got a twinkle in her eye and asked me if I had used a 'used' frosting cap- with my confirmation she said that because I had put the bleach directly on the plastic cap- it had  settled into the big holes that were already on the cap and left the leopard prints- As she was explaining all this to me my client had worked those furrowed brows into a death glare and then to a full blown fury- Nobody tried to stop her as she jumped up out of the chair and stomped out of the school- right past the desk where you pay and out through the glass store front door.....
Until I was a senior, I never did another color without consulting my instructors and asking every possible question I could about what I was doing-
Pride really does go before a fall :)
My whole Freshmen Class (except for Sara) graduated and as of 10 or so years ago, we were all still doing hair :) Put that one in your statistics!!

:) :)

18 tips to celebrate 18 years of marriage

This July marks Matt and my 18th Wedding Anniversary- I would be lying if I said it was all bliss :) We've had amazing moments and we've had really hard, painful moments.........I think of our friends Margie and Dennis who celebrated their 41 wedding anniversary- I would love to hear their list of tips- What has helped to navigate their marriage through the 41 successful years- I would ask for 41 as it seems fitting to go along with their years of marriage (I'm gonna send them this blog post and see if they will do it- If they do I will most definitely post their tips!!)
Here's my compiled list of tips.......

1. I've got to put this at the top of my list cause without Him I honestly do not know where Matt and I would be as not only people but as a married couple- GOD..........God covers the gaps that we as humans are unable to cover- He meets the needs and gives strength so that we can make it through not only life but marriage.
2. DATE NIGHT- A faithful ritual since Eli was a baby carried on through Ryan and now Ellie......It's so easy to let our marriage loose priority when we are dealing with the everyday demands of life- 
3. KEEP THE PASSION ALIVE- I am a firm believer that it's healthy to let your kids see you kiss your husband/wife......heck, go as far as to slap each other on the butt once in awhile in front of them :)
4. BE A PART OF EACH OTHERS STORY- Matt and I do not have a ton in common......sometimes on the fly we will do something with the other person just so we can be part of the others story (example- Matt will go on a walk with me or go walk around Good Will with me- both of which he despises.....when I ask why he's going he'll say 'cause I want to be part of your story'.......This morning I found myself driving to a town a half hour away with him while he did some business so I could be part of his story)
5. Say 3 things you love or admire about each other everyday
6. Show up unexpectedly at the other persons work just to say 'hi' and I love you
7. Laugh together........especially over the situations that are completely stressful
8. Pray together and Pray for each other
9. Leave random notes saying you love each other
10. Send a text 'just because' with something special (not 'I'm taking a dump!' hee! hee!)
11. Ask each other how you honestly feel about something you are facing
12. Hold Hands
13. Fight for healthiness in your marriage- don't give up......
14. On the above note- COMMUNICATE- Even if it means going to see a counselor- Matt and I have gone 2 times in our marriage.....once at about 5 years and once at about 10 years- both times were regarding learning to communicate better- If we keep on our cycle, we are about 3 years overdue!
15. My sister in Law Liz sat on my couch and gave me this advise- 'Take a Risk.......Risk giving your heart over and over to your spouse- even when you want to hold back and hang onto that hurt or grudge..'
16. Be individuals as well as a couple- enjoy things together as well as separate
17. Say I love you every chance you get- every phone conversation- every text you send- It's something that can not be said enough
18. It's got to be said just one more time and on an ending note.............DON'T GIVE UP- It's gonna be so hard during some seasons but remember that after every storm comes clear blue skies.....

A Daddy and His Girl

Matt stayed very practically minded during our adoption process- He attached enough to the process itself to functionally complete the home study and education required to begin our adoption process but did not overly attach himself to the point that he could 'imagine' life with a baby- His view was he would process those feelings if/when our adoption became a reality. He would roll his eye's every time I would come home with baby clothes (pre adoption) and would say the same thing 'Don't you want to see if we adopt or not'- I would  answer that, for my personality type, I would rather be prepared for adoption (both emotionally and practically) then shocked or unprepared when it happened.  

I called Matt a little after midnight on June 18, 2011 (We were living in Hawaii at the time and I had flown in to Oregon the prior week to meet our birth mom Heather- Matt stayed back in Hawaii to work until Ellie was born) to let him know that I was on my way to pick up Heather because she was feeling some pretty consistent contractions.  Heather and I were going to the Hospital so she could get evaluated....the evaluation confirmed that Ellie would be born within the day.  

At the news that Elle's would be arriving, I saw the first non practical emotion from Matt.....a simple 3 word text illuminated the hospital room in those wee morning hours.......'I'm so excited!'

That first non practical emotion gave way to a flood more.........'She's amazing' I hear him say at least once a day- 'Your perfect, your beautiful...' are the words pouring out of his mouth as she crawls over to him and say's 'da da'- It is so wonderful to see that without guard or hesitation, this daddy ADORES his little girl........

Thank you Lord Jesus for the beautiful gift of adoption- For Ellie, her birth mom Heather, and for the support our family and Ellie's biological has shown......May you always be glorified through her precious life.

The first time Matt held Elle's

Multi Tasking :)

3 Months Old

Love this

She's Almost.........

She's:

almost 9 months

almost 15 pounds

almost cut her 3rd tooth

crawling everywhere 

pulling herself up to a stand if she can hold onto something

say's 'da da' at least 10 times a day

so loved and adored....

I love you precious girl,

Mommy

The Debt

Whenever I walk through our local public Library I keep to the same routine- First look at the shelf containing the 'new arrivals' and then make my way through the fiction section.  Unless it's celebrity or  Corrie Ten Boom related, I usually shy away from non fiction.  As I was typing this post I was trying to think of the last non fiction (besides the Bible or Cook Books) book I read...............I've been wracking my brain for 5 minutes and can not think of the last one- I'm gonna have to make a point to broaden my horizon and read more non fiction.  If you know of a good non fiction book send me a message so I can get 'up to date' on my non fiction reading!
OK back to the point of this post- I was making my way through the fiction section of our Library and grabbed several books- One of which I thought was a good read- Not one of my must owns but I'm glad I took the time to read (Mending Places by Denise Hunter).  The second book I read is not only a must own for me but also one I will read again and again- Something about it touched deep in my soul and I want to live my life more like Christopher did in the book (the last books I felt this way about was Safely Home by Randy Alcorn and Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers)- If you are a 'reader' and looking for something new to read check out The Debt by Angela Hunt.

I hope your Tues is going great,
Steph

Sheree's Appalachian Tomatoes

I was on a sight seeing trip to the East Coast with my sister in law Rhonda and Matt.  We would be traveling for a week through several states.  Because there was 3 of us on the trip, and to make it equal for everyone we decided that each of us could have 2 day's to sight see wherever we wanted in our designated area (which included 4 States).  Rhonda choose Washington D.C. and Arlington National Cemetery for her days, Matt choose Valley Forge and Gettysburg, and I choose Manhattan and Lancaster (Amish Country).  We touched down in Philly and drove the first night to a little town in New Jersey (the states we were going to be seeing are small so driving from one state to the other could be done in a few short hours).  The next morning, we made our way by ferry to Manhattan (whoop! whoop!) and then whizzed off to Lancaster,Pennsylvania (although we did make a detour on our way into Hershey, Pa to tour the Hershey Chocolate Factory- So Fun!).  As we arrived at our Hotel in Lancaster that evening we decided that taking a swim sounded fantastic- Rhonda and Matt headed to the pool and I headed for the hot tub.  A few minutes after I sat down, a woman about my age came and sat down by me.....
Sheree and her husband were on an Anniversary Trip visiting Lancaster from a town about 4 hours South in Virginia.  As we started talking about travel, family, and everyday life.   I told her how excited I was to visit Amish Country- Especially so I could try their home grown/made food (and buy a quilt).  It was right around that time that Sheree got a twinkle in her eye and told me the following story-
Tucked away at the base of the Appalachian mountains was the small community of Ashland, Virginia.  Ashland had been Sheree's home for most of her life- During the course of her adult life, She had developed a skill for growing tomoatoes- She said that the weather in her town was perfect for growing this certain fruit HUGE and they would melt in your mouth when ripe.  Along with growing the tomatoes, she had taught herself how to can them so that she and her family could enjoy her harvest all year long.  Because there was so many families that would can their produce in the area, her community had joined together in creating a canning station during a certain season every year.  At this canning station, the city would provide (for a minimal fee) the space needed, the can's, and the resources to preserve your produce- As Sheree was talking about her yummy tomatoes I kept saying 'Wow, they sound delicious!'  Just before our conversation ended she said she wished she would have packed a few can's so she could let me try them- As soon as those words left her mouth she followed up with 'I'll send you some!'........
When the package filled with can's of Sheree's tomatoes arrived I was excited to open and try them- They were everything she had described :) I wrote her address down and sent her some fun stuff from a local mill that makes their own flour etc...- Every year since, we have exchanged Christmas cards and updated eachother on our lives- Sheree is still canning tomatoes, one of her boys had gotten married, and her daughter is in high school-
It's neat to think that our simple conversation about Sheree's Appalachian tomatoes left a lasting effect on both of us and that almost 5 years later we are still in contact.

Matt and I walking in Washington D.C. on our East Coast Trip

To Move or Not to Move?

We are trying to decide if we are going to move or stay where we are at- Moving this time would mean just a few blocks down the road, to the home we lived in before we moved to Hawaii.  When we moved to Kauai, we were not sure how long we were going to stay.  We knew it would not be shorter than 2 years but had left the possiblity of staying 5 years open.  We decided not to sell our home here in Oregon but instead rent it out with a 3 year lease.  We moved home from Kauai after 2 years and decided that, instead of breaking the lease on our primary residence, we would move into a home down the street from it for the years time.  Our year is almost up and it is time to decide what we are going to do..........stay where we are at or move back to our home- There are pro's and con's to both- I did tell Matt that (God willing) the next move we make will be the last for a good long while-Honestly, I never want to pack another box and move again.....
Over the course of almost 18 years of marriage, my husband Matt and I (along with our boys) have moved 8 times.  The longest we have lived in a home is 5 years- The shortest was 6 weeks.  The housing market was booming during quite a few of those years and we wanted to take advantage of the tax incentive the IRS offered of living in a primary residence for 2 years and selling it tax free (the profit, if any, from the sell of the home would not be taxed).  The longest distance we have moved is 3100 miles (Hawaii) and the shortest distance we've moved is 1 house down but on the opposite side of the street. 
The house we lived in for 6 weeks, was due to the fact that, a home we put on the market (we were living in) sold within days of going on the market- We had already purchased the home we were moving to next but were having some work done to the inside that, during the construction phase of the work, made the home unlivable.  The couple, which was in the process of purchasing the home we were living in wanted to sell their home (and were hoping to do it before escrow closed on the home they were purchasing from us).  Because we needed a place to live for 6 or so weeks and because my Matt is always thinking in the financially profitable world, we decided to buy their home, live in it for the duration of our new home remodel and then either rent it or sell it when the time came (we ended up putting it on the market 6 weeks after purchasing and selling to a wonderful husband and wife who still live there).
It will be interesting to see what the next several months bring- To move or not to move........hummm??
P.S. Just wanted to add, if you are finding yourself in my position, with lots of moves behind you and a possible move ahead of you or if you are just moving for the first time and are having a hard time- Or whatever your 'moving' status is- God has shown me through my moves that home is where the heart is.....our homes do not define who we are- God Bless you if you are finding yourself in a moving transition- Remember to take it one moment at a time and you'll make it :)

A part of the front yard at our home