Abnormally Fabulous Forward Growing Hair

“Look, her hair, it just grows forward. It’s something you are going to have to keep working on.”

The Sports Clips Stylist delivered this diagnosis with an air of seriousness, received by my grave head nodding, as if I was being handed a diagnosis and a [albeit vague] treatment plan.

Forward-growing hair? Is this normal?

And then of course…did I do this to her with that first fateful home cut?

The answers are, scientifically speaking,  Who Knows? and Probably.

And I’m struck by my strong appetite for normal.

Staring at the ultrasound, listening to the jargon: “Look, I don’t understand what you are saying. Is what you are seeing “normal?”

To Travis, after helping out in either of the girls classes,: “In a group of 14 of their peers, they seem to be normal.” We both sigh, relieved.

It trickles into my marriage: “I know we’re crazy. But are we normal?”

First of all, when did I stop going for FABULOUS, and start settling for normal?

And second, what am I really asking?

Is it going to be hard? Is it going to hurt? Is it still within my control?

These answers are more clean cut,  (yes, yes, no- it- never- was), remarkably consistent and as normal as it gets.

Just read a book, I will share about later this week, that shook up my idea and goal of ”normal”, and increased my understanding of God’s image, bearing that image, and His work in the world.

But, before I even read the book, I could have confessed that when I’m saying I want my children, my marriage, my life to be normal, I’m really saying that I want myself and those I love to be comfortable.

And comfortable has never been synonymous with FABULOUS either.

My Fabulous Forward Growing Hair Girl. It’s true. Those bangs want to start at the back of her neck. Where is my hair stylist from 1985 when I need her? And O is modeling her Hello Kitty Dress. My sweet high school friend Kristin made dresses and mailed them from Oregon for us! She said H.K.’s kind, mouthless face was looking up from her from the rolls of fabric and this Mother of Two Boys could not resist. Kristin thank you ! We LOVE them!