BACK IN FULL AFFECT!!

I'm back! It has been a long while since I posted anything to my blog. As you can see a lot has changed. I am locked! It will be 19 months on the 31st of July,2008.

This morning I washed my hair with Pantene Pro V moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. I have been washing my hair without braiding and banding for a few months now and it is a wonderful thing. I feel as free as a bird all the more. Words can not tell you how much I have been enjoying my hair. The freedom is ridiculous!

Although, I lost a few locks it was no big deal. Some began thining and eventually fell off. I think it was because they needed to be conditioned and moisturized. However, I just worked with the short part of the lock that remained, and kept tightening them as usual. As you can see from the pictures it is not noticeable. You know me....Oh well. I guess that will always be my attitute.

Yes, I'm still using the nappy tool to tighten my hair myself. I love not having to leave home to get my hair did. As you can see I'm not really styling my locks or anything fancy. I'm just not a fancy kinda girl. I like me just the way I am.

Can you see a change?

Hello again. I thought I would wait a little longer before I updated my blog, but everyone keeps commenting on how much my hair is growing. I really can't see a difference since my last update, so I figured if I put it on the big screen I would be able to see a change. Well I can certainly say that I love what my hair has done. And to think it is doing this all by itself!! (no chemicals)I am so proud of my hair! I should also tell you how my husband has fallen in love with my natural hair. Not a day goes by that he does not make nice comments about me and my hair. At first he was very skeptical about locks. Now, he can't keep his eyes off them. He has even agreed that locks on our 11 year old daughter would be the best thing for her. She is very anxious about having them installed, and she has a great understanding about locks. She admires and adores her Aunt Creyole and cousin Praline's locks. We can't wait!

I want to thank everyone that made those very encouraging comments on Creyole's blog. Thanks for showing so much love. By the way, your hair is awesome too! Thanks Creyole for teaching me everything I know. I couldn't have done this without you. Love Ya! Your blog is DYNOMITE!!!

I've Been Tagged

Here are seven things about myself that I think are wonderful and the reasons why I think they are wonderful.
I am:

1. forgiving- what goes around comes around.
2. patient-to be patient is to be able to look beyound faults and see the needs
3. humble-It is better to serve with love
4. supportive-we all need somebody to lean on.
5. happy-a smile goes a long way. It just might brighten someone eles's day.
6. I have a good sence of humor-laughter is the best medicine.
And last but not least 7. I am a believer in the almighty God-He picked me up, turned me around, planted my feet on solid ground. He gave me peace, He lifted me from my dying bed and told me to run on. He also allowed me to care for His angel, and allowed me to call her my daughter, Erica. Without Him I would not be any of the above.

Five months later

Here I am five months later (click on pics for larger view) and I am really beginning to see changes in my hair. I am very pleased with the results thus far and I know my locks will only get better. I have been maintaining my hair myself (with the advice from my sister Creyole of coarse). Using the nappy lock tool is very easy for me. Once I got my routine going there was no looking back. The size my locks are turning out to be is just perfect for me. I left all that up to Creyole when she was installing them. I can always depend on her. For one thing I don't think I would have been able to do a good job tightening them if they had been any smaller. As you can see from my pictures my hair is very thick, and is beginning to get some length. It feels spongy and springy. Sometimes after I was my hair the ends seem to get a little wild, but I don't panic I just twist the ends gently with my fingers and they fall right back into place. If I had to give anyone advice on wearing locks it would be to just relax and enjoy your natural hair, because I can say for myself that my hair is enjoying being natural. This is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. If by chance I make a mistake while tightening my locks I just say,"Oh Well, I'll just have to wait till more new growth comes and do it right next time. " I promise you your new growth will come in fast. Yes, wearing locks is a lifestyle, but only if you don't mind being laid back or carefree will you love this life style. One has to also know who they are in order to enjoy wearing locks. Being unhappy with oneself, wanting to look like someone else, or longing to have a hair type that one was not born with are all obstacles one must over come before being locked. As for me, I love me. Thank you Jesus for me just as I am! I absolutely love my hair. Thanks again Sis.

Family Time

Spending time with my family is like food to my soul. Weather we are eating crawlfish in Monroe,Louisiana or building a fense in Dallas, Texas, these are the best times and the most memorable memories. Just look at those crawlfish! They taste as good as they look.

It is always a pleasure traveling to Dallas to spend time with my sister and her family. We have so much fun that even work is fun. Check out the fense we built. Afterwards, Creyole gave my son a surprise graduation party at her house. We had a great time! Notice the locks in the pictures. Aren't they beautiful. I even got to spend time with my brother and his family. We had a ball with my little nephew. Our visits are so few and far between. I hope he remembers our visit for a long time. Look at the fun our kids are havinig. It's a wonderful thing to see first cousins as close as sisters and brothers.

I know I have'nt said much about my hair, but nothing has really changed. I just tighten, band, wash and go. It doesn't get any better than that! It has been four months now and I'm still lovin my locks. Tell me what you think.

WOW! TIME REALLY FLIES WHEN YOU'RE ENJOYING YOUR HAIR

I can't believe it has been four months already! I also can't believe I have'nt updated my blog since February. Well, a lot has happened since February. First, in March my son graduated from the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program, has a good job, and he contributed in purchasing his first truck. He is 17 years old. I am so very proud of him. Next, my daughter ran in her first track meet with the junior high team, and made Cheerleader. She is 11 years old. The school she attends is 72% white. This should let you know how proud of her I am. Then, my husband and I celebrated our birthdays on April 13. Yes, thats right our birth dates are the same. We are four years apart though. I am 40 years young and loving every minute of it. Finally, My hair is starting to change right before my eyes. I have been noticing the curls on the ends of each lock and the texture of the locks. And the compliments have really been coming! Heck, I compliment myself every darn morning too. Most of the compliments are coming from my white co-workers. Everyone says my hair is really growing. I think it is growing too, but I can't see anything dramatic. You know how it is when you look at yourself in the mirror everyday. Tell me what you think about my hair. I love honest opinions and advice. Oh yea, my daughter has about 3-4 if not more inches of new growth. She is being very patient while waiting for her locks.

pride and predjudice

It has been a few weeks since I last posted to my blog and I have a few things to say about my encounters and accomplishments since being locked. First, I have to say that I am soooo in love with my hair. This is really a dream come true for me. I don't mind the little things I have to do to my little locks. I washed and curled my hair all by myself two days ago and that is a big thing for me, because in my relaxer days when straight hair was supposed to be so easy to style, I never cared to roll, blow dry, or even sit under a dryer to style my hair. Not to mention using a curling iron everyday. I guess it was because I knew it would have to be done again the next day and the fact that I really didn't know how to make my hair look good. Now, my hair just looks good all by itself. Of course there are a few of us who just don't understand the beauty and freedom of natural hair. You know. The ones who are ashamed of being who they really are and what God has given them. The sisters who hide behind perms, weaves, and other things just so they can impress the other races or even the brothers who go for that long straight hair. Little do they realize those same brothers know weave when they see it. I have found that more white people take notice of my natural hair and make very positive comments about my locks. Oh yes, my people take notice too. I have had a handful of positive comments from sistas, negative stares, and even one that laughed and pointed. I quickly educated her on what I was styling. Just so happened I had a sisterlock magazine with me that my sister had recently mailed to me. I kindly showed her the pictures and said to her,"You laughing at my hair now, you won't be laughing when my hair looks like this a few months from now." She looked at the pictures and didn't know what to say. I am so proud of my natural self. I have never felt so comfortable with myself. Since then, I have recruited a few sistas who are just waiting to get enough new growth to be locked. Now that's what I call conquering prejudice with pride. Its just a shame the prejudice has to be within our own race.