Messy Hair, Pretty Hair?

When I worked at Children's Inn, I told my boss to not start wearing eyeliner.  I explained that if she did, she wouldn't be able to stop. Because after people get used to seeing you with lined eyes and you skip wearing it for ONE day they will comment, "You look tired." Which I went on to explain is woman-code for, "WOW! You really look like crap today."

This morning I woke up late.  I quickly curled a few pieces of face-framing hair (thinking I could classify this hair-do as beachy-looking,) slapped on some makeup, and headed out the door. 

I wasn't two feet into school when a colleague said, "Ohhh. Are you tired today?" (NOOOoooo. I forgot the eyeliner.)  This day was off to a bad start.

I think it was around noon when I figured out it wasn't September 1 (the date I'd been writing on documents all morning)...nope definitely still August. 

And it was around 2 when I noticed (by using the window by my office as a mirror) that my hair had a rather large and exposed rats' nest looking area among my "beachy waves." (Not quite sure if it had been there all day or just appeared.)

But 2 students told me that my hair (yes, the beachy mess with the rats nest) looked pretty today. (That's 2 more than usual that ever comment on my hair.)  And by now you've probably guessed that today wasn't one of my prettier days...which is the exact reason I love working with kids... 

They don't care about hair or eyeliner or wrinkly pants (which I may or may not have been sporting today.)  And they give me presents like this one:


Yep, that is a given-with-love, wristband-looking paper bracelet colored with black marker and carefully fastened together with clear tape.  The perfect cuff to assessorize a messy haired, no eyeliner, wrinkly pants kind of day :)









Just Something

One of my friends and I like to say really special times are "just something" when something special happens, and we have no other way to describe it...like when soldiers reunite with their families, or at weddings, or  when babies are born, or we hear a song in church that gives us goosebumps, or when we hear a story about or witness something touching, moving, or inspiring that makes us cry or at least tear up (which is probably more often than either of us would like to admit.)

Six months ago I never could have guessed that I would end up right where I am.  After all the tests, job-applying, interviews, preparations, and wondering about what’s next, I have officially begun a new chapter in my life—as a fulltime school counselor and citizen of small-town Nebraska. 

This morning as I greeted students in the hallways, I couldn't help but have a moment. When I look back on all the stress of grad school and job applying and moving and wonder at what would happen next, I see how God's provided for me through each step (usually in ways beyond my wildest expectations.)  And today I got to meet the kids He's given to me to work with for this year.  I know the challenges are just beginning...but God's plans are good...and "that's just something!"