you asked, I answered: my hair

This might be the only post I've ever written that my dad doesn't read in its entirety. Sorry, dad.

Just as often as I'm asked about being married to a medical student/resident, maybe even more so, I am asked about my hair.

"How do you make your hair wave so perfectly?"

"Hair info, please! You have the best curls!"

"Oh my heavens, your hair is perfection! How do you maintain it!?"

I'm afraid this is going to be a very disappointing post because... I have no secrets.

I use the cheapest shampoo and conditioner that Safeway sells. I've had the same $20 curling iron since high school. I don't use hairspray, split-end repair gel or volumizing anything. I trim it maybe twice a year (most recently in my own bathroom) and have colored it once (which I actually regret). I have been growing it out since 8th grade, so how did my hair get so long? Patience! (Which I lack a lot of) I have an excessive amount of cowlicks framing my face (thanks, mom!) and baby hairs where bangs should be (thanks, babies!) More often than not, it is all in a wet, unbrushed bun on top of my head. I do, though, have some natural wave to my hair, so it's not totally hideous when air dried and it holds a curl pretty well, which I'm thankful for. And which is what I get asked about most often - my curls.

I felt so very silly doing a video tutorial, so I took some equally embarrassing, low quality, pictures curling my hair in my living room

 ^^ The size of the chunk of hair affects the size of the curl, duh. Usually, I curl a 1-3 inch section of hair. ^^

 ^^ I wrap my hair around the curling iron just like you would a curling wand - I don't use the clamp. I curl the hair away from my face, curling all the pieces on each side of my head in the same direction, meaning when I get to the back of my head I switch directions. I start the curl somewhere around my ear/chin, getting lower as I continue to curl around my head so the curls start higher in the front. I do this because 1, my hair is too long to all fit around the curling iron from root to tip and 2, because I don't like the curls to form a straight across line around my head. ^^

 ^^ I hold the end of the hair away from the curling iron so the last inch or so is left straight, holding it for about 7 seconds, though the amount of time you hold your hair wrapped around the curling iron affects the size/"looseness" of the curl, so, adjust accordingly. ^^

^^ Voila! And continue! ^^

 ^^ And, switch directions! I curl the hair away from my face on both sides, so the curls face into each other on the back of my head. ^^

When it's all done, I'll loosely run my fingers through the curls, but they tend to loosen up on their own as I continue to get ready so I try not to overdue it or use a brush - I like my curls curly! And, that's it! My hair gets greasy quickly, so I'm not one of those girls that can rock day 5 hair, but these curls are great for day 2 waves and a day 3 ponytail. 

Anything you were hoping to learn about my hair but didn't? Leave your question in the comments and I'll update the post with the answers! 

heart strings

We were out for a walk like normal - an evening attempt at getting every last one of his wiggles out before bedtime. We came across a circular stage, elevated by just a couple steps wrapping around its perimeter. He asked to run the circle and I let him, standing on the side with Ezra in the stroller watching him go, watching him run away from me. But it was more than that. I wasn't just watching him go, I could feel it - tugging. He's attached to my heart with strings. They were pulling, like a rubber band. I could feel them stretching, getting thinner. How far can he run before they snap?

And not just literally. When he starts school. When he moves out of the house. When he gets married. Those strings are going to break, snap. And while one end is going to propel him further in the opposite direction, away from me, the other end is going to fly back and slap me. It's going to knock me over. And it's going to hurt like hell.

But maybe the joy of seeing him run, being pushed forward by the freedom of "no strings attached", will be enough to make me smile. Maybe. Or maybe it will just sting all the more, witnessing the fear that he doesn't need me the way he used to come to life.

But for now, he still needs me. For now, those strings are still attached. When he fell running on the other side of the circle, it was me he cried out for, pulling on those strings to bring us back together.

I hope he always knows that those strings have a home tied to my heart - that whenever he calls, I will come running. Whenever those strings snap and whatever causes them to snap... well, we're just going to have to learn to tie knots.

wall, party of four

This holiday season, though our first away from family and friends, has still been made extra special with TWO little ones. Sometimes I still can't believe it... We have TWO BABIES! Boy are we blessed! And look how sweet and handsome and beautiful they are...! God knew what he was doing when he gave us these two spirited souls and I am forever grateful. Christmas time is just another reminder at how fleeting, innocent, magical and treasured these years with littles ones are. Soaking up all the special moments as a family of four this year!