Why the Photos?

So what possessed me to go have an entire photo session focused on me, me, me?

Truth be told, I was wondering the same dang thing as I walked sheepishly up to the photo studio this evening.

But I was there, Groupon in hand, and there was no turning back.  This family photographer was turning in her T-shirt and pocket cam for dresses and smiles.  

I do, however, have good reason.  Every three years or so I donate my hair to Locks of Love.  For those of you not aware, Locks of Love is a non-profit that helps children suffering from hair loss due to illness.  They take hair from donors like me and create unique wigs so these darling children can feel just as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside.  

So month after month, year after year, I take ridiculously good care of my hair.  I'm not vain by any stretch of the imagination, but I am extremely careful about what goes into my hair. I've never really used hair spray or gel, I don't color my hair and I don't cut it into layers. Why?  Because all of those things damage hair (or shorten it).

So, in my mind, my hair is sorta like a garden.  I treat it with a lot of care as it grows so that when I cut the bouquet, the recipient is able to enjoy it as much as possible.  Most people don't even realize I'm doing it because 9 times out of 10, my hair is in a ponytail or messy bun.  

My hair is finally getting long enough to donate.  I typically wait until I can donate between 20 - 25 inches since that's the length most "in-demand."  It takes a long, LONG time to grow out because I go in for regular trims (so as not to donate split ends).  

Welp, I just turned 30 this year.  The next time my hair would be long enough to donate would be when I'm about 33.  That's why I chose to do this photo session.  

When I'm 33, I might not be able to donate.  Why?  Because premature graying is part and parcel for the ladies in my family.  I have little doubt I've only got a few months - maybe a year- left of my natural brown hair.  I've noticed that in the past several months, my hair has gone from its normal shine to a dull, almost brittle root.  My guess is that my DNA is finally beginning to nudge my chestnut locks with a walking cane.  

I'm okay with that.  However, since my natural hair will likely never be this long again, I wanted to get some photos taken before I chopped and shipped it off.

Also, after my cancer scare a few months ago, I have a nagging fear in the back of my head that should I die, Vincent would forget about me.  Since I'm normally the one taking photos, I'm very rarely IN any of them.  When I realized that, I got a bit scared that he might forget me - or worse, think I wasn't there for him because it looks like I'm never there with him.

So when I came across a Groupon special for Glamour Shots, I figured at $39.99 I'd be stupid to say no.  They do hair, make up and 3 outfit changes.  For someone like me (who only puts her hair in pony tails, is uneasy around makeup and isn't the most fashion-forward person ever), it was like hitting the jackpot!

Stay tuned for the surprises my session had in store for me!

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