That time I tried to relax...

Whoever said Summer was relaxing - never knew me.   Or had four kids.   

I remember the moment this week when summer vacation officially commenced.  It was at approximately 12:15 on Tuesday afternoon, and began the moment 4+ kids came barreling through the front door.   They dropped their backpacks, coats, lunches, and every remnant from their desks/cubbies in the front entryway and dispersed making all sorts of demands, and leaving little scattered trails of chaos in their wake.   

One of them wanted to set up a lemonade stand (because despite the fact that it wasn't even very hot out- it was freakin' summer, so why not?), one of them wanted to have three friends over (not one, not two... but three), and the other two plunked themselves down in the office right smack dab in front of the computer.  (I knew at that moment that if I didn't do something to derail that train- that is where they would spend the entire summer!) 

This all happened within a span of ten minutes, and then things got really busy!!!  haha.

In an effort to curb the lack of control I was feeling, I sat down at my computer and began to make up a Summer "to do" list/schedule.    I calendared every appointment, meeting, holiday, commitment that I knew of.  I calendared every family visit we are anticipating, and I calendared every activity we hope to accomplish as a family.    Then,  I made a list for John ...and one for each of my kids.   I scheduled his fencing jobs, made a list of their piano songs that need to be mastered by the end of August, wrote out a list of books they each must read....that kind of thing.

Shortly after all that list making,  I came to the realization that there is a distinct possibility that I may have OCD tendencies.   ...Maybe.  

Usually I like being this way, feeling organized and stuff, but this time - it was just stressing me out and I knew there was only one thing to do, so I picked up the phone and booked an appointment with a new hairdresser in town.   Is there anything more relaxing than a head massage and fresh highlights?   I think not!

I showed up almost on time, plunked myself down in her chair and told her that I'd love a trim and perhaps a "few low lights,  with a tinge of red in them."   I sat back and left her to work her magic, all the while I could hear her prodigy son playing classical music on the piano upstairs.    (Ever had your hair professionally shampooed while listening to Chopin?    If not, you really should,  it's lovely.)

Anyways, things seemed to be fine and I felt relaxed (ur...semi relaxed) as she began to blow-dry my hair.  Strangely though, the dryer that my hair got...the more purple it began to seem!   I wasn't going to panic, because surely, surely my hair had not just been dyed purple.  I probably just needed to get outside where the lighting was better.    I paid her, thanked her, told her how much I LOVED it and ran to my van where I was finally able to really inspect things.

Yup - purple hair.   

I HAD PURPLE HAIR!!!!

 My mind instantly went to all of the things I had going on over the next couple of days.   Ward temple night...Grad ceremony the day after...company was coming for dinner...and here I was with PURPLE HAIR!     

For the next two days, as I struggled to find a hairdresser (on grad weekend) that could squeeze me in and fix things, this purple hair of mine consumed me.    I wandered around town with a hoodie secured tightly around my head, I avoided everyone, I had no patience,  and heaven help the soul who dared call me with a request.   I mean, didn't they know I had PURPLE HAIR!!!   

So much for relaxing!  

Now, here is the moral of this sad, pathetic little story.  In the end, things turned out alright.  

 Due to my appearance, John didn't let me attend our ward's temple night with him, so I no longer had to worry about that.  Nor, did I go to Grad with him the next night either, much to his relief.   And as for the company we were expecting for dinner?    Well... I was able to find a hairdresser (last minute) who worked on my hair from 6:00-10:45 pm- so I ultimately missed out on that too.    Luckily, (because I'm so hospitable;) I had left a meal in the crock pot and a note with my daughter telling them to "come on in and enjoy the meal!"   Not too classy, I know, but the point is - it ALL WORKED OUT.    It ALWAYS does!!!

WHY can't I just tell myself that right off the bat?   

Why worry?  Why stress?

I have a friend, who I admire so much, who is going through something more stressful than anything I could ever imagine and despite all that weighs on her, she has chosen to live with the phrase "Let's Just Do Today" as her mantra.    Let's.Just.Do.Today.  I mean really, how beautiful is that?   

I was reminded of the importance of that this week as I worried, and fretted about summer logistics, and hair logistics, and every other logistic that just doesn't really matter.  Not in the end.   

So I'm going to start summer all over again, and I plan on enjoying the whole summer one blessed day at a time!  

Even the days that are a little more purple than others!!