30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 22

Today I don't feel like writing this post, because I have had a very frustrating morning.  I'm doing it anyway, and I'll be thankful for self-control.  Is that okay with you?  I'm thankful for it because I've been using it today.  (I mean...not on my eating, because that's not going so hot today...but well...)

Here's a sweet picture of my baby boy from a couple days ago.

He's so stinkin' cute!  How could he EVER cause the need for self control?!?

By standing perfectly still and letting this guy

use a pair of these

on those beautiful blond locks.  And not just a snip.  Nope.  You see, part of self-control is making sure that if you're going to do something, you're going to do it right.  ALL the way.  And Bugs tried to do just that.  

I was sitting in the living room, balancing the checkbook on this very computer, over which I could see the boys.  They wanted to use that pair of scissors to cut a piece of paper.  I could SEE them.  I agreed.  And then they were cutting that same piece of paper by the back door.  I could SEE them.  I didn't stop them.  And then.  "Look, Mommy!  I cut his hair!"

"You what?!?"

"I cut his hair!  I thought I could make it look better!" 

It wasn't a snip.

No, it was a pile.  A pile of three inch long, baby fine blond hair.  MY baby's hair.  Not connected to his head.  I couldn't even look at Stinky at first.  I thought of my sweet Aunt Maribeth, whose daughter cut her own hair, not too long ago.  I remembered that (as the story goes) she didn't yell.  She remained calm (although slightly tearful).  I wanted to be that mom.  I was kind of angry, though, so before I spoke a word, I closed my eyes, prayed, "God, help me," and breathed...and then sent Bugsy to his room until I could calm down.  When I opened my eyes and looked at Stinky, here's what I saw:

Not so bad, right?

RIGHT?!?

(Yes, you see 2 bald spots.  BALD spots.)

Inside that circle, under a fine layer of hair??  Bald.  And just above the circle?  It's hard to see, but totally choppy 1/2 in long chunks.

I didn't lose my patience.  I hung right onto it.  It took every. last. bit. of my self control not to yell.  Or cry.  But I didn't.  Because he's 4.  And he's 1.  And we've really never talked about NOT cutting hair with scissors.  We've never had to.  I just pulled out the scissors and cut Stinky's hair.  But it was still choppy and chunky and very, very obviously a temporary "fix."  And so, now, here's what we're left with:

Yes.  That hair is buzzed.  1/4 inch long.  And yes.  That is a bald spot, still obvious.  It's not the only one, either.

He's still cute, though...

Dear Lord, thank you for my boys.  Thank you for making them...boys.  Thank you so much more than I can say for keeping me calm and helping me to keep my emotions in check at times such as these!  You know as well as I do that 4 is not my favorite age.  Today didn't help that.  But thank you for helping me handle the situation with a supernatural amount of self-control and a fair bit of grace.