Over the years, I have gone back and forth on hair styles. Some were fairly long, some were short, some had bangs, some had color. Having thick and curly hair makes it hard to do much with it; it’s hot and heavy in the summer, but too short and it gets a little hard to control. So, I would let it grow out until I got tired of it, then cut it short again, let it grow, cut it short, etc.
The last big cut was December 2011. The picture in the bottom row, third from the right is from that Christmas. It was fairly long, just past my shoulders. Since I was home and could visit my go-to stylist, JoEtta Hill. Most of my haircuts have been done by her since 1983, although I had a handful of visits to other salons when I couldn’t get in to see her. She’s still the one cutting my hair, even through I’m in AZ now, during the visits I make back home. She’s also done both my girls first haircuts.
K’s First Haircut July 2007
Sophia’s First Haircut June 2010
Anyway, back to my story. The haircut at the end of December 2011, I went from a few inches past my shoulders to chin length hair. New cut for the new year! After I was done, JoEtta looked at the hair she had cut, and commented that I was really close to being able to donate my hair. Shortly after my cut, a friend from college posted about her daughter, who had just cut and donated her hair. At that point, I knew what I was going to do, grow my hair long enough to donate. Later in the year, after learning of a very young girl with cancer in our town, Katie and I had a discussion about cancer, how the treatments cause people to lose their hair, and how there are programs to donate hair. Katie has always had long hair, and she decided that she wanted to grow her hair to donate as well. So, for all of 2012 and the first part of this year, we did just minimal trims as needed, and took good care of our hair. I decided that we would donate through the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program, which has the following requirements:
- Hair must be a minimum of 8 inches long
- Hair must not be treated with dyes, bleaches, or chemicals
- Hair must be no more than 5% gray
We both finally met the minimum length requirement this summer, so Katie and I made an appointment while we were visiting family (ok, actually one of us swiped my mom’s appointment, but she rescheduled for just after we left). Here are some pictures of before, the ponytails of hair, and the after.
Katie’s hair before
Katie’s ponytail of hair being cut
Katie just after the cut
Katie’s ponytail of hair
My hair before
My ponytail of hair being cut
JoEtta holding my ponytail of hair
My ponytail of hair
Katie and I after our haircuts
It’s been quite a change to get used to for both of us! This is the shortest that I’ve had my hair in quite a while, but I like it. Katie and I are all set to see if we can grow it long again to donate!
JoEtta Hill is located at the new 125 Salon, 125 Parkway Drive, Pekin, IL. Her phone number is 309-353-3316. As I said earlier, she’s cut my hair for years, and I highly recommend her!
My Gems of Parenting 
Jennie, Thank you so much for the pictures and your storie . After all the years of cutting your hair. It’s nice to know you liked all of your haircuts and changes in life. I feel very blessed to have been a good part of your life . Also your children love and blessing to all. Thank you again! JoEtta Hill
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