I'm Back!!

Hello Everyone!
It has been a long time since I've posted.  In May 2015, I started graduate school online.  During this time, there have been a lot of things going on personally.  These things when added to the stress of school made my general anxiety much worse.  So even though I had started this blog and had a good flow going, I had to make a sacrifice.  I so much wanted to sacrifice school but I had to finish.  Not because I wanted to but because a financial situation was threatening me to pull out of school.  (Yes this is backwards I know.)

I wanted my completion of school to be on me not on anyone else.  Since my financial aid was not enough to cover my semester, I needed to pay up or else.  I didn't like that.  However, there was a lesson in all of this.  I did not view ending school without graduating as quitting.  Finishing school had no merit to me anymore. (Now I can see why many successful people have started school. Hmm..)  I learned that I have to be in control of my life.  I then was faced with my next challenge.  WHAT TO DO NOW?

First, I signed up for the payment plan but still.  What do I do?  How do I do it?  Getting the plan gave me time.  So one day, I'm sitting and I think why not start a GoFund Me campaign.  I felt like this was a long shot but I figured that I had the idea so why not.

I created the campaign.  Things were slow at first, I second guessed myself but I just kept at it.  I reached out to a few people and I was surprised by how much some people actually donated.  I did not get it completely funded but I got just enough support from others that I was able to not feel so stretched to do it all on my family's back.

So with figuring out the entire picture of being in school while managing everyday things including my anxiety it was just too much to maintain. So I had to take a break from blogging for awhile.  But now that saying, if you love something let it go and if it comes back then it was meant to be.  Well, I guess that's what I've got.

Even though I have not been posting, I have been thinking.  I have some things that I want to roll out really soon.  In the meantime, be patient with me.  I have to figure out a new routine for all of the things in my life.

Almost Forgot Last Week's Hair

Hey, everyone!
Last Sunday, I told you guys that I would let you know when I took my hair out.  Well, I haven't taken out my twists yet.  After the second day, I asked my husband if I should take out my twists.  He said, no it still looked nice.  Each day after that I asked him and each day he told me to leave them in.  So here we are again at Sunday and my hair is still twisted up.  I think that I will take my hair out either on Tuesday or Wednesday.  I will keep you posted.

1/17/17 Silver Dreadlock Cuffs

Tough Get Going

So I am in school for my Master's Degree.  My major is Curriculum and Instruction.  I have a dual concentration in English Language Development and Equity, Ethics, & Justice in Education.  This has been a long road for me.  Life is hard, being a wife has not been easy, being a mother of two boys has made things harder, and being a prekindergarten teacher of 7 years just puts the icing on the cake.

With all of the time restraints plus my mental and physical conditions, the time that I have spent in this program has stretched longer than for most.  Just a few weeks ago, I was ready to give up.  But then I got in the class and just started working.  Whatever mental block that was in place shifted.  I had a new perspective.  As of this week, I am ahead in the class (on parts that I am able to work ahead on).

I initially was enrolled this class, my capstone, Action Research, but needed to withdraw because I just could not take the pressure.  I ended up with most of November and all of December off, just because of the timing of the course and the placement of the winter break.  So I was on target to be enrolled again on January 9th.  January 9th came and went, so that evening I e-mailed my advisor to find out what the problem was.  The next day, I was enrolled and I ended up being a day behind.  I get home and my computer would not log on.  The next day, I get on and I start crushing everything.  The next week comes and I work hard.  Then on January 19th, I get a message about my account, I need to resolve my account by the 22nd or be dropped.

THREE DAYS! WHAT?!?

Just when I get ahead with coursework, I get a roadblock.  So then it becomes an issue of what do I do?  First, I e-mail student accounts back.  We go back and forth, they're not trying to work with me.  They're just telling me to do the PLUS loan, pay in full, or sign up for the payment plan.  Option 1: I tried but I simply have too many things on my credit and I would either need an endorser or I would need to clarify how I have corrected the things on my account, which I have been unable to do at the moment but we have created our plan.  Option 2: I don't have $5000 in the bank.  I should but I don't.  We were in a financial pothole for awhile.  We're not completely repaved but at least the area has stabilized.  Option 3: Payment plan.  $5000 broken up into three payments.  Well, this is a stretch.  I have bills to pay so I don't know where the money is going to come from.

So randomly, on January 20, I said that I'm going to start a GoFundMe.  Why not?  What do I have to lose?  I got the idea and I said there has to be something to this idea.  So I'm trying it.  Click donate if you wish to help me with this.

I don't like asking for help.  I like to try things on my own, but I've come so far.  Me finishing means so much to my family.  Not many people in my family have gone to college and even fewer have their Master's degree.  This would mean the world to my husband.  At this point, I'm trying to finish to give hope to all of the students that I teach and these two boys that I am raising.  When I talk to them, I need to know that when I tell them that they can be anything that they want to be and that they should not give up that I am an example.  I've learned a few years ago that we don't learn from what we hear, we learn from what we see.  So we can't say "Do what I say and not as I do."  Life doesn't work that way.  We only really listen to ourselves but we naturally do what we see.  I guess it's some kind of survival, instinctual kind of thing.

In closing, here are some verses that I found on the Bible App, that I need to keep in mind and pray over while I am going through this process and waiting for this miracle:

• Jude 1:20 "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost"
• Ephesians 3:20 "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us"

I did not realize until now that yesterday's Bible App verse of the day was Jude 1:20 while yesterday's date was January 20th (1:20).  So I guess this was meant to be in one form or another.

Thank you for reading and if you wish to donate here it is again:  gofundme.com/michelesmasters

Wash Day!

Hey everyone!

2017 Hair Story Introduction
Today was my first wash day of 2017.  Today will also be the first bookmark of my 2017 Hair Story.  This year, I will take photos of the journey that my hair takes this year.  I think that it is important to document your hair process so that you can learn about your hair as it evolves.  Please note that everyone's hair journey is different so you have to go through the process.  I'm just sharing my process.

If I straighten my hair, it will most likely be for my wedding anniversary just as a gift to my husband but otherwise the goal is to keep heat to a minimum.  Overall, my goal is to get my hair healthy.  I define healthy hair as hair that maintains it's thickness throughout the length.  For me that means that my hair should not be tapered at the end.

In terms of cutting/trimming, I do not plan on getting a hair cut although I would like to.  Otherwise I will trim, I do not have a set time frame for trimming, I look at the state of the ends of my hair while my hair is twisted, or in it's twist out form.  I trim like you trim hedges or bonsai trees, looking for stray hairs or looking for places where my hair tapers.

In terms of what I have noticed last year, my hair seems to be getting "shorter" length-wise but more voluminous.  That's why I want to document photo graphs so that you can see what I mean.


The Routine
First, I washed my hair with Shea Moisture's Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Grow Shampoo.  Next, I used my DIY Conditioner.  I followed up with Shea Moisture's Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Treatment Masque.  I put on a conditioning cap and then took a nap.  You can sit under the dryer for 5-10 minutes.  Or keep it on your hair for 20 minutes without heat.  (But I needed to nap so I kept it in my hair for like an hour and a half).  Once I got up I rinsed out my hair.  I followed up by using As I Am's Detangling Conditioner.  To be honest, I think I prefer the Born Curly Leave-In Detangling Conditioner better.  It's a little thicker and has more slip.

After all of this, I used the Shea Moisture's Strengthen, Grow, & Restore Leave-In Conditioner and Eco-Styler's Styling Gel.  I applied both to each section from the root to the ends and twisted my hair down.  Usually, I flat twist my hair in the size of the sections that I typically make for my twists but I just wanted to finish a little faster.  Typically, I let my hair air dry, which is what I am currently doing.  I will reveal what my hair looks like when I untwist is either tomorrow or Tuesday.

Thanks for reading.  Let me know if you have any questions or you want to see anything in particular.

This post has Amazon Affiliate links.  I am not sponsored or endorsed by any of the brands that I have mentioned in this post.

PledgeCents Classroom Cause

Hey, everyone!

I hope that you are doing well.  I wanted to give you a chance to act on a wonderful opportunity for you to support my students.  I am working on raising $355 over the next 20 days in order to provide students with the best education possible.  This campaign is going to be geared towards restocking the supplies.  My students are at a Title I school which means we service low-income families.  You can read all about the need, students, and school at the cause website (click invest in the box to the right).

I would ask that you contribute if possible by donating and/or spreading the word to anyone you know who might be interested in supporting this classroom.  It would really help if you could share the cause via your Facebook, Twitter, blog, or email to your friends, family, and co-workers.

Please note that if I do not make the goal that we will purchase as many supplies as we can with what we receive.

Thank you in advance for your support!

Giving and Receiving

On Monday, I left work feeling bad about myself because of my own personal actions.  My para had been pulled to work as a substitute in another classroom and so on top of being tired, I was frustrated.  I had a student who was also having one of those days and she needed extra cuddles but I couldn't.  I always thinking and reflecting so by the end of the day I realized that I should and could have handle the situation better.

What I realized was that I most likely needed the cuddles more than she did.  I needed the hug more than she did.  I was already tired when starting my day and then everything else seemed like so much more.  The next day, when I came to school, I apologized to the child and I gave her a nice big hug and told her how much I appreciated her.

What I learned is in the lesson of giving and receiving.  Initially, I thought that she was taking from me.  That her needs were going to be a burden on me.  But really, I was the recipient, and she was the giver.  God knows that life is hard and so he places people in your life as buffers.  They understand how you feel and know when to respond.  So from now on, when I have students who need a little hug, I'll make sure to take it because it could be that I actually really need it more than that child.

Snow Day with the Carmichael's

Today we had our first official (by my terms) snow of the year.  So I told CJ and Maise that we would be having a pajama party.  Well, my day didn't go quite as planned.  I had wanted us to watch Happy Feet and then go and bake cookies but....CJ wanted to watch YouTube for Kids.  (We love that app...YouTube but with extra security and no inappropriate advertisements.  S/N we have YouTube Red so we don't get any advertisements anyway.).

After getting tired of the two of them fighting over the iPad, I took it from them and took them downstairs where I had already prepped all of the ingredients.

Then that's when we started to bake.  Here we are in the kitchen:

Currently, my iPad serves multiple functions and so I did not have enough storage space to record the entire experience but we had some great dialogue while making the cookies.  CJ enjoyed demonstrating for the camera.  Mason wanted to assemble to mixer.

Finally, here were our cookies we made.

After baking, Maise took a nap while CJ played with his whales and then watched the iPad.  We were trying to pass the time while Maise slept so that we could go out in the snow together.  When he woke up, we all got dressed and spent a little time in the snow.

I hope you enjoyed your Saturday or Snow Day (if you have one)!  We did!

My Next DIY Product

Hey, Everyone!
What should I try next?

• Homemade DIY shampoo
• Styling my hair with hair jewelry

I'm interested in both.  You can help me decide.  If I don't receive any responses I'll toss a coin and you'll have to wait for me to reveal the look.

In the meantime:

Shop With Me

African Black Soap

Gold Leaf Hair Jewelry

The African Black Soap will be needed for the DIY Shampoo.  Obviously, the Hair Jewelry will be used for the second option.

If you know of any companies that make a greater variety of hair jewelry then please share.

I'm Following the Right Path

So, I was talking with my sister-in-law, Ly'chel and I was saying how THIS blog may actually work.  Well, this is not my first blog that I have started.  This is at least my 5th attempt.  My first blog was just a way for me to try to vent about different topics but I never committed the time to it.  Then I tried several smaller topics.  When finally it clicked.  I needed to do one blog about everything--"Everything Michele".

I realized that my "everything" is several things, I cannot isolate myself as the roles sometimes mix.  So with "Everything Michele" I can just share me and all the things about me.

Yesterday, I received confirmation that I am doing the right thing with this blog and some of the other things that I want to do.  In yesterday's post (http://everythingmichele.blogspot.com/2017/01/you-would-not-believe-my-day.html), I wrote about my day, basically, I went to work in high spirits and faced several challenges, the major one being that my classroom windows were broken by blocks.  Now overall, I was very optimistic about my day.

Today, on my way to work I realized something.  Yesterday, I found a rock in my classroom, on the floor right in front of my whole group chair.

The reason why this, for me, is confirmation that I am on the right track is because even though I was not at work, I can see that God had protected me.  If I had been in the classroom when the rocks had been thrown in the classroom, the rock would have landed at my feet.  I would have been fine.  The rock that landed where my feet usually are was the largest rock that I discovered remaining in my classroom.  So although I was not the actual target metaphorically I was and I would have been fine.  I need to continue on this process, continue to work on the things that I want to work on.

So publicly, I wish to thank God for my life, my family, my blessings that I have today and that I will receive tomorrow.

Mirrors & Windows Part 1

In terms of my hair, my hair has been natural for most of my life except for the time between my senior year in high school and my junior year in college.  Once I reached my junior year, I stopped relaxing my hair only because I was starting to do more student teaching and it was cutting into my money because I could not work as many hours at my on-campus job.  By my senior year, I was no longer relaxing my hair.  (Interestingly enough, neither were a few of my friends at the time.  Although for different reasons.)

Even though I was no longer relaxing my hair, I was still straightening my hair.  As a child, my mom often used the hot comb on my hair.  So, all I knew was applying heat to get "good hair".  Finally, I realized that I could embrace my natural curls.  I owe this to Janelle Monae, what she did at the time was different--hairstyles paired with formal black and white wear.  I think the black and white helped me to see her as a blank slate and her hair could shine.

First I started working on the pompadour but then I ended up getting married and getting pregnant so I transitioned into the bun.  After this point in time, I was confused about my natural hair.  Why did Janelle Monae's curls look so good? Why did Naptural85's curls look so good?  Hair envy sunk in.  Luckily, I had my sister-in-law, Ly'chel, who wanted to save my head from hiding in a bun.  She started doing my hair, flat twists and then Marley Braids.

While she was busy saving my head and working on many others, I was watching and learning.  I watched her and I continued to watch other vloggers especially Naptural85.  I then realized that I had heat damage.  Now, each time I do my hair, I realize that my hair even though it is "shrinking" it is actually longer if I straighten it.  Also, while doing my hair it is getting fuller.  What this all tells me is that it is getting healthier.  I am learning my hair and I'm not trying to replicate what others are doing but instead watching other successful "natural hair vloggers" I'm learning what works and doesn't work for me.  I use their experiences to experiment, if it works it works but if it doesn't, it doesn't.