So Much has happened!

It's been two years! Wow! Life is going great. I am now a middle school teacher. I was thinking of doing a blog about my life as a teacher, but I just don't have the time. I love teaching. Last year was my first year. It was a pretty easy first year of teaching. This is now my 2nd year, but because I am teaching in a slightly different position, it feels like my first year all over again. In real words: it's A LOT of work.


God has answered my prayers and I have an AMAZING boyfriend! : DDD I've actually known him for about 5 or 6 years, but we didn't start dating until last April. Oct. 13th was our 6th month anniversary. So exciting!

On our first date : )

My hair has grown!  Here's a picture so you can see for yourselves. Crazy how much it has grown. It's now reached the same length it was before I went natural. My only regret is that I have not been taking super good care of my hair. I have been scrapping by with the bare minimum and I think my hair could be longer if I took better care of it. Life get's in the way, but I have to make time.  

I just realized I need to take more pics of the fro. This one is from 1 year ago. Don't let it fool you, those bangs reached my chin.

Here is a picture of it blow dried out. This was taken in 2015. Say "Hi" to my Grammy!
If I had pressed it out, it would have been past my shoulders.

Now for the not so good update: I have yet to finish that novel. Each summer I say I will work on it and every summer I don't. I simply don't. Shame on me lol. I felt like I was not ready to write a certain part of the book because I had never been in a serious relationship or in love. Since the book is somewhat of a romance, I figured it'd be good to experience love before writing a book on it. So now that I am in love, I feel I am more equipped to finish the novel! However, with my work schedule, I don't see it happening any time soon.

I am saving for a new car so I am working 3 jobs. I'm teaching, tutoring, and cleaning a house for some extra change. All this money is going into my "New Car Fund". But the good news is I plan on getting said new car in December/January. So I only have to work super hard until Dec and then I can relax. I hope to blog more and keep you updated. Since exciting this are actually happening it should be easy. God Bless!

I Spy Curls along with a Chapter update!

Hello Hello! Above is a picture of my curl (s). Just washed with no product in it. I never realized how hard it is to take a picture of your curls. I have been transitioning for more than a year now. I can no longer do braidouts how I like them because my permed hair does not hold the curls at the end and does not curl well with a roller. I have been bunning my hair like crazy. 

But!! I am excited because this week on my wash day, I decided to define my front curls and wear them out like bangs a little bit. Did not think to take a picture but will soon. The point is My hair is growing and I am one step closer to wearing my natural hair out and about without any permed ends (they are slowly breaking off). I'm happy the breakage is slow. I like to have my hair length. But When I got my hair straightened for graduation, I realized just how much length I grew in a year. Pretty much most of the length in my grad pics is from my new growth. Most of the permed hair is breaking away (as you can see in the pic).

In other good news! I finally FINALLY updated my novel. I have had writers block because I could not decide how to tell Mysou's secret. Well the secret is out! I have 11 chapters up on my booksie account if ya'll want to check it out. Just a warning, the writing process is slow. But since I'm not busy this week and next, I'm hoping to crank out more chapters : )

Growing up!!

Wow!  I didn't realize that I have not blogged in so long. But as you can see from my lack of blogging, I've been busy. After January, life got crazy. My mom moved in with me, and I am taking care of her, I was working, attending class, and doing church things. So those are my reasons.

So since January, I have continued on my hair journey and realized more about it. I have gotten the pre-teaching of the year award and graduated from college!!! HIP HIP HURRAY!!!

I've taken, and passed one CSET (general science 118) Hip Hip HURRAY!!! And I took and did not pass the other (errr!!) But I will when I take it again.

I've gotten admitted into the Santa Clara University Credential Program. HIP HIP HURRAY!!!! And so I will begin classes in July (no long summer break for me : /)

I am well on my way to becoming a teacher!!! I want to cry because I am so proud of myself. Lord knows God, family, friends, SCU staff and professors have helped me, but I did it! And I had a lot of drama and issues in my 4 years! I am so happy and so very very blessed!

 So I'm thinking of starting a blog for my student teaching...who knows. 

I want to leave my 7 followers (and all who may stop by) with this. As I graduated, I realized how scary succeeding actually is. There is a new pressure that is put upon you. This is not a boo hoo session, but it came as a surprise for me. There is something scary about going after your dream, and it reminded me of this poem. I truly understand it now. No matter how scary going after your dream may be, go for it! For it really does help to liberate others : )

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. 

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. 

It is our light, not our darkness

That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves

Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? 

You are a child of God.

Your playing small 

Does not serve the world. 

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking 

So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, 

As children do. 

We were born to make manifest 

The glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; 

It's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, 

We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. 

As we're liberated from our own fear, 

Our presence automatically liberates others.

-Marianne Williamson

The Vulnerability of Being You

Hello All!

Yes I'm still alive and well. In my senior year of college!!! WHOOHOO!Needless to say, I've been I moved into my own apartment. There will be creative explorations showing DIY things to spruce up a home and whatnot.  I've been working, studying, teaching, and traveling!! I went to New York! I'll have a post on that soon about my over all experience and pictures/videos.

But something else is new too. I'm transitioning from relaxed hair to my natural curl pattern. There is plenty of information on how to transition and what to expect hair wise. I have to say what took me for a loop was how emotionally scary transitioning can be.

I have always been a pretty confident person. Note I said confident. NOT conceited. And I never really have question what people think, etc as much as I have while transitioning. But when you feel you look horrible because you have fuzzies everywhere or because your hair is flying every which way, it's easy to doubt yourself.There have been many a time where I have looked in a mirror and felt ugly because my hair would not go how I wanted it...or the gel was not slicking down my edges enough.

But it's interesting. Because not only am I accepting my hair...it feels as if I'm embracing me. My mind is transitioning too (if that makes any sense). It's accepting this new aspect of me. I love my curls and the more they come in the more I love it. It takes me 3 hours to detangle and braid my hair in a braid out. And although my arms tingle with pain after 1 1/2 hours of detangling I am fascinated by my curls. They are beautiful. And I catch myself smiling in the mirror glimpsing my beauty. I cannot wait until my whole head is filled with these curls. Right now I feel odd because about 4-5 inches of my hair is curly. The rest is limp and straight. These areas do not match whatsoever and it looks odd.

What has helped the most is looking in the mirror and reminding myself that the world will not notice my fuzzies as much as I do. And to figure out styles that I am comfortable with that make me feel like I look good. I have gotten lots of compliments on my braidouts and although at first I did not like it, I do now.

I have adjusted to the fact that my hair is not going to lay down nicely like it use to and that it takes longer to detangle (but I only detangle once a week so it trades off). I realized I'm showing the world a side of me that even I have not seen before. And it's scary, thrilling, mystifying, and exciting all at the same time.

Creative Exploration with an update/venting

Hello all!

I have another creative exploration for you! But before we get to that I also want to say Ch. 10 of the Chief's Wife is up Hurray! Click here to check it out http://www.booksie.com/religion_and_spirituality/novel/biancajeane/the-chiefs-wife/chapter/10

Now for the venting...is anyone else being forced to change their blogspot because Google says so. Am I the only one sick and tired of all these corporations changing things that are already working fine to me? First Facebook now blogspot. If I don't like the changes I may transfer my blog to wordpress. Just a forwarning...I mean goodness gracious! Leave it alone please. I wish they'd ask and give us users a choice.

Ok done with that now one to the creative exploration. This is a No Sew Fleece Double layer blanket tutorial. You can find a lot of these already on youtube, but I decided to do a tutorial anyway : ) so check out the video and enjoy a nice and cheap way to make a fabulous blanket!

P.S.

CH. 9 of the Chief's Wife is up : D

Finally...I know!

http://www.booksie.com/religion_and_spirituality/novel/biancajeane/the-chiefs-wife/chapter/9

I Spy Curls: Going Natural

So I've decided to transition and guess what?! I spy curls and I like them : ). Although it's only been about 3 months and I have already contemplated getting a relaxer due to the long and strenous process of coobing my hair after washing it the other night...I loved seeing my curls. So I figure it's worth it.

Unsurprisingly, I have wanted to "go natural" since I got saved. That's when I really searched youtue and got into hair. Because if I could no longer trim and cut it, I had better take care of it lol. But I found women who were transitioning and I was fasinated with their curls. I talked to a lot of black women in my church and some said it was a hard but rewarding journey and others said it was nearly impossible because your hair would break off.

I batteld with wanting to maintain my length(which is the longest it's ever been) and starting on a journey I know will result in breakage, more hard work, and a high possibility of me looking not so pretty for a while. But you know, I am ready for breakage. I actually hope it will break out...my prayers to God have been "Lord please let my natural hair get long enough so I can put it in a bun or something. And then let my relaxed hair break off" lol. Does it work like that? Who knows. We'll see lol. But even if I cannot put it into a bun, I will suffer with braids (ugh-long story) and other things. I do not want weaves (we have a bad history) so the goal is to transition with my hair.

Wish me luck and keep me and my hair in your prayers!
Pictures will be arriving soon.
-Bianca