Springtime is Finally Here - and After Only 2 Years

About 4 years ago, Bryant first experimented with growing a beard. He had been on a long weekend, guys camping trip near Helen, GA. He of course had not shaved, and when he got back, I was sick as a dog, so there was no urgent prompting from me to get him to shave. He decided to let it grow. For those of you who have never experienced first hand, the growth of a full beard, it is an interesting few weeks. Now, Bryant and I knew nothing about beards, so we just figured all you did was let them grow. But something just wasn't right. He would ask me how it looked, and while at some times, I thought it looked OK, for the most part, he just looked like a hungover guy who hadn't been able to get home to his razor for a while. Neither of us could figure it out. Then I went to Memphis on business. Bryant was coming up a couple of days later. He wanted to shave the beard off because he was convinced that in post 9-11 airports, he may just look suspicious enough to be dragged away and questioned. Well, he didn't shave it, but when he walked off that plane in Memphis, he looked like a new man. He had shaved his neck! That was it! That is what keeps a bearded man from looking like a marinated Grizzly Adams! So, long story short, the beard stayed. This was in October. That spring, he shaved it off, and things remained that way until the following October. The beard reappeared. No big deal, we could live through another winter with a beard, after all, Bryant was a beard grooming professional by now. But spring arrived. Easter came and went. We celebrated Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, and the beard was there - through everything! It never left, never hibernated, never went north for the summer. That was in 2004.
Fast forward to today, last night actually. We have dinner with the Smiths, Egelstons, and Halfords. Spencer has always been Bryant's Beard Buddy. Difference being that Spencer shaves his off in the spring. Well, something clicked. Maybe it was the warm weather, maybe it was seeing Spencer's clean shaven face, maybe it was the Miller Lite. Who knows, but the clippers came out last night, and the razor and shaving cream appeared this morning. It's official, Bryant no longer has a beard! Reeves didn't recognize him at first, but then he heard his voice, and all was well. Likewise, Preston didn't recognize him either. "Mommy, whose that man?" Oh, Bryant has not had a beard the whole time Preston's been alive, but he has for all of the years he would remember.
Anyway, shaving the beard is actually kind of fun because you can do it in increments. Bryant let me take pictures of each stage last night.

Last Picture of the Bearded Bair

Goatee - Hhhmmm, Not so Much

Still Bad From the Side

My Name is Earl

There He Is!