llan, You're VERY welcome!!
Yep that's right ma'am! You've got it. The only problem I have had with my ends in the last 6 yrs or so was when I went natural--single strand knots (ssks). The ones that were leftover from when I was natural got trimmed off last June. I transitioned 9 mos (pregnancy with my daughter) and BC'd June 2008 right before giving birth. Texlaxed Nov. 2008.
Began transitioning again July 2009, and did so for 18 months. BC'd Jan. 2011, and remained natural until I texlaxed again in June 2012. Both times I BC'd down to no more than 5-6" of hair stretched. So I would consider it a TWA both times. Not only that, back in Sept. 2007, I chopped my then MBL hair off to a faux-hawk, reminiscent of the Rihanna style at that time. With all this chopping I've done in the last 6 years, my ends were in great shape except for the knots from not wearing my natural hair straightened much or stretched.
Both times, I only straightened my natural hair ONCE during each of the 2 periods I was natural...and it took over 3 hours to wash, dc, blow-dry, and flat-iron all my hair, only for it to begin reverting the same day.
So I never wore it straight really and it was always in the curly/natural state though I did protective style religiously during both transitions, and while natural. My ends, therefore, we're fine except for the knots. The 1/2" trim in June 2012 took care of all except maybe a dozen or so I found later on higher up in the strand.
Due to the protective styling, baggying, conditioning, wearing wigs, keeping it braided, etc., I had no other issues with my ends. They were also relatively even despite the self-BC's I did...one of which (the first in 2008) was done with surgical or bandage scissors in my labor and delivery bathroom. I was in labor, but them scraggly ends had to go!! While natural, my hair grew ridiculously fast, but my ponytail was like 4" thick in diameter, so it was very difficult to manage. It took like 45 mins to detangle each and every CW or full wash and DC.
I was also VERY tender headed while natural...I was nearly in tears when I got it cornrowed one time...and I am a tough chick when it comes to pain. The asks and tenderheadedness (not a word), shrinkage, reversion when straightened, along with being time consuming to deal with are my only qualms over my natural hair. Other than those things, I LOVED IT and miss it at times because I love big, natural, voluminous hair.
I could not deal with that kind of time consumption with a newborn at home, which is why I texlaxed BOTH times...in June of last year I was 4 mos preg with my son, so I knew he was coming, and needed easy-to-manage hair. Otherwise, I might still be natural if I weren't so fatigued, ill, and exhausted during pregnancy.
When my son is older (he's 6.5 mos), I could see myself going natural again, but next time, without a BC. I only BC'd the 2nd time because my hair broke off at the demarcation line in the back center of my head due to me keeping my hair in 2 French braids underneath wigs basically my whole 18-month transition. Next time I decide to transition, I will do individuals and I know now not to have stress points on the demarcation line...that's asking for breakage or an early BC.
I hate another of my posts was mega long, but I like to explain things like this in case people are wondering. I would love to be natural now, but it's just a matter of convenience at this stage with regard to my being texlaxed/mildly relaxed. I would love to go natural again in the future, maybe in another year. We'll see. I'd love to get to classic length while relaxed to show it can be done by a commoner such as I, but it would be super if I did it natural as well. I would feel like a true She-ro for handling all that hair and keeping it healthy!! I have to wait to go natural when I have more time for handling all that hair and my children are older....make no mistake, IT IS WORK if you have 3c-4a hair like me.
Meanwhile, my daughter is natural, so I'll have fun growing her hair to long lengths. You can see some of my pics from when I was natural at:
http://fotki.com/JewellJ, and also my MBL hair before I chopped it...I think it's an 06-07 photo. No pics online of the cut...I was sick at the time and took them on my old Motorola Razr. I am one of those women who chopped off her long hair after a major break-up...a 4 yr relationship ended and major life events happened...but I'm glad I experienced short hair, and discovered IT IS NOT FOR ME. Until then, it had been SL or longer since 2nd grade.
I am going to ease back into it for the next month. I won't be doing as much before. 
