Ridiculousness

Hello from my heart to yours....

yes, the same greeting I use in my "blessing" blog... I just can't seem to find another greeting that expresses how I feel towards all of the fabulous people in the world... As you can see, I, also, changed the blog name... I thought I could write and rant and rave like a lunatic from "the other side", but THAT is not me either... I think I can be a "happy medium" though... maybe I can just tell you stories in a somewhat "blessing" form.. and/or maybe just vent a little (to prove I am far from perfect, which I am) and/or I could just BE... I don't know... we'll see... 

anyway... let me tell you about our "Little Laney" elf that arrived yesterday.. she is spectacular so far and my boys adore her... we took her to mass with us (of course, in my purse) ... the little girls in front us kept turning around eyeing her... it was so cute... my youngest keeps telling people that she is the little sister he will never have... I think it's just great how they have all welcomed her....

We have a new Pastor at our church... I like him.. he is young and very animated when he speaks.. yesterday's Homily was about how "ridiculous" we all become when there is a new baby on its way in the family... how the preparations truly go overboard... it was quite funny.. he even told his own family (36 of them) at an earlier mass, how ridiculous he thought they were...... he said the whole assembly was cracking up... I have seen this happening first-hand in my family, too... but, I am not really like this... I like my kids to have nice things, but I am pretty much of a conformist.. I don't have credit cards and believe that if I want something for myself or my children, I need to find it in my "cash" budget or save up until I do have it.. one of my brothers calls it the "poverty mentality"... that may be so, but we have not wanted for anything really... and we have traveled, in the U.S., Europe and the Caribbean, on a cash budget...  we have seen so much of the world because we deprive ourselves of those "ridiculous" things that everyone else seems to think they need... course, I will not pass judgement nor even voice my opinion to anyone about their lifestyle.. trust me when I say, "if they are happy, I am happier.." ... 

hmmmm... tangent writing... woo hoo... that's me!!! lol.... anyway, I think I learned, what I like to call "practicality" from my mother... she has to be the most practical person I have ever known.. and she tried to teach us that, in order to have more, we had to sacrifice and do with less ... so, no big hoopla's when I was pregnant 3 times... not from Ma at least, but my Sissy, (she's a "decorate our house every time the season changes" kind of girl), she wasn't paying attention to Ma's lesson... and so, for my 2nd child, she gave me a Margarita baby shower..lol... and for the 3rd one, she was there, holding my hand in the delivery room while our mother was galavanting around New Orleans with Daddy... lol.... being loved "ridiculously" by my Sissy is a great thing actually...  

Now... back to the Homily... the question he posed was "What "ridiculous" things will you do to prepare for the birth of the Baby Jesus?" .... my 16 year old turns to me and says, "well, carrying "Laney" around for 24 days is pretty "ridiculous", don't you think?" ...lol.... I suppose it is, however, this same teenager is requesting that Santa send him his own elf... he is so excited about all the shenanigans that could occur with 2 elves in the house... 

Regardless of that elf lunacy (and my other blog.. www.littlelaneyelf.blogspot.com), we weren't going to put up a Christmas tree... we keep saying we are going away... but I am a believer in Christmas.. and thanks to Laney and the Priest, I am pretty excited about preparing for the Baby Jesus in a "ridiculous" way... After all, if God could give us such a beautiful present, than we ought to be celebrating it... it is our Faith.. it is our Hope... it is our Love... I mean, what was I thinking? I am the one who converts the dining room table into a craft station every December... was I really thinking I wasn't going to do that this year? ... well, yes, I was thinking of not... but forget it... I am preparing for a new baby at Christmas... 

and so... whether or not you are awaiting the same baby... I pray that you will all be able to be "ridiculous" during the holiday season... it's about giving... giving of yourself... giving joy to others... giving peace to every one... I am getting that Christmas tree.. and I am going to play with Laney... and I am going to welcome the Baby Jesus the way that He should be welcomed ... After all, I am really good at "ridiculous" ...(at least for other things... lol..... )

May you be blessed with all things good always,
With Love,
Elena