capital Home and lower case home

A very blessed, merry and joyful Solemnity of All Saints to you and yours!  i am thrilled for this Solemnity for a few reasons. numero uno: It’s been a while since we have had a Solemnity. 2)  it’s a Holy Day of Obligation, thus the churches will be brimming over as they do on Resurrection Day.  and d) i mean, it’s the Feast of ALL Saints.  to have a day that especially encourages us to try and ponder the Joy and Beauty that the Saints dwell in for eternity because of their faithfulness to our Lord to the point of death (physical death or all the little deaths to themselves they made throughout their lives); the very Joy and Beauty that beckons to us at every moment of our lives, quietly showing the way and compelling us to cast off the chains that bind us to sin and earthly pleasures, to pick up our crosses, and begin to live truly as we were intended to live.  well, i’d say that’s pretty worth a little (and by little i mean A LOT) excitement and general revelling throughout the moments of the day.  to be invited to this banquet that the Saints willingly intercede for us to join one day- this is where words fail me utterly.  

and so i say: praise be Jesus Christ now and forever.  Amen.

Our Blessed Mother , Queen of All Saints , pray for us

oh, and tomorrow is just a regular twofer happiness day for me.  Add winging my way south to my hearts geographical home to be with my Mimi, momma and dad to the Solemnity.  i might explode from the goodness of this combo pack.   

and today was hopes fulfilled in seeing my little sugar pie once more before i went home.  she was a cupcake for halloween.  

though she was anti-wearing the little sprinkle topping hat, and just in general did not want the cupcake dress on, she still took the cake (pun intended) for being the cuteness of my heart.  Li got out her Easter basket for me to use as a part of my costume, and she was very into carrying her teddy and blanky about in the basket.  because, as previously mentioned, the cuteness will not be stopped.

she says “mas” for more, because girlfriend is bilingual.  she says por favor in a way that could melt the chilliest heart.  she’s the sweetest cupcake i ever did have the blessing to hold and snuggle (i generally don’t snuggle my cupcakes but this one demands it).  i will miss her to bits from texas.

after soph was laid amongst her little friends for nap, Li and indulged in some all hallow’s eve favorites.  though we were short on tricks, the treats pulled through in abundance in the forms of chocolate chip marshmallow cookies (a first-time experiment for me and a big time future repeat), 

and a viewing of it’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. 

 i thoroughly soaked in that sweet holiday sensation watching the old school animation cozied up in Li’s down comforter sharing the space with another twofer in my life-Li and baby june bug (junior).  it reminded me of how fun halloween is for little ones and how i want to go bobbing for apples again one day because that is an excellent and underrated party game.  and to all you germaphobes out there all i have to say to you is psh. germs shmerms.  (love you Li).  i feel so blessed to have these afternoons with my two girls (and the newby on the way).  i know they shant always be possible, and so i take them in as often as i can.  

the first holiday domino has been knocked down and so begins the delightful, but all too quick, sequence of celebrations that accompany the oldest months of the year.  if you are not pumped yet, i suggest you bake some pumpkin bread, stir yourself a steaming mug of cocoa, and start crafting some thanksgiving decorations (Li and I already have some big plans for holiday crafts).  and make sure you have your Advent wreath handy, you know, just in case it sneaks up on you before you know it.  Advent will do that to you, trust me.  

halloween joreos (trader joe's version of oreos) blurry , but satisfying (thank you , China!)

in regards to the holiday at present, i have to declare that i love the dressing up.  i think it is so darn fun and i definitely feel the difference when i am in costume, like Mr. Coolson talks about in the classic movie from the archives of my high school days Never Been Kissed.  i feel a little braver, a little less inhibited, a little more vibrant when in costume.  i was so excited about wearing a costume that i put it on to go to the McCabes.  and bonus, the costume i wore was tres apropos for my hearts sentiments as i prepare to fly away tomorrow.  

though i might not have the ruby slippers on tomorrow, you bet your bottom dollar i will be chanting right along with Dorothy those famous words that magicked her back where her heart longed to be:

there's no place like home

"there’s no place like home”.  




may the Peace, Joy, and the Hope of reaching our eternal Home to be with our Savior and all the Saints be yours this blessed Solemnity.  

and don’t worry, i’ll let you know if the stars at night are still shining big and bright deep in the heart of texas.