Gaudete

baby, it’s cold outside.  (says texas girl with reynauds).  but come ON.  in the 30s during the day when the sun is at its’ peak?  i’m pretty sure that’s dictionary def for it’s cold.  look it up.  

moving on.  it’s (or probably now you would say it was) Gaudete Sunday.  pink vestments for the priest, pink candles lit, pink flowers for the altar, pink dress donned.  rejoicing was the order of the day. 

Christina and I sported our pink garb for mass due to the upbringing we received from one Linda Dehan, who always took her wardrobe cues from the Liturgical celebration of the day.  i.e. Pentecost-you can bet your bottom dollah she was wearing her “Holy Spirit Dress” (straight up bright red).  and so on and so forth.  i am my mother’s daughter, and i like to jive with the season and holidays at hand.  my sock rotation right now is pure Christmas mayhem-same with the mug rotation-i even bypass my harry potter mug now, in favor of the teddy bear in the santa hat surrounded by holly mug.  man i love thrift store mug scores.  

we like the pinkness.  we can't help it. 

moving on again.  the weekend was...a lot of things.  but, there were many happy things that i would rather focus on and so i shall.  

the winter sky is trying to say:  baby, i know it’s cold outside, but i still love you.  i halfway believe it.  i am grateful for the dear, dear sky, that makes me love it more every day. 

had the easiest DMV time of my life on Saturday.  that was God saying to me: life is not easy, it’s true, but i Love you and am everywhere you go.  even the DMV.  i know He would have been there just the same had it been what the DMV is famous for: miserable.  but, it was a sip from the cup of relief that i got through easy breezy.  the Lord is faithful and i am grateful for smooth sailing at the DMV.  

i saw the muppet movie with li, and ate popcorn. it was just what i needed Saturday night.  i am so thankful for a beautifully pregnant sister willing to go to a movie she would have never picked to see because she loves me.  thank you, li.  you are a wonderful gift to me. and you are a muppet of a woman.  or a very womanly muppet.  either way.  i am so thankful for you.  

today.  Mass was brimming with souls to celebrate Gaudete, and the hope of the Resurrection was there, beckoning us to rejoice even in the darkness that sometimes seems impenetrable in this life.  i took a ramble through the cemetery across the street from our house and it was really lovely.  it is peaceful, beautiful, quiet, and reminds me of the hope buried deep within all human souls.  the glorious hope and faith that death is not the end.  that it has been conquered.  and the Savior of the world has come for us already, and will return for us again some day.  i am so grateful that we are close to a cemetery, and that each soul is infinitely Loved and desired by our Creator.  

grandfather tree

Lianna, Ed, and Sophia the Gingerbread Girl came to dinner. 

China cooked a typical of her dinner:  delicious.  we oohed and ahhed over the picture of the little Buttercup within Li.  she smiled for the camera.  it’s true.  i have the 2 best nieces.  ever. it’s also true.

we drank delicious beer, compliments of St. Nicholas’ accomplice.  we watched a little sugar plum fairy twinkle toes about the house and give light to our hearts on the cold winter’s night it was.  i am so thankful all of my siblings, and my little sweetie pie, live in the same place.  

i miss my parents.  i miss home. 

what's not to miss?

but it is 2 weeks until Christmas. 

WHAT?!?!?? yes. it’s 14 days until we celebrate the Birth of all births.  and my parents, and my home are coming to me.  i am blessed.  i am grateful.  

happy midway through Advent!

and bubba is one final short of finishing his first semester of the law school! prayers for perseverance and success in all of his endeavors most heartily welcomed and appreciated! 

i hope you are seeing as many little twinkle lights cheering up the night as i am these days. wherever you are, so is He.  

peace of Christ be with you