"Holas"--Welcoming Advent with an Elf

When you have kids, you get to make BIG decisions! God entrusts you with these little tiny beings.  You are responsible for them, for loving them, for being their biggest advocate, their protector on earth, their hero, their teacher.  It is not an easy task.  Sometimes they pick up your good traits and sometimes your not so good traits.  (the last one applies more towards Cody since we all know I am pretty close to perfect, lol:) What you put in front of them is what they will know.  It does not matter how much money you have, or the clothes you wear when it comes to matters of the heart.  How their heart grows is what matters. 

Christmas is one of those BIG decisions.  You get to decide what they get, how they embrace it all, and most importantly, what they take from it.  So what will my kids take from it?

If you follow me on pinterest, you know for a while I have been pinning "elf on the shelf" ideas.  I mean how funny are some of those??!!  So I bought our elf back in October eagerly awaiting a more appropriate time to bust him out and let the fun begin......except it didn't happen.  The more I thought about it, the more my heart was drawn away from him.  Cody and I have never been fans of  the "you better be good because Santa is watching." gig, so to have them have this elf that reports back to Santa seemed like not a great fit for OUR FAMILY.  Some families, this may be perfect for, but for us, we wanted them to walk away with CHRIST in CHRISTMAS.  We wanted them to prepare their hearts for CHRIST'S BIRTH, not their behavior for toys.  So as I thought more and more about this elf, this is what we came up with.  

On the morning of Dec 6th, we celebrated the Feast of St. Nicholas.  It is tradition to put your shoes out the night before (this is where our boots always are) and St. Nicholas comes and visits you, leaving a variety of items in your shoes.  If you notice, he also left us an elf and a note.

Cohen, miayla, sawyer, and Kaia~ 
Greetings great big little people!!!
My name is Nico! I am an elf... I am a tad different from other elves in that I do not report back to Santa Claus! Some elves go back to the big guy up north and tell him if you have been bad or good. I expect you to be good all the time, why? BECAUSE that is what God would want! So because you should already be being good, I report back to St. Nicholas (that's why he dropped me off And that's who i am named after, which I guess you could change my name to holas, or las, or nic... But that's here nor there) Anyway, I tell him if you have been preparing your hearts for Christ's birth...which is what CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT!! Am I right or am I right?! 
So each night while you are sleeping, after i tell Nick if you have been getting your hearts ready, I will take a bag from your Advent tree and in the morning, you will have to find me and complete your "mission" for the day. Some elves can't be touched because they lose their powers... Me, you can touch me! In fact, I love being cuddled and prayed with and I love going and doing good deeds so take me along and take my picture. I am Really handsome:) one thing about me though, is like you, I sometimes mix up good and bad. And sometimes i get pretty silly!!!! So you may have to teach me better ways to behave and remind me of God's endless love and forgiveness.  With that, let's go have a great Advent season and get ready to welcome our Lord!!! Merry Christmas!!!
~ NICO

They decided to change his name to something more original, part of our culture, and fun to say and thus "HOLAS" entered our lives.  I kind of like it too because I feel it was a way to say "HI" to the Advent Season.  This may be a far stretch to have an elf be anything relatable to Advent, but for us it works.  We could have done the elf separate from our Advent activities but we wanted for them to make the connection between Holas' presence and doing good.  One day when they figure it all out, which they will, we will still expect them to do good works.  When HOLAS appears each year, no matter their age, I hope they will still be excited about their missions!  We will still expect them to give more than to receive, to be Christlike in all their ways.  But with Holas, they still get to participate in the lunchroom discussions on where their elf was hiding WHILE preparing their hearts for Christ's birth.  When they wake up and find him, they immediately ask what their mission is (he carries them in his bag).  And a week later, they are still loving every minute of it!

MISSION #1

"Being an angel is fun! You can be an angel to someone too! Pick a child from an Advent Tree and buy them a gift for Christmas!"

This mission happened to coincide perfectly with an Advent Angel party we were invited to! (That's another blog entry I am working on)

Our four year old little boy wanted a Robot---which was harder to find than we expected so we are hoping he will like the Rescue Bot just as well!  Holas went with us:)

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

MISSION #2

Is HOLAS getting a piggy back ride from Mary??? More like giving Mary a big bear hug, Because Mary is the most amazing mother this world has ever known! And to "Celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, along with going to Mass, say three Hail Marys for all the mothers in the world."

Funny innocence here, Miayla came up to me later in the day and asked if she could take a break from praying? When I asked why she needed a break, she explained that she was on #21 Hail Mary.  I then asked why she was on #21 for Hail Marys she explained that Holas said to say 3 HMs for all the moms in the world and there are a lot of moms:) I re-explained it to her and she was quite relieved:)

MISSION MORE THAN ACCOMPLISHED :)

MISSION #3

HOLAS is in the Doll house

"Having a home is such a blessing.  Make up blessing bags to give to the homeless.  And please start a Novena for Sawyer and a successful surgery."

The kids were crazy about this mission! They could not wait to do it and it was one of those "WOW" mommy moments for me.  This mission was given to them last Sunday.  Cody was gone and I had all four of them at Mass by myself.  Our plan was to go to the store after Mass and get the items for the bags.  It was windy and wrangling 4 kiddos is tough.  When we got in the car after Church, I informed the kids that it was too cold to get the babies in and out again by myself and that we would do the bags later.  As we pulled into the house, Cohen was sad.  When I asked him what was wrong, he said "it's too cold for us to go shopping, but think of how the people that need the bags feel in the cold."  I felt like a terrible person in that instance, but I also knew that he was going to get something extra out of this mission and he did! Miayla and him could not wait to compile the bags, but they also could not wait to share the bags with others!  What is a blessing bag you may ask?  A bag that is carried in your car that you can give out, should you see a homeless person on the street or at a store.  They have various items in it.  Ours had a toothbrush, toothpaste, medicine, chapstick, granola bars, crackers, chicken salad and cracker kits, band aides, socks, body wipes, deodorant, gum, candy canes, comb, soap......

Holas helped assemble some bags too!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

MISSION #4

"FAN- Being a fan is fun! Be someone's biggest fan today! Do something extra nice for someone today without being asked.  Continue the novena for Sawyer."

Both kiddos did their mission but refused to tell me because they said I didn't need to ask.  They take things very literal...we are gonna have to work on that;)

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

MISSION #5

"CAN-CAN- Can you sacrifice a few cans? Please donate these cans to a food pantry. Oh and keep up the good work on the Novena."

HOLAS also wrote "Hi" in cans on the floor.  Very fitting for the silly elf whose name is "hi" in Spanish!

We took the cans up to the food pantry at church and they will take it to the food bank.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 

We cannot wait for the rest of our missions and all the good to be done! HOLAS has been a great addition to our family this Advent season and we hope St. Nicholas is pleased with our efforts and okay with the name change:)

Holas is currently waiting in a bowl of tortilla chips with a sombrero on for the kids to get home! They are going to watch a movie about Our lady of Guadalupe before we have a Mexican feast! 

I cannot wait to have them back home so we can continue to celebrate all that God has blessed us with.

  

Today

Once there was a girl...She decided she didn't want to have kids...or get married before the age of 27.  Then she met a boy.....a handsome boy.....a boy that made her feel things she had never felt on every possible level.  They had fun together.  Then one December day, they found out they were going to be parents.  Many tears were shed, many dreams gone, many questions remaining.  One day, said girl asked said boy if he had ever considered adoption.  He said. "No.  I could not imagine living in a world where this child was not mine, and I don't think you could either."  and just like that, the fleeting thought was gone.  To this day, that girl is unbelievably and eternally grateful to that boy for knowing that even though she didn't necessarily know what she wanted, or how she felt, or how it was all going to work out,...he knew better.  

Fast forward 8 years

I, or anybody that has ever met Cohen David Ayres, could not imagine a world without him in their lives.  The hearts he has touched, the greatness still yet to be achieved, the whales still yet to be saved are all thankful for Cohen.  And although possibly having another family raise him was a fleeting thought, I'll tell you what was NEVER a thought, him never getting the chance at life.  

Abortion--the second most performed surgery in America, just under circumcisions. Millions of babies are killed each year and it is "okay".   Many people are saying that abortion is a "non-issue" in this years election....when is killing of the innocent ever an non issue?!  The right to defend life is always an issue.  The minute we stop defending life, then we will have a bigger issue.  So what is an issue with today's election?

Religious freedom. 

I am Catholic.  I am a proud, devout, practicing Catholic.  I am Catholic before I am anything else, including American. If I was relocated to a different country, I would still be Catholic.  I am not a perfect Catholic.  I struggle everyday with living exactly how Christ wants me to live.  But I try.  And I think what bothers me the most about others in my faith, is the convenience of their Catholicism.  The "I'm Catholic but I'll go to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation if I'm not working, or don't have practice, or am not hung over, or don't have dinner plans." or "I'm Catholic but I don't believe this or that." So today, you can imagine my immense sadness when I hear people, especially Catholics say "I'm "Catholic" but I'm voting for Obama because such and such is more important and abortion is a non-issue."  So now we have our "issue" to consider-religious freedom.  

Once there was a little girl, who was beautiful and full of zest and lots of words and lots and lots and lots of dance moves. That little girl cannot wait to be a mommy one day.  That girl is 6.  

Now lets say said girl, 8 years down the road is living in Oregon.  In Oregon, under the new health care plan (also known as Obamacare) she can get irreversible sterilization at the young age of 14 WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT and it is paid for by the government.  Fast forward 20 years from now, when said girl wants babies but cannot have them because at the age of 14 she made a decision that she did not know the enormity of.  As a parent, what do you tell her?  "well you see, when you were six, I was more worried about taxing the higher class and school vouchers and food stamps, then I was about personally funding bills like this one.  I even voted for the man whose name it bares, I'm sorry, back then IMMEDIATE issues were what I was voting on.  Making sure all the kids' lives I was effecting immediately were more important than you, my daughter, in the future.  Luckily for you, I also helped vote to make Catholic institutions have to pay for birth control too, that way I could also make others, who believe it is wrong, have to pay for others to not have babies either.  But don't worry sugar I will still call myself "Catholic", even though the golden voting rule of taking the biggest issue (Sanctity of Life) and voting in the best possible way to better that, was something I simply did not worry about."  Imagine explaining all of this to that little girl one day? 

At the old age of 14 I had no idea what I wanted....even at the age of 20, i still did not know what i wanted, but luckily for me, I had someone who knew better.  Be the person who knows better.  

I can't sit here and tell you I am crazy about my candidate. I'm not, but I do know who has proven he does not care a bit about my faith, or the sanctity of life, or religious freedom and I simply cannot vote for him.  Because one day, you see, I'll have to stand before someone else and take responsibility for all of my actions and decisions and I would like to proudly say "yes, God.  I defended life above all things.  When it was tough, i defended it.  when other issues seemed more important to the world, i defended it.  When it came down to filling out a ballot and voting for someone who was more likely to defend life, I voted to defend it. 

Because I know you would want better."

"America you are beautiful . . . and blessed . . . . The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless. If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." -Blessed John Paul II

*I do not need comments about the greatness of the current commander or you justifying why you are voting for him.  all comments will be deleted.   This is my blog and this is my entry about why I am voting for who I am voting for. 

Amor



Seven years ago today, Cody and I vowed in front of God, family, and friends to love each other all the days of our lives.  For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.  To love each other, honor each other and never seeking anyone else.  It was the happiest day of my life.  Some people ask why we didn't have a destination wedding.  The answer was quite simple, it wasn't us.  In the Catholic Church, you have to be married in front of an alter, seeing as to how our faith is at the center of our lives, it made absolute sense to pledge our lives to each other in front of where God pledged his life to us, for us.  Having been blessed with Father Matt placing his hands on us, through the installation of hands, knowing God truly blessed our marriage was a moment that still brings peace.  We weren't worried about not getting married outdoors or with sand in our toes, the only thing we were concerned about was God's blessing.  Nothing against that, it just was not US, what we needed at the foundation of our marriage.

  During our wedding, we had songs that spoke of love and the blessings of hands, which spoke of all that our hands would encounter in our marriage.  We celebrated in readings, the Eucharist, and our final blessing.  During our wedding though, we also prayed at the feet of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  We prayed that like her, we would be able to answer God's will unwavering.  That we would say "yes" without fail.  We knew that would involve sacrifice, suffering, love, and grace.  We knew that no road would be easy, but that God would be with us every step of the way.  We prayed that like Mary, we would be amazing parents, that our children would know of their Creator and His ultimate sacrifice. 

But you see, it is not easy.  It is hard.  Every. Day. People often think we have a little picturesque life over here, but we don't.  There are struggles, pain, sacrifice and suffering. Every. Day. But you see, there is also the knowing that to have eternal life, which is why we are all here, we must die unto ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him.  Every. Day.

 

I have reminded myself of this every day for a very long time.  Very ironic that Fr. Lanzrath was visiting our parish yesterday and reminded me of it too.  Every time I get thrown up on, I am dying unto myself.  Everytime, I throw up because of "Cinco" (which is STILL everyday), I am dying unto myself.  Countless diaper changes, when we choose Disney channel over football, or laundry over game nights, we are dying unto ourselves.  Groceries over shoes, dance lessons, over concert tickets, dying unto ourselves.  Cody having to work late to pay bills, he is dying unto himself.  Even when we argue, there is a dying unto ourselves that we are reminded, out is not an option.  Working through it, is an option.  Praying on it, is an option, sacrifice and love are options.  Taking up whatever cross the other has given us, is an option.  It is hard. Every. Day. And tonight, on our anniversary, I took Miayla to dance, Cody took Cohen to scouts.  There was no fancy dinner, no romantic strolls, no cute outfits.  As I sit here and type, I am in a tank top, shorts, slippers and my hair is in a messy ponytail.  Kaia is ramming my chair with a truck and Miayla is icing her eye bc she thinks it is going to fall out......no joke.  Cody is with Sawyer, who has a bandaid on his forehead (don't ask),  enough said.  So tonight, just like every day, we are dying unto ourselves.  The sacrifices we make,  the crosses we take up, whether theyare small ones of or the big ones.  We are here to get to THERE. 

So as I reflect on Cody J and seven years as his bride, I am so incredibly thankful God chose him to my partner in this life, to be the one I take my crosses up with.  To be the one I die unto myself with, and for. I LOVE my kids.  Don't get me wrong, they are my world. I would go to the depths of this world for them. Die for them, give anything so they know nothing but happiness. But at the end of the day, they will grow. They will move on, they will find someone that God has prepared for them. When I am not with them, I miss them yes. But with Cody, God created him for me, and I for him.  When I am not with Cody, I have a WANT for him.  I have a NEED for him.  A DESIRE to be with him.  Just simply be together.  To be ONE, which is how we became, seven years ago today.