I'm a bad person because I honestly don't care about the new Pope.  While I am sure Catholics are happy, the word on the street is that the new Pope Francis is ultra conservative---no likey the gays, no likey gays adopting babies, noso likey planned parenthood or contraceptive....welp, no likeys across the board.

I have not considered myself Catholic in sometime, but strangely still feel elements of guilt when I swear, eat meat on Fridays during Lent, and not remember the high holy days.  I suppose my overall opposition of the Catholic Church is somewhat at an all time high, considering the reading and research I've done on the sex abuse cases and lack of responsibility by the Vatican for the last 40 years.  I saw the new HBO documentary, Maxima Mea Culpa, last week and it was horrifying.  HORRIFYING.  It is disgusting, the lack of compassion and consideration of these boys, now men, who are faced with horrible images of their past, at the hand of a person or persons they once trusted.  Quite honestly, I hope the new Pope has an excellent PR team, because at this rate, the Vatican needs it (in my opinion).

I am sure I have some of my blog readers who are devout Catholics and dedicate their daily lives to living their faith.  I commend them on their devotion to a higher power.  HOWEVER, I have some concerns with a church that seems to very much be JUDGMENTAL on some of God's creations---men and woman who are gay, men and women who choose to use birth control, etc.  I'll be more than happy to be a part of a church who promotes messages of LOVE, unity, compassion, and understanding, and most importantly, teachings that help people look within themselves, not others, to make the world better.   I've said it once, and I'll say it again:  If  Jesus Christ was cruising around the planet now, I'm sure he'd be NOT TOO HAPPY with the state of things.  And I'm most certainly sure he could care less about folks who were born loving people of the same sex, and those folks who live STD free lives using birth control and adopting babies by themselves.  Seriously.

Sorry about the rant....it has been on my mind.  Organized religion in general is a hot button for me.  As my friend Amanda says, "It is your path.  You'll figure it out."  In the meantime, I'll stick with not stealing, killing, or hooking up with my neighbors.

Secondly, let me revisit my frustrations with folks who have no debt.  While I applaud them (standing up, waving my arms, shouting from the rooftops), I don't know what that is like.  We are experiencing MAJOR crunchtime with our medical debt from Greta's birth and all things related.  That, compounded with basic living expenses, a car payment, a mortgage, and school debt, the Norton household is not such a happy place.  HOWEVER, I am forever thankful I have my health, Dave is healthy, Greta is pretty healthy, and we have food on the table.  I know living from paycheck to paycheck is a norm that I need to accept, as many people do.  And for the those people who don't have to do that, Mazel.  Have fun.  Enjoy it.  I just don't want to hear about it.  Again, I'm happy for you.  I think it is great that folks take grand vacations and buy new Dansko clogs.  Wonderful.  I don't need to hear about new car purchases or jewelry purchases, as they are an absolute waste of money, along with new fancy clothes, handbags, and electronics.  We have one television and it is too big.  I do, however, need a new laptop because the battery cord is broken.  Let's brag that our dishwasher works and my clothes dryer works.  I love my 8 year old vacuum and my 7 year old Subaru.  While I wish my Suby was bigger, I'm happy it runs.  My point?  There are people that have it WAY WORSE.  I think of them often and pray their hardship ends.  If I won the lottery, I'd buy people houses that can accommodate their family size, and pay off some of their bills.  It could be worse for us---it is just annoying when I am well aware that it didn't have to be this way and a hasty OB/GYN decided to seal our fate so she could enjoy her vacation. 

And finally, Greta and I are home from her 3 day EEG at Riley.  It sucked super bad, but because Greta is a strong black woman, she faced it with courage and did outstanding.  I am so proud of her.  If I could buy her a pony, I would.  Moreover, I am so thankful, indebted, forever grateful for my amazing mother in law and my girlfriends who came to visit.  They made it so much better, and to be honest, I wouldn't have gotten through the 3 days without them.  The text messages and phone calls were great---I know we had lots of people thinking of us. 

House update:  We still haven't heard from the attorney.  The weather is warming and we need to get that room/outside wall/chimney fixed.  Let's hope we get some resolution soon.

Happy Thursday.

P.S.  I'm also thankful I'm not a drug addict.  I've been hearing stories from friends of people they know going through withdrawl and matters related to addiction.  My heart goes out to them and their families.  Addiction is a horrible disease and I surely recognize how horrible it is---