Whaddya Think of My New Look?

My joy over my  new look is tempered considerably by the earthquake in Haiti. 

But I think the story of how my new design came about is a small scale story of hope for humanity and that's something we all need to hear right now. 

Who woulda thunk that altering the title last week in Thursday's post would have resulted in a whole new design as fun, creative and friendly as this one?  Not me.  I don't embrace change.  I've owned the shoes currently on my feet for 9 years.  We still have our original TV from early marriage (read - no flat screen, no HD, no nuthin' fancy).  The door we just replaced was estimated at 20+ years old.  Oldest gets her transition issues straight from her Mama.

But to say I'm ecstatic over this change, this overhaul, to my blog baby would be analogous to saying I kind of like my own children.  In other words, to call my feeling ecstatic (while tempered by current events) would be the understatement of the new decade. 

Does it seem "too much" to be this overjoyed?  Maybe, but then again, you haven't listened to my internal dialogure these last months.  Wondering how to enhance the look of Loving My Children's Gifts (another slight alteration which I love).  Wondering how best to "brand" my blog baby in a blogosphere of tremendously creative and visually appealling blogs.  Wondering how to make extra pages for it (do you SEE the whole page dedicated to the Super Sunday Series?).  Knowing my vision and not having a clue how to do it. 

Then, out of blog world, comes one of the kindest, most generous, unselfish offers that I've experienced in a long, long, long time.

I know I've mentioned Rabbit a couple of times this week, who I literally stumbled across 5 days ago at Show My Face and Cate's 6 Word Saturday.  He helped me with my email subscription installation, then I reached out to him later to ask for help with the hinky margins. 

And in the space of one night - an all nighter I think - though I gave it up at midnight because I am a wimp - he created this fine specimen you are now staring at.  Seriously, take a moment, feel the magic with me . . . . . aaaaahhhhhhh. 

I am amazed at the goodwill, the altruism, the generosity from someone I've never even met.  Amazed. 
And over these couple of days, while I dropped hints for him to market his designs and capitalize on his talent, this is what he said:

"It tickles me to no end that I am able to do this for you. I was (am?) one of those gifted children [that you write about] - but back in the early 80s they didn't really know what in the world to do with me at the time. I ended up being pulled out of my regular classroom and placed with the Special Ed teacher (all by myself) because no one else was qualified for me. And my poor mother, Bless her Heart, had a brood of four other kiddos, one of which WAS special needs. So in some way I like to think that by helping you with your blog, I am maybe helping a "Me" out there somewhere."

Talk about making a girl cry.  We could all take a lesson from this kind and generous person.  I know I could.   

And it's that spirit, I pray, that will help carry Haiti and its ravaged residents through the catastrophic circumstances they are in the midst of.  And I don't mean to say that merely making a donation of blood supplies or money will make it all OK for them.  For millions and millions of families, life has irrevocably changed.  For those who survive, however, they will do so, in part, because of people with kind and generous spirits like this man who donated his time and talents to someone he's never met, for the reason I shared above. 

So thank you, Rabbit, for showing my readers and I what the world will hopefully be showing Haiti in the days and weeks to come.  You are Blessed.

And readers, think about what YOU can do to help Haiti's citizens.  I think I'm going to start by donating blood tomorrow.