Please help! How to load and parse xml in footer and header? Thanks :)

Where are you trying to load the XML from? What do you want to do with the XML?

You may want to look at the developer reference/training material:

http://lithosphere.lithium.com/t5/developers-knowledge-base/Admin-Guide-Studio/ta-p/5887

http://lithosphere.lithium.com/t5/training/tkb-p/Education%40tkb/label-name/developers?labels=developers