Dirt In All It's Glory!

Humility comes in so many different shapes and sizes.  I know this from personal experience.  Just this morning, in fact, we had a load of dirt delivered to fill in a low spot in our yard.  The problem began when I completely forgot they were coming early to deliver the dirt today - like before 8 a.m.  So, the kids and I were all cozy in my room, still sleeping....heavily (no judgment!  we're on summer break), when I heard this deep "Honk, Honk!"  I woke up, half in a daze, realized who was here, and threw on the first items of clothing I could find that were not pajamas...which means, I was decent enough to be seen, but I SO did not match in any way, shape, or form.  I actually debated about brushing my teeth before going out to direct the guy where to put the dirt, but he just kept honking, so I didn't have time.  So embarrassing!  I guess that's what I get for actually begging God for humility.  Humility always comes in ways I least expect, and in ways I really would rather it not.  Anyway, we now have a nice mountain of dirt in our backyard.  Which means the kids have a new playground...at least until Daddy gets around to spreading out the dirt to fill the low spot.  So, they spent the better part of the morning playing in the sprinkler and playing in the giant dirt pile.  I love these kinds of days!  Where the kids have no other care in the world, besides just enjoying being a kid.  Just simple fun.  It's country living at its finest.

Of course, the aftermath is not near as pretty, but hey, that's what bathtubs are for =)
(this was actually from a couple days ago, when they were playing in non store-bought dirt, but they pretty much looked like this today, as well)

Natalie told me before the dirt arrived that she was particularly excited about digging for dinosaur bones...I'll let you know if she finds anything ;)

Oh, and just for good measure, here's Rachel, watching the cows from our front window.  This was too cute to pass up!  She was actually 'mooing' at the window =):

If you give a man pride, he'll probably want some humility to go with it

Like most people, I suffer severely from the illness that is pride (I throw in the 'like most people' disclaimer because it makes me feel better - yet another symptom of my pride).  So, like any good Catholic would, I strive for the opposing virtue of humility (albeit unsuccessfully most days), and especially so during Lent.  The problem with working towards, and praying for humility, though, is that you get...well, humiliated!  And, I'm not talking about the idealistic kind of humility where you are in situations that require you to humbly respond to compliments and say things like "oh, thank you!  Really it was nothing.  I hardly did anything."  When I pray for humility, it always ends up coming in the form of situations where I walk away wanting to put my head under a rock because I'm so embarrassed and completely mortified.  Things that bring me to tears embarrassing.  I'd give examples, but once around the block is enough!  I guess that's really the point, though...*sigh*

My Conscience has Spoken

After all the excitement of last night's game - Oh yes!  The Saints did when the Superbowl!! - the kids and I had a pretty lazy morning.  So, when we finally got up, they were starving.  Atleast they thought they were...so, I headed straight to the kitchen, by passing my Morning Offering.  After breakfast, I headed to the massively over-flowing laundry basket for a knock-down, drag-out fight.  Then, my conscience steps in.  Her name is Natalie.  And this is the conversation that followed:

 

Natalie:  Mom, you didn't say your prayers yet

Me:  I know...I'm just going to put this laundry to wash and then I'll do my morning prayers

Natalie:  But Mom, you have to pray every morning...you have to!

Me:.....

(humility strikes me down yet again)

Needless to say, the laundry is still piled up and the breakfast dishes are wreaking havoc in my kitchen, but my Morning Offering is in Heaven working it's magic and my soul is more peaceful than it was an hour ago, and the kids are actually playing together nicely. 

Now about that laundry....