Humbling Moments

I've had my share of HUMBLING MOMENTS in life - moments that help shape and define me, moments that remind me of my human-ness, moments keep me relying on the grace of God and the goodness of people. For example:

1) in my mind I used to be Super-mom ... my girls were potty trained by two years old; I am now humbled daily as I change clothes or diapers on my now nearly 3 and a half year old son - I am humbled.

2) my middle daughter claims that "recess" is her favorite part of school. Fine and all, but she is homeschooled - there is no official "recess"! As a homeschool mom - I am humbled.

3) just before moving to Lenoir, NC (5 years ago!) I had knee surgery and needed help with everything from cooking, cleaning and bathing (from people I barely knew!). It is humbling to graciously receive.

4) the truth is that daily I experience humbling moments.

BUT - nothing compares to the HUMBLING MOMENT of this past week. Ten pm Thursday night I had mild to moderate pain and I called the Telehealth nurse. She politely asked "And what is the reason for your call?" To which I replied "I have a carrot stuck in my nose." And (believe it or not) SHE LAUGHED! I was humbled.

Now, before you go conjuring up stories as to how I got a carrot in my nose, here's the true story. It's very simple: I'm cutting vegetables for a tea party for the girls and their friends, I'm chewing on a baby carrot while preparing the veggies, I sneeze. Here's the embarrassing part - as I sneeze parts of the under-chewed carrot get lodged in the back of my nose.

Gross, I know ... keep reading.

So, I blow my nose and it won't come out. Now the pain started. After around 9 hours of attempting to blow my nose (I looked like Rudolph!) and being convinced that the carrot had found it's way to my sinus, I called the less than sensitive Telehealth nurse.

Her suggestion: "You need to go to the emergency room."

My question: "What will they do there?"

Her response: "They will take a plier (yes, a plier) and attempt to remove the foreign object."

I decided to let nature take it's course rather than subject myself to the pliers.

Well - the good news is that after about 48 hours nature did takes it's course and the carrot is now out. Thankfully, because the internet is full of stories of people dying from things like this.

So, once again I am humbled. It is humbling to recognize the power that an extremely small piece of vegetable can have over a grown woman. I am thankful to feel better. And I hereby resolve to never eat baby carrots again! (Isn't it funny though that while I was in the humbling situation I didn't want to tell ANYone about it, but now that the situation is resolved I am broadcasting it on the internet ... hmmm, just a thought.)

PS My ever sympathetic Karis was very concerned about my nose situation, on Thursday night as I was putting her to bed she whispers to me,

"Did you have Ranch Dressing?"

"Pardon me?" I reply.

She continues, "When the carrot went up your nose, did you have Ranch Dressing on it?"

I say it all the time, but I LOVE THAT KID!