I will survive!! I love that song, not only does it have a great dance beat, but it also reminds me that pure determination can be an asset to getting you through the tough times. Lord knows that determination is a necessary survival skill in parenting but interestingly enough so is humility. I find myself asking WHY frequently.

• Why does Xavier have to go through the surgery and everything else just to end up with more seizures?
• Why does my 2y/o already act like a teenager...NO...I can do it myself...Leave me alone!!?
• Why can't my 7month old sleep in her crib yet?

The answer to all of these questions is to teach me humility another words: ITS NOT ABOUT ME!

St. Thomas describes humility as: "The virtue of humility", he says, "Consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior" (Summa Contra Gent., bk. IV, ch. lv, tr. Rickaby).

Humility and Determination are definite survival skills in parenting my three children.  I love them dearly, but if I thought for one second that it was "all my great parenting" that got us through each day I would have a rude awakening.  I find that being humbled is a painful but loving process, similar to natural childbirth!  No one really likes birthing a baby, but the reward afterward is amazing and beautiful.  It also changes you into a new person (no matter if it's your first, second or tenth child).  You are a new person.

In reflecting on the last few days I have found that growing in the virtue of humility is what I need to learn to embrace everyday.  Xavier, MaryEliz, and Lucy need their mommy to be loving, humble and willing to empty herself to give all that I can.  Thank goodness for a loving husband, my parents, friends and of course God who fill me back up because I know I will survive.  Hey, I've got to...tomorrow is another day.  I've got to wake up and do it all over again but hopefully I'll do it better by learning from today's mistakes.