I am a clean freak...

My daughter, however, is not...

These pictures don't show all the details...
Elisabeth had licked off most of the dirt by the time I took these pictures. At one point she had a mustache, but apparently the dirt tasted good, because it didn't last long. She had it in her eyes and up her nose. Her hair was so full of dirt that I couldn't even get it all out in the bathtub...swimming with her daddy later in the day seemed to do the trick though.

I was working in the yard yesterday and thankful that Elisabeth was occupied. However, she came up to me at one point with her hands cupped full of dirt. She prompted me to pay attention as she gleefully rubbed handfuls of dirt all over her face (in the same manner that you would cup your hands to splash water on your face). Yes, she is a child and I should expect that she will get dirty. But there is something inside me that irks at such a mess. I responded with a deep inhale as I held my breath and raised my eyebrows and smiled. I exhaled to tell her that I was so glad she was having fun.

In my daughter's best interest, I am working hard to just let it go...