Our first meet!!!!

Well today was the big day!  Allye's first XC meet.  She was very nervous, excited but nervous all the same.  Truthfully I was a little nervous too, I knew they'd do well but it's scary doing something new.  We had to leave around 7:30 this morning and she was up and ready at 6:30.  Ordinarily the kids aren't allowed downstairs before 7:30 but today I made an exception.  It was something of a challenge since I DO NOT like conversation before 7:30am and 2 full cups of coffee but I contrived to be a grown up and let it go.   Scott was up at 6:30 asking questions and generally violating all of my morning time regulations.  We even waited for coffee to get to-go cups on the way.  So as you can tell we were really pushing the limits of good fortune here.

We ended up arriving at 8:00 which was a half hour early, Allye declared she was not getting out of the car until 8:30.  Then Scott noticed she was wearing flip flops which apparently violates some secret code of track meets and people may shun you.  I mean, really!, some of the stuff this guy thinks is acceptable for wearing out and he is offended at her shoes she will only be wearing until her run time?  Anyway I digress....So, he fusses at her shoes, she sasses him, she gets in trouble. he gets annoyed, she cries, he gets annoyed...then God sent the coach and magically they are distracted and both get out of the car flip flops and all.  I cleverly stayed in the car and read my book until the Jones' arrived with the distraction for the boys' I had been waiting for, Jacob!

Things went along smoothly and the girls lined up at the start right on time.  They all looked great and were giving it their best.  I got so excited and maybe a bit emotional, I actually ran from our first viewing spot to the next because yelling things like "Stay strong", "Looking great", "Push Harder!" is really fun.  Turns out Al rolled her ankle just before the mile one mark but she stayed with it and ran through the pain.  She had a shoe come untied stopped to tie it and then finished the race in the middle of the pack.  We had seven girls running and they all finished, 4 in the top 20!  As a team we placed 2nd.  Great day!

The TEAM!!! Aren't they precious ferocious?

Just Thursday

So it's Thursday and not much exciting has happened around here.  I managed to break an electric sander, ground one child and show up late picking another up from practice.  I do not however, think the sander situation is my fault.  I blame faulty wiring.  Eventually I WILL finish my stairway!!! 

Allye is participating on a Cross Country team with a local christian school.  She is beyond excited!  I however have trouble understanding the thrill.  I really want to love running because the size of my soul is not being justly reflected by the size of my body.  The problem with running is that  I get an uncomfortable ache in my side, I can't breathe, and  I get all sweaty.  I try and only run when being chased.  Once Allye and I were taking regular walks and she encouraged me to run with her, so I gave it a go.  Before we could run I had to lay out the rules,
1.  There would be no laughing at the slow pace I run (kind of a bent knee walk)
2.  We had to be far enough away from our street so the neighbors can't laugh at me.
3.  No mocking me for stopping every 50feet.

Anyway for some reason she gave up on me....So it may be clear by now that all things running are not my forte.  I do not know how track meets work or cross country meets.  I asked Mr. Husband "So how do you watch a XC meet?"  He says there are places and we can choose various ones along the way from which to observe.  I said, "So won't they beat us to every station since they will be running and I assure you I will not?"  Yep, you guessed he laughed and I still don't know how to watch a XC meet.