We went to the park last night. We haven't taken the girls out much lately (their cages are getting smelly, so we opted for the park ;)). I was still in my work clothes, but the weather was perfect, so we went. There were a few boys Hannah has gone to school with there, and they played together like the best of friends.
One of the mom's piped up after half an hour, and announced that the boys had to go to the 'race', which broke little Hannah's heart. I looked over to see that there was a huge crowd of people gathered for some sort of race. Ryan, a long time cross country runner, questioned the woman about the nature of the race. If you finish the race, she told us, you get a medal. Apparently, we had stumbled upon the last day of the Annual Bush Park Cross Country Run Series.
There was a run for kids 6 and under. It was 500 meters. It cost a $2 donation, but neither Ryan nor I had any cash. Once Hannah heard that she could run, um...and win a MEDAL, she could think of nothing else. Ryan went to the van and combed every inch of it for change. He found $1.75. I told him I would wait with Clementine at the playground while he went and bonded with Hannah (and begged for her entrance with being a quarter short). There was a pause; Ryan is not the type to go ask favors of people. I let the pause rest, and then added 'How adorable, your OWN daughter running, just like you!'
It did the trick. He marched over there with her, and sure enough, she got in. She rejoined her friends and anxiously awaited her chance to get out there. They had to run around the baseball field, and the parents were allowed to run next to them. I finally dragged Clem over to join them, and she of course, said she wanted to run as well. I told her we could run behind them all.
The horn blew, and they all took off. I lost sight of Hannah and Ryan, so I started to trail along closer than I wanted (especially in my ridiculous work outfit). Still I couldn't find them, and was worried that she would have given up half way in a puddle of tears. I saw many kids do just that, and since Hannah has had no 'real' athletic experience, I wouldn't be surprised if she had. I couldn't find her. I kept looking and looking, but there were about 150 kids with plenty of parents running, so losing a little girl in pastel blue and pink doesn't seem so bizarre.
I decided to just stand by last leg of the race and wait and hope. Before long I spotted her. She was STILL running, a little crooked, but still running, without even realizing it, I spontaneously burst into streaming tears! It just all overtook me, and I was just sobbing in pride and amazement that my little girl was still in it! Ryan was encouraging her, but she didn't need it, she was propelled by her own fierce desire to succeed.
I was kicking myself for not having a camera. She ran through the finish line and they handed her a little bracelet, and a stick with a number on it. She was number 54.
Clementine, in all the excitement, decided that she was going to take part, so she started in behind some of the runners. She dawdled though, but one of the women running the race, saw her try and asked if she could hold Clem's hand to run with her. 'Sure,' I said. She encouraged Clem to keep running, which she did joyfully, and ran the last 100 feet or so to the finish line. She got a bracelet as well, which cracked me up because she had only been running for that little itty bit part, but it pleased her so.
Ryan and Hannah waited in line for her medal, to find out that ONLY the top 5 in each age would be getting medals. She was number 6 in the 4 year olds! Boo and OMG! I couldn't believe it, again with the tears. She was 6th??? Wow...So impressed! Long after we stood around trying to reassure her that a bracelet was cooler than a medal, did we see her friends pass the finish line. Teehee!
I cannot explain the basis of my strange emotional surge that I had seeing her work so hard for something. Made me realize some of that parental passion seen at Little League games. Most of all, it made me realize how amazing my little daughter is, and how grateful I am to have someone work so hard.
After a celebratory milkshake, we went home. As my little runner sat on my lap, with contentment, I reached down to take off her shoes, only to notice they were on backwards this whole time.
5 comments:
Did you forget about the part where the other overly invested, Joan Crawford like parents were running along side their 5 year old sons and daughters, berating them for not running fast enough?
It seems like H will soon be old enough for like pee wee soccer or something, no? It may be a good way to expel some of her excess energy, to make friends, and to build self confidence. Just make sure to pack some Kleenex!
Um, just out of curiosity, if Ryan had to scour the crevices of your car for $1.75, how did you buy milkshakes on the way home?
This post had me in tears; I could just see sweet Hannah running her little heart out. The very end, about having her shoes on the wrong feet, was the real clencher, *sniff, sniff, sob, sob*. It so tugged at my mommy heartstrings. Thanks for sharing!
Karen
Oh, and debit cards, Cheyenne, debit cards. Or, stopped at an ATM. Or, pulled out the credit card for this extra-special celebration! :)
yeah, we just never carry cash on us, silly!
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