triple crown...

 

Yesterday was the BYU Track and Field Triple Crown. Kids from local elementary schools can come run a mile, complete with bibs & timing chips. The real deal. We have gotten a flyer for this every single year since I can remember, but have never done it. I don't really know why. We just haven't. Lizzy and Emily insisted. And once they insisted, Molly insisted. It was a great event. VERY organized. Totally legit. Led and run by the BYU track team.

 

The kids were really, really excited. They talked about it for days. "How fast do you think we can go, Mom? Should Lizzy and I stay together? How many more days? What if I have to walk a little?" Some of these (MANY) pictures are silly, but I think they capture just how excited the girls were.

Little Molly and the 1st grade girls were up first. I knew she was a little anxious. We talked about just doing the very best you could. It didn't matter of you won, if you had to walk 12 times, if you came in last. It was a MILE, and that is a long way for a tiny little girl. I was so, so proud of her. She finished in 10:38 and a smile. Look at her face! They gave the kids a timecard at the end with all their stats. They got water and a high five from Cosmo. Molly was thrilled and so was I. She was 20th out of 60 1st grade girls. Let me tell you...there are some FAST kids in this area. REALLY fast. I was blown away.

My sweet 11 year olds, anxious for their turn. Gosh, I love them.

Lizzy stretching out and happy Emily. If I have to be honest, Emily is faster, but Lizzy has the endurance. I knew they would both do well.

Emily finished in 7:46, 17th/49 6th grade girls. She was awesome. She pushed really hard. So hard she told me her legs were tingly at the end. She was really proud and happy, and so were we. As you can see, Lizzy is nowhere in sight. They had decided to run their own pace and meet up when it was over. :) I knew Lizzy would finish first. But she didn't. I noticed her walking across the field about 1/4 mile into the race. She was hurting, and she was so, so sad. As she got closer to Alex and I, he told me he was going to go walk with her. He wanted to fix things. She got an awful pain in her side, right at the beginning and just couldn't do it.

I'll tell you what, when she passed me crying, I wanted to drop everything, pick her up, and help her off the field. I wanted to take her away from there. I wanted to tell her we could quit if she wanted to. Alex kept encouraging her though. I loved seeing him love her like a big brother should. I loved it. Towards the end, when there were about 200 meters left, a girl from the BYU team came up beside them and obviously said something right. I wish I could hug her and personally thank her. They all started to sprint. They were racing eachother. In my mind, the music swelled and I was almost completely overcome with emotion. My baby didn't quit. Oh how she wanted to, but she didn't.

There were lots and lots of tears afterwards. She was completely devastated. Her heart was broken. I know that many of you, if not all, would say that it's good for her. Adversity will make her stronger. In that moment, I didn't care one bit about future Elizabeth. I cared about the one right in front of my face. The one who was hurting and so sad. I was feeling what she was feeling. Not physically, but emotionally. She had dreamed for days of going to school this morning and telling her friends her good news. She had built it up in her head. I remember doing the same thing. All the time. I understood her tears. My heart was really heavy. In that moment, I just couldn't fix things. We talked for a long, long time last night. About everything. About how when your body is hurt, you sometimes just can't do it. About what she could say to her friends. About how amazing she is for finishing that darn thing. About how she is beautiful, amazing, kind, smart, funny, has the most beautiful singing voice. She would cover her smile with her hand. The sadness was being pushed out. This morning she seemed a lot better, and ready to conquer the day. She is my girl.

This mom stuff is hard. Nothing is worse than seeing your child in pain. Any sort of pain. No matter how trivial you may know it to be. I am grateful that the Lord blessed me with the ability to feel what they are feeling. To be able to validate their concerns, even though I know that in the long run, those concerns just won't matter. I think what we as mom's say and do in those moments...THAT is what is important. THAT is how they are shaped and molded. THAT is how they come to understand how amazing they are.