WDA 2013 - A Day to Be Thankful!

I have felt extremely thankful this week.  You see one year ago this week - our house flooded.  I had left for church that Wednesday feeling so thankful.  We were almost done with the build.  We were all sleeping under the same roof.  I was able to wash clothes and cook meals again.  Life was starting to feel manageable.  Fast forward four hours (or less) and we returned from church to water, water everywhere.  I thought at first that it was something we could soak up and just go on.  But, it was not.

I remember coming home from work the next day to a house demolished.  About a fourth of the newly completed house was torn apart.  It was SO much worse than I expected.  I remember crying in the garage wondering how I would face the kids.  How would I encourage them when I was crushed?  How could I ask them to be brave when the bedrooms they had just built for themselves were now ruined?

I remember vowing to keep everything as normal as possible and their stress level low.

I remember moving them into a hotel the night before the WDA 2012 meet.  It was literally over 100* in our house and we were trying to gather our things. (They needed to heat up the house to dry out the insulation and wood.) It was miserable, sad, and stressful. There was no stove or microwave, so I was standing in the partially ruined kitchen making Jamison the promised pre-race spaghetti in a hot plate in my suffocatingly hot house.  I was determined that one way or another, I would keep my promises.  Spaghetti would be made by ME one way or another.  It was one thing I could control and I was grasping tightly to anything that was WITHIN my control. 

I remember worrying about all that Jamison had experienced that week, wondering how he could possibly race well.

I remember fighting tears, as Jay stood on the line ready to race, because I was asked by a neighbor/fellow xc mom why there had been restoration trucks at our still under construction house.

I remember feeling so incredibly tired, yet so incredibly proud of my kids.  

I remember wishing we could just stay at the meet forever - that one small corner of my life felt deliciously normal.  Going back to face our real life felt SO overwhelming.

Fast forward to THIS morning, and you found one very thankful momma flipping pre-race pancakes in a beautiful kitchen thanking God that we have gone from barely surviving to thriving!

As we prayed for Jamison before the race, I was once again near tears - but these were happy thankful tears.  God has taken us a long way in the last 12 months, and I am truly thankful.

Pulling up to this year's WDA race, I felt only excitement!

 I knew by the way the pre-race team meeting ended it was going to be a good race!

I have teased Jay all year that the CHS boys have a wimpy "Patriots" chant as they leave the team huddle.  Today I heard a loud, deep, convincing, enthusiastic "PATRIOTS!" and I knew these boys were ready to run!

 I think Coach Leis gets as nervous as his boys!

I am very thankful for the dedication and precision with which he coaches the boys.

 Pre-race run downs.

It was chilly and windy out.  I was feeling sorry for these partially dressed boys!  However, Jamison later explained that after taking off his sweats, hat, gloves, and sweatshirt he feels incredibly light and fast!  So, maybe the cold is a good thing?

(Or not)

 And they are off!

(Notice the smoke from the starting pistol lingering in the air!)

 Super steep hill - but look who is waiting at the top?

Sierra, or course!

I did not even know she was there when I snapped this photo.  I was thrilled to discover her right at the spot that JD needed her the most.  Sometimes siblings are THE BOMB!

 The boys had the "pleasure" of climbing that monster hill twice.

UGH!  

 Before the race, Coach "ranked" Jamison 29th.  Coach Lies took all the racers from all the school, listed their top times, and put them in order based on that tabulation.  According to Coach, JD had the 29th fastest time in the WDA prior to this race.  

Because of the wind and the hills, it was not really a day to PR - but it was still a great day to race.

Jamison ran hard and strong - with all the fight and spark and enthusiasm that marked the beginning of the season.  He finished 23rd, beating Coach's goal for him by 6 placings!

AND as a team, the CHS boys came in 2nd!
They had their lowest score at this meet (which is a good thing in XC) since Lies has coached them.

The girls team won the meet!

It was a good day to be a Patriot!

The State Cross-Country race takes place in two weeks!  It will be the first State level competition in which any of our kids have competed!  Last year Jamison was able to travel with the team, but he was an alternate.  That was a high honor as a Freshman since they only take 12 runners on the bus when they go to state.  BUT this year he runs!  I am super excited to watch him suit up and race that day!