Sports Day is kind of a big deal here in China.  A big enough deal that they ordered fancy outfits for everyone in the school for the big day.  2014-10-16 sports and animals 15159 The day before the event the pollution count (not sure how they calculate that) was really high.  So high you could hardly see the skyscrapers downtown (I hear this gets way worse in the winter).  So they sent us an email that sports day may be canceled.  But I think Lucy’s prayers worked (she and  Claire could hardly wait) and it turned out to be the most gorgeous blue-sky day in all the land.2014-10-16 sports and animals 15160 Max and Elle begged to skip the whole shebang. Little did they know they would be the stars of the show!  Ha!  Not really, but I think it was kind of fun for them to see how fast they could run.  They’ve never done any running races before.  Never really had the opportunity.  So after some serious pep-talking from me and Dave (they did NOT want to run), I think they surprised themselves that they could do it. And they could do it pretty well.  (Yes they have a little bit of an advantage in their stride, but let’s just pretend like this is all sheer skill, just for this post ok?) First Elle ran the 100.  2014-10-17 iPhone 15833She was fast but there were two girls faster so she got the bronze. 2014-10-16 sports and animals 151642014-10-16 sports and animals 15168 Then she went ahead and ran the 400.
2014-10-16 sports and animals 15178 And got the silver.2014-10-16 sports and animals 151842014-10-16 sports and animals 151892014-10-16 sports and animals 15191Go Elle! Max needed a little pep talk from his Dad before his race.2014-10-16 sports and animals 15181 He wasn’t head-over-heels excited about it but he lined up on that 800 starting line and decided he was going to go for it. The first lap he was dead last.  Then he pulled in and started passing people.  It was like Chariots of Fire I tell you! (Do they do a race like that in that show??) He passed one guy and then another and another until he and the first guy were neck and neck.2014-10-16 sports and animals 15200 (Let’s pretend like the guy he was passing here was taking this super seriously and not wearing a hoodie and sweats to race in, and just keep imagining the Chariot’s of Fire music.)2014-10-16 sports and animals 15201 He came in second.  It was all hoopla all around, his classmates were so excited for him recounting that big comeback and how amazed they were.2014-10-16 sports and animals 15203 Heart-melter for sure.  Such nice kids.2014-10-16 sports and animals 152052014-10-16 sports and animals 152082014-10-16 sports and animals 15213 Grace was pleased as punch that her friend beat her in the one race she ran. 2014-10-16 sports and animals 15257 Love those cute girls. The sports day for the elementary girls was on their own campus and was a lot more fun and games.  Loved watching those two in their element there.2014-10-16 sports and animals 152202014-10-16 sports and animals 152272014-10-16 sports and animals 152322014-10-16 sports and animals 152372014-10-16 sports and animals 152382014-10-16 sports and animals 15243 Back at the high school Max did the relay and won the gold with his team.2014-10-16 sports and animals 15256 Elle hung and watched with a friend (they both started at this school at the same time after leaving high school in the states which always helps the bond…so fun to get to know some of these kids).2014-10-16 sports and animals 15192 The graduating class this year.2014-10-16 sports and animals 152672014-10-16 sports and animals 15269 Lu with the sweeties that are so darn cute with her in the parent pick-up line.  Love them.2014-10-16 sports and animals 15270 We all came home on that gorgeous fall day totally invigorated.  The smiles that stretched across the kids faces all weekend long made me so grateful for things like this that help them gain new confidence by reaching out of the norm and trying new things. …Or maybe the smiles were really due to the fact that they got to go to the wild animal park after that and hold a baby tiger and a parrot.  Hmmmm, I guess I’ll never know for sure 🙂

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12 Comments

  1. Surprised that Elle and Max were not that excited to do the race given they do so many sports here in the states. You can tell in the first photo that they were not too thrilled. Wish they would bring sports day as we do not have it here in Georgia. Our school does a day of cooperation type games where there are only team winners.

  2. I was so happy to read you've turned comments back on. I read your blog faithfully, have all your ideas for motherhood written in my journal, and am continually inspired by your diligent mothering. I am a mother to just one little girl right now and so grateful for mothers like you to look up to!

  3. Wow such a nice and tallented kinds you have! I love to see them growing. My child is only 3 months so… I can't wait to see him saying his first word) But I'm already feel that he will go for sport much faster than starts to red and he start boxing way before the birth) By the way, for those mommies that don't know how to calm down the baby I would recommend sizzling-hot-deluxe-slot.com, the music in that simple game miraculously calm my child down and brings me a spare of free time while I'm playing!

  4. My boy is 5! He is so active that even I become exhausted when I am playing with him. Thanks to my wife, she knows how to make him sleepy, so I can have several hours for rest and have some relaxing roulette game.

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