sports day

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.  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. 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.  She was fast but there were two girls faster so she got the bronze. Then she went ahead and ran the 400.
And got the silver.Go Elle! Max needed a little pep talk from his Dad before his race. 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. (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.) 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. Heart-melter for sure.  Such nice kids. Grace was pleased as punch that her friend beat her in the one race she ran. 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. Back at the high school Max did the relay and won the gold with his team. 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). The graduating class this year. Lu with the sweeties that are so darn cute with her in the parent pick-up line.  Love them. 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 🙂