Field Days

As homeschoolers, we are associated with an international school for resources, accountability and community. The annual, 2 day event that most kids look forward to is school wide field days. Rural families come in for the event in Addis Ababa and we have been here, talking it up to The Littles because they do not like eyes on them. (We hope to leave for Injibara on Monday, prayers are always appreciated for safe and uneventful travels.)

The older kids do track and field events while the younger do races and obstacle courses.

After much conversation and the lure of a treat, the girls both did two races today. They felt so worried they wouldn’t win and Jon and I so emphatically told them they didn’t need to that they were very confused and asked, “Wait, are we not supposed to win?”  

Our family focused on Bible verses about "finishing the race” and “perseverance”. :)

The moment of truth arrived, their first race, which we hadn’t practiced involved them in two separate heats, racing down the field with a bean bag balanced on their hand.

Little J starts down the field, at a brisk walk.

Tonight I asked her, “What were you thinking in this picture?” She responded, “I was just trying not to cry”.

Little A did the race next and a look of grim determination fixed on her face, bean bag balanced, eyes on the finish line.

The girls with Charlotte after the relief of their first race was complete.

Homemade donuts and mango popsicles!

The next race was the 50 meter, I love this shot, at the start, you can see the boys on the right coming out of the gate, Little J is making a forward motion and Little A just stands there.

J looked back and then A fell in behind her and that is how they finished the race, in very last place but Jon and I met them at the finish line as if they had just won the Boston Marathon. In our family, in this high pressure situation with lots of eyes, in a relatively unfamiliar place, THIS. WAS. A. BIG. DEAL. 

We watched lots of other races and cheered on friends as we mutually decided that two races could be enough for the day. 

Tomorrow there’s more but today I am a happy mama. They crossed the finish line! 

(The Littles aren’t crossing in this pic) 

We joked that Jon needs to chase them tomorrow because when they are running away from their daddy, they would pass everyone.