It's the Little Things.....: Running and Rainbows.

This year, for the first time, Juliana decided to join her school's cross country team. Sheldon, on the other hand, has been running every race and winning ribbons since the was year he was able to join. They both train with the team every day at lunch.

From the beginning, Juliana has maintained that she would train with the team but she would not compete. The anxiety that goes along with sports is just not her thing. But lately she's been surprising us.

The week before this last meet we talked a couple of times about her hesitation. When she told me that she was afraid she would come in last, I gave her a little pep talk to remind her of all the things that she has done lately that she was initially afraid to do and yet once she actually tried them she had a blast.

The night before the race she decided that she would go prepared - running shoes and school t-shirt on - but that she wasn't going to decide whether or not to run until we got there. And then, again, I told her that we'd be proud of her no matter what. Just getting out and running was a success on its own.

We picked the kids up after school and headed, prepared, to the meet. In the car on the way the kids talked about the route - apparently this was going to happen! Once we got there, she found her friends and that was it. She headed to the start without even looking back for us.

And then she ran.

No surprise to anyone but I got a little teary watching my girl on the first lap before they headed out of our sight. Peter and I walked over to wait for the runners to arrive at the finish line. And finish she did! She came into that last stretch with a burst of energy and pride written all over her face. What I didn't know until afterwards was that Sheldon and his buddies were cheering from the turn into the final stretch and when she heard them she "didn't want him to think she was going to stop" so she sped up and passed four kids!

She was waiting in the line up immediately after finishing and when she heard us call her name she smiled. Oh, did she smile! I am welling up again just thinking about that look.

Sheldon had his turn to make us proud a little later. He ran a great race, was the first of his teammates to finish, and won another 8th place ribbon. Again I felt a little teary watching him run that final stretch because this will be the last time I see him run at this meet (my favourite) before he heads off to (gulp) high school.

But the story doesn't end there.

Later that night, I was at home with the kids and Peter was picking up a couple of groceries when he sent me a text that simply said "Rainbow!" Out the back window I could see that the sun was setting, the sky was brilliant shades of pink, and there was the rainbow.