Who Knew?

It finally came. The day all of Franklin Elementary had been talking about for weeks.

Field Day.

When you are in 4th grade, Field Day is about as big as it gets at your school, trust me.

This is how it works: Franklin Elementary is a public school, but it is a back to basics school. If you don't like how they operate, then you are more than welcome to take your child to your neighborhood school. Franklin believes in building self worth in children by being appropriately realistic. Not everyone is equal at Franklin. Some kids shine in Art, others in Math. And that is ok. Kids get real grades at Franklin, based on homework and test scores. And that is ok too, in fact, it is better than ok, it is reality. And the kids truly thrive.

So, back to Field Day. Girls compete against the other girls in their grade, boys against the boys. They hand out 3 ribbons per event: Blue, Red, White. That's it. And guess what? The kids survive if they don't all win everything. Simply amazing.

3 and her very best friend, the Spirited V. V may or may not return to Franklin next year. We are crossing our fingers as hard as we can.

There is just nothing better than V.

Okay. After that big speech about kids having to learn that they aren't going to win everything...... 3 won everything. Seriously. I honestly don't know where I get these freaky athletic girls. Starting with 1 who was honestly the most freakishly athletic. But her sisters aren't far behind. It's awesome. I'm not embarrassed to admit it. Above is 3 winning the 50 yard dash. Blue Ribbon #1.

And 3 winning the hurdles. Blue Ribbon #2.

3 also won the obstacle course and the long jump. These shining moments will forever go undocumented because I was volunteering at the 50 yard dash and did not witness her victories. But she has Blue Ribbon #3 and Blue Ribbon #4 to prove it.

Okay, for the record, 3 did not win EVERYTHING... she did not win the softball throw. In fact, she received no ribbon at all. And guess what? She totally survived it.

Now everyone who knows anything knows that the relay race is the BIGGEST deal at Field Day. It is class against class.

The girls and boys try out weeks in advance... the fastest 4 from each class make the team. The fastest one is, of course, the anchor.

3 was the anchor.

Right before the relay, strategizing and pumping each other up. These girls so wanted to bring home a victory for Mrs. Christensen. Mrs. Christensen has never had a victorious relay team.

Mrs. Christensen wanted it bad.

They ran as hard as they could. They ran a good race, but hard as they tried, they didn't win. They came in second.

3 trotted over to me directly afterwards, I was standing there with my best sympathetic "You did great!" Mom look I could muster, thinking I would have to console 3. Instead, this is what 3 said. "Mom. I knew when I got the baton that R had gotten us too far behind for even me to catch us up. I ran as fast as I could but I knew I wasn't going to win. R was just too slow. But R is my friend." That's it. That's all she said.

"R IS MY FRIEND."

And to her, that was all that mattered.

Right after the Relay..... reveling in their RED!!

Dear 3,

Someday when you read this post, I want you to know that I really believe I was forever changed by you today. It wasn't Earth shattering, in fact you probably didn't even notice. But those 4 little words you said: "R is my friend." Stopped me cold in my tracks. I mean what is more important? What is more important to your Heavenly Father and what says more about you than those words? Those words say everything about you. I know how bad you wanted to win that relay in front of the entire school. But in the end, when you saw R trying, you knew what was important, and it wasn't the relay.

You are the most incredible little girl. You are loyal and beautiful and I know that next year even if you don't win any blue ribbons at all you will be as happy as you were today, when you won 4. And that says everything about you that anyone needs to know.

Love,

Mom