Field Day

Do you remember Field Day in elementary school? It was always one of my favorites! Even though I’ve never been the best athlete, I always won a few ribbons.

This was the first year I was able to attend a portion of the girls’ Field Day. While I missed Hope’s tug-of-war (in which her all-girls team won against both teams they went against), I was able to see her do a team relay,

hula hoop,

jump rope

and hung out with her while she ate a popsicle.

I wasn’t able to stay as long for Caroline, but I got to watch the joy on her face while she was jump roping

and doing a relay with her friends.

In between stations and in the hall getting ready to go outside, she would grab my hand and grin at me. I know these days won’t last, so I relish them!

So many things have changed in our schools since I was a kid. Hope had her first TAKS test this week. Caroline gets speech help that wouldn’t have been available to her years ago. There are a lot more kids in a classroom nowadays (and more to come next year if our legislature has anything to do about it). Computers are available in the classroom and their school drama mini-productions are available for me to watch online.

BUT, with all the changes, I am SO GLAD that some things don’t change—like Field Day. Nothing beats a few hours of laughing with your friends, racing against and with them and being outside. And for those of us parents who are blessed to be able to watch, there is little that compares to seeing the joy on faces of kids who don’t have to use their inside voices.