We Made It!

Another year finished, thank you notes passed out and goodbye hugs for friends and teachers. When so many kids are crying, you know it must have been a good year, if they're so sad to see it end. We definitely finished with a bang... Olympics Day followed by the Lighthouse Run. The kids were outside almost the whole day and at the end they were sunburned, exhausted, and ready to go home.

The day started bright and early, helping to set up the games. I then spent three hours in the hot sun cheering on the kids as they tried to fill up a jar by carrying spoonfuls of water from a bucket 15 feet away. Ours was a pretty tame one, most of the others involved a lot more water, and getting a lot wetter. God blessed us with a nice hot, sunny day, so it was perfect!

 

After the games, the kids had lunch and recess. (Just enough time for us to put away all our supplies and get ready for the next event.) They came back out for the Lighthouse Run, and what a great time! They were split into groups by gender and age. The kids who chose not to run lined up along the finish and cheered on their classmates as group by group, kids came streaming into the finish. It was so heartwarming to see the faster kids go back for their friends that had been left behind. To see their principal jog along with the slowest, encouraging them till the end. And all the kids cheering and clapping for each other.

Archer let me run in his group, the 3rd Grade Boys and I was a bit surprised at how fast most of them were, even after the long morning in the hot sun. I had to push pretty hard at the end just to catch up with Archer, and even then, he was a few feet ahead. He claims I finished last in the group but I know I didn't, there were a few kids behind me! Since there was no photographer to document our claims, I guess it will go down in history as a contested "last place" finish for Mom.

After a round of popsicles for everyone, they went inside to retrieve their backpacks and that was it. Day over. A long, hot, hard work day was over before I knew it, and school was done.

I walked around to the front to pick up Shelly and say a last goodbye to Mrs. P. We walked to the back to find Archer and say a final goodbye to Mr. Z, the principal. Shelly's teacher will be moving to a different school next year. We'll really miss her. Mr. Z is retiring and we're going to miss him also. They both bring so much to North Park and they leave big shoes to fill. But for now, we've got Summer Vacation to survive!