Mismo Meet

It is good to be home.  Bronwyn and I made a 500 mile round trip to her gymnastics meet today.  We got out of the house in good time, and all was well until I crossed the state line and realized that the meet was in the next time zone.  That half an hour cushion I had planned into the trip was now gone and we were a half hour behind schedule.  I was hoping she would only miss her warm up, or maybe one event.  Then she softly said, "Mom, I forgot my grips."  Great, suddenly I was hoping that bars were the event they had first since we might be missing it anyway.  I quickly shifted from, "great! I just drove four hours to miss two of four events and waste a whole day..."  to "I am thankful for a beautiful drive with my daughter.  Maybe we can get in some shopping."

As it turned out, we made it just in the nick of time.  The majority of parents on the team also miscalculated the drive time, so we were all a little rattled.  She was able to borrow a set of grips.  The team placed third overall, and she placed third in her age division.  She learned how to overcome adversity, and keep her composure.  I was pleased with how she did.  The trip really was beautiful.  The change in scenery was very refreshing.

I was reading One Thousand Gifts while I waited in the stands.  There were three brothers sitting in front of me.  I was so grateful to be able to watch them without them realizing it.  One of the boys was in a wheel chair.  He was cheering on his sister and playing with his brothers, just like many other children in the stands.  I don't think the wheel chair even mattered to them as they played together.  It was very sweet.  I jotted down a few more things I am thankful for in the book as I read and watched.

#72-84

Siblings.  You can't live with 'em and you can't live without 'em.

Food, which can visibly refresh a person right before your eyes.

Glitter and sequins, they really are pretty.

Hugs.

The familiar faces of strangers.  When you get into sporting events you start to see the same faces in the crowd, which is very comforting.  A guy came up to me at the meet, and said, "I know you!"  I had handed him a map at a meet a year ago so he could give directions to another team mate.  I've seen him at every meet since then.  I cheer for his daughter, they are starting to feel like family.

Bubbly sweet things, sometimes it just hits the spot.

Text messages from children that are far away.

Blue skies over white mountain peaks.

Friendly servers at Starbucks.  Starbucks on every other corner.

Costco, a blessing to large families everywhere.

Sleeping children that wake up and tell me they miss me when I get home.