More running photos! C had a meet yesterday. The weather was gorgeous for us spectators, but a tad warm for the athletes. It was a hilly course with a section they call “in the shadow of the valley of death” and right after it is a long and torturous hill. Cs team placed first in the girls and then in first overall with the combined scores of the varsity boys and girls. Their sixth place runners were the tie breaker that put Cs team ahead. She placed ninth overall and it was her first race this season to be in the top 10.

Photo below is of A and C. A was the first person C started running with back in 2024 because they had a very similar pace. They continue to be very similar.

Willie and I had a great time visiting with friends and meeting a few new folks too. It was fun to run around the course to cheer on the Jaguars in as many places as we could.

C has a friend whose younger sister adores her. I love it. She may not have biological siblings, but she sure is a magnet for other littles. It still sometimes makes my heart hurt that she is an only and I still have slight moments of envy when I see other mamas having more babies. Leukemia changed that for us and we don’t even have the option to try for more, though at this point I know Willie would say we are too old. I don’t think we are, but it just wasn’t in our cards. C said she is most definitely having more than one child.

During the awards ceremony we had an interesting mini-event play out. One of the younger brothers of a teammate of Cs is autistic and he was walking around with his tablet taking photos. At one point he was up in front of all the teams and in front of where the awardees were standing looking back out over the team and taking pictures. His mom tried to wave him off to the side, but he was blissfully unaware. Then a tinier girl from one of the teams ran up to him and began chatting and asking to see his photos, at least that appeared to be what she asked because he started showing her his tablet. She then stood off to his side, gave a cute smile and double thumbs up, he snapped a photo or two, she looked at them, and then she ran back to her team and sat down. Turned out she was also autistic. I guess something was apparent to the two of them and they had this adorable interaction in front of over 100 athletes and parents. I wish I had gotten it on camera.

Cs first friend she made here – also a C – runs on the team but has never been very competitive. Though she is Cs age she runs on the JV team. She always looks like she is going to cry while running, even though she isn’t. This C isn’t fast and has never been in the top 10. Well yesterday for the first time, she was! After the awards ceremony we were standing near her mama and I was able to witness her exuberant excitement over getting a medal. Her face absolutely glowed and she was so very thrilled to have placed. That moment was one of my favorite of the evening.

Willie and I continued our morning walk before work today. Once again the weather was gorgeous. I can’t believe how warm it has been. I wore shorts all day long! The temperatures may drop next week, but for now, we will soak up the sunshine and warmth.