Yesterday was a day.
A. DAY.
Joshua didn't have Therapeutic Recreation, so we "hanged around the house" (his words) most of the morning. But about 10:30, we decided to get out-and-about...or, as my Grandmother used to say in her thick Virginia accent, "oot and aboot."
Joshua needed a haircut and I thought we might do some shopping.
If I tell you about that, it would just take a year off your life. Let's just say that Joshua did NOT get a hair-cut because the ladies at our local Sports Clips were having some ish-ahs. We opted to leave and have lunch at Chick-Fil-A. Joshua was so happy.
You know how they will ask for a name when you place your order at Chick? I gave them Joshua's name, because nothing makes my son happier than someone calling his name in a restaurant...and then bringing him a tray of chicken sandwiches and waffle fries.
I'm just sayin'.
Jim took a half-day of vacation yesterday because Clark had a track meet...and Jim wanted to get in a run and do some yard work and things like that. Clark told us that HIS COACH TOLD THEM...that this would be a long meet. The track meet was being held in our old hometown...and the track at the school has 6 lanes, instead of 8...so that makes things last way longer. We've been to meets there before, and usually it's late in the evening before we are done.
So, we planned to leave at 4, but Clark texted us and said, "DO NOT LEAVE AT 4." He said that he would probably not even run until 8. That's p.m. ON A THURSDAY.
It's a little over an hour away, and Jim was antsy, so we decided to leave at 5:30. That would put us there by 7. We had Clark's girlfriend with us, and another college girl from our hometown that we were taking to meet her parents for dinner while we were at the track meet.
We were barely into our drive when my friend, Stacy, texted me to say, "are y'all here yet?" I texted back that we weren't and where we were and what all Clark had said. Last week, Clark's team had a practice track meet. Clark ran 4 races and had the fastest times of any other boy on his team. So, naturally, his coach tells him that he's only running 1 race this week.
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
But, whatever...we went to every football game and every away football game but one during Clark's sophomore year, even tho he was injured and didn't play. Driving 1 hour and 10 minutes for a 25 second race at a track meet? NOOOO problem. We are not amateurs.
But then Stacy texts, "Clark is fixin' to run."
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
Run what? He was only supposed to run one race...at 8 o'clock!
At this point, you just have to know that it kills me to miss any of my kids' events. There have been times when our kids have had things scheduled on the same day. With 4 kids, it was bound to happen. It's been rare, tho. Jim and I like to make every game, meet, recital, assembly, conference...that we can. So when Stacy said that Clark was fixin' to run a race that his coach had told him he would not be running...and we were going to miss it...I wanted to cry.
I know. Dramatic, much?
But, great friend that she is, Stacy videoed it for me and sent it to me via text. We were able to watch it while we were on the way and nothing made me any happier. And Clark did great.
I was so sad that we missed it.
Anyway, we made it to town at 6:45 and dropped the friend off at her house and headed to the school. We got out of the car and walked to the gate to pay. Just then, a rush of boys flew by on the track. Think: the scene from Mulan where Mulan says, "I NEVER want to see a naked man again..." and a herd of men run by while she stands there...stunned.
Yeah.
Faith pointed and says, "uhhh...I think that was Clark."
WE WEREN'T EVEN INSIDE THE STADIUM YET.
WE MISSED HIS RACE.
*Updated to add that someone brought it to my attention that the above reference to the scene from Mulan makes it sound like the track boys were nekked...and even tho we are from the South, we run with our clothes ON...at track meets! ;)
We just stood there, shocked, and so disappointed...and that's when I determined in my heart to never, ever, EVER again listen to my son or his coach when it comes to the schedule of a track meet. Ugh.
JUST GO WHEN IT STARTS.
The ticket-taker lady told us to go in without paying. Was that sweet or what?
And our friends who were there in the bleachers...they were all just as sad as we were...that we missed Clark's race. Thankfully, Stacy had recorded that one, too.
(sigh)
Clark wasn't upset at us. He had told us that he would "keep in touch," and he didn't...but oh, well. We got to see our friends...and then when we went to pick up our college-girl at her parent's house, we got to visit with them as well.
All in all...a good night.
And next week? We are going back to where we used to live...like, where we moved from to move here. Clark has a track meet there. And I will be there early, I don't care what anybody says.
"Can a woman forget her...child?...Even if she forgets, I will not forget you!" Isaiah 49:15
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