Or, in a long, long time. Not that I'm being dramatic about it or anything.
I had helped Holly box up and move things and I was exhausted...so no one was more surprised than me that I couldn't go to sleep. But then about midnight, my phone "dinged."
I always keep my phone charging on my nightstand at night, but it's always on silent...until now. With Clark being out-of-the-country, and Holly be close to giving birth...I've been turning the ringer on.
So, it dinged, and I picked it up. It was Clark. From all the way around the world. And he asked me to send him pictures of him back when he had long hair. This is all very important stuff at 12:15 IN THE MORNING. But I scrolled through my old pictures until I found about 3 of them, and I sent them...and then tried to go to sleep.
And then, my phone RANG. It was 12:45 IN THE MORNING. I answered it, and it was Logan. He said, "we are at the garage door, and I forgot my key."
WHAT?
They were supposed to meet us at Special Olympics this morning, but they decided to come last night. I felt really bad, because I hadn't even put the sheets back on the bed. They were washed and dried, because Holly stayed there this week while Aaron-the-son-in-law was out-of-town...I just thought I would put the sheets on this morning before we left.
I tossed and turned after that...and I realize that anyone reading this doesn't want to read about my sleep patterns. I'm just saying that I slept horrible.
But we got up and left the house a little before 7. We picked up Chick-Fil-A for breakfast, and headed to Special O.
We had the best day. The weather was hot and muggy, and the fieldhouse was like a little Easy Bake Oven. SO HOT. But the athletes didn't seem to mind. Joshua was excited to see some of his friends, and we had some friends from town come by to say "hi."
Joshua did extremely well today. I posted a video of his last dead-lift on my Facebook and IG (martythemoose). He won 3 gold medals for his efforts.
Special Olympics is always inspiring, but today? Today took the cake.
We had a new Powerlifter...a girl...and she was in a wheelchair. I don't ever remember us having a Powerlifter who was "confined" to a wheelchair. I don't know if this girl would be classified as a paraplegic, or if she has spina bifida. Either way, she could not use the lower half of her body at all.
When they called her name, she wheeled herself up to the bench-press. Then she had two men...family members or coaches...lift her out of her chair. They positioned her on the bench, and then they strapped her legs to the bench, so that she wouldn't fall. They placed a "spotter" on either side of her, just in case...and then she attempted a lift of 60 pounds.
She didn't make it...but everyone cheered. She told her coach that she was really nervous.
The second round started, and when it was her turn, she rolled up to the bench-press...just like before. And, just like before, she attempted a lift of 60 pounds...and this time? This time she made it.
And everyone went nuts.
Because my sore back...my lack of sleep...and the fact that the fieldhouse was burning up hot? All of a sudden, it didn't matter anymore.
The cheering went on for a WHILE. There wasn't a dry eye in the fieldhouse. All of our athletes have challenges to overcome, but this particular athlete epitomized the Special Olympics oath: "Let me win, but if I cannot win...let me be brave in the attempt."
She was brave in the attempt.
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
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