Looks like I Survived

Not only did the world not end, but I also finished Beach 2 Bay.  And lived.

Wow. 

The Beach 2 Bay was an incredible "Bucket List" type of experience.  I've run 5Ks before -- that alone is a challenge for me, but the Beach 2 Bay is a big deal.  There 2575 teams.  Multiply that by 6 people, and you have -- wait, lemme find my calculator -- 15,450 people running in Corpus Christi. 

My trainer Gabe was faster than 15,438 of them.  His team came in second over all.  He is awesome!  It took them just 2 hours, 21 minutes and 59 seconds to finish the race.

My friend Reena's team was faster than all but one of the women's teams.  She also is awesome.  Their team came in at 2 hours, 58 minutes and 23.6 seconds.

That means that two of my friends were done before I even got on the shuttle bus back to my car. 

My team, Victor's Grasshoppers, came in 697 out of 981 in our category.  That's in the top 71%!  Whoot!

The most difficult part of the event was not the running -- although I did walk more than I wanted to.  The most difficult part was the logistics.  I had to catch the shuttle between 5 & 6 am.  That's the middle of the night as far as I am concerned.  The race started at 7, I was finished at 8, and then had to wait another 2 hours to get a shuttle back to the car.  Then the shuttle was stuck in traffic for another hour and a half.  I didn't get home until 12:30pm. 

The waiting wouldn't have been so bad if we had access to shade and water.  We didn't.

Would I run it again?  Yes. 

Next year?  I'm gonna place in the top 690!

Graduation?

I recently received this e-mail:

Hi K5 parents,
 Our babies are about to graduate out of kinder!!! Can you believe it??? I was just wondering if anyone knows if we can or if you all are interested in having them wear cap & gown for the awards ceremony?? i think [the public school] does it & i dont think [our school] has ever done it, but if we provide it for our child, i wonder if they will let us???? is anyone else interested?

Am I interested?   No.  Hell no. 

I know this mom is excited (many punctuation marks!!!).  Pesonally,  I would rather sit through a timeshare presentation than endure a kindergarten graduation.

That's just me, though.  (Me & my husband, actually)  I don't want to be unkind or intolerant.  I hope the reply I sent wasn't hurtful.  I didn't use CAPS or excessive punctuation or swear words.  I responded:

"Sorry to be un-fun guys, but L____ is not going to wear a cap & gown for Kinder.  It’s not something I can get behind."

I understand being excited for your little one.  They are babies.  They are cute.  They are precious.  I get that.  I also understand not everyone agrees with me that graduations are for High School and above. 

I have high expectations for my boys.  I expect them to finish Kindergarten much in the same way I expect them to brush their teeth before bed.  Frankly, I also expect them to finish high school and college.  I am not going to throw a party for him just because he was promoted to first grade.

Know when I throw a big party??

When my son becomes an Altar Server.  When he makes Eagle Scout.  When he finishes Boot Camp.  When he finishes the Seminary.  When he receives his doctorate.  I celebrate my sons' achievements, not their milestones. 

It's not to say that on the last day of Kinder that I won't take him to McDonald's.  (To get a Happy Meal and a toy!  Take that Leroy G. Comrie!)  We will have a nice family dinner after First Holy Eucharist and I am not opposed to throwing a birthday party every five years or so.  But a graduation ceremony for Kindergarten?

Hell no.