Today was quite the day. We are wiped out tonight!
We were at the track and field area by 9:00 - it's bit of a drive from our hotel so we were on the road before 8:30. Carson got checked in for the softball throw when we arrived. After a few practice throws, it was his turn. Best of three throws and I think his best was 47 or 48 feet. (I was too busy crying to pay attention to the numbers!). He did great!
Next we ventured over to the track and waited several hours. Thankfully, it wasn't sunny. It was warm and fairly humid. We were blessed with a breeze off of the water (we were on the UW campus). Finally it was time for the 50 meter dash. Carson did awesome and placed sixth in his heat (out of eight overall). There were three of them that finished at just about the same time, so he was so close to finishing higher in his heat. Not sure where he placed overall.
The 50 meter dash brought back memories of six years ago when Carson ran it. He ran from my arms at the beginning of the track to Travis' at the end. This time it was reversed. I could barely see through the camera lens as the tears streamed down my face. As he ran into my arms, I started to sob. Carson started to cry too and I told him he was such a miracle. He nodded and smiled a soft little acknowledging smile. It was so incredible.
Later we were talking about how he wished he could have gotten a medal. We talked about how there are a lot of kids in his age division and not every kid can get a medal. Then I told him that he won the biggest victory nearly nine years ago when he survived his near-death transplant journey. I told him by surviving he had already won a gold medal. We shared another cry.
After a short wait it was time for the long jump. Carson was wiped out by this point. He had a good jump (not sure where he placed). I think we were all more excited to be done with the heat when he finished! :) By this point we had been outside for 6 hours and had consumed incredible amounts of water and powerade. The AC in the car felt so great!!!
Grace had pretty much wilted by this point. She didn't have a nap today but hung in there like a champ. We had signed up for a kids event at a nearby farm for all of us. We decided it would be best if Trav and Grace stayed at the hotel and Carson and I go to the farm. Daddy and Grace swam, had supper and then Grace crashed. The only moving she is doing is breathing. Poor thing!
Carson and I had a fantastic time at the farm - we joined up with several other 'liver' families and the kids all had a great time. We all got lost in the huge corn maze, Carson mined for fossils and gemstones, we went on a hayride, played duck water races, jumped on a huge trampoline/pillow (never seen anything like it - can't wait to show pics!), went on a barrel car ride, watched duck races, fed goats, pet a donkey, slid down a huge, huge slide, watched a pumpkin cannon shoot a pumpkin nearly 1/2 mile and ate supper in a 107 year old circular barn. ALL IN THREE HOURS!!! It was a fun night. As much as I know Grace would have loved it, she needed her rest, and I'm glad she was back in bed.
Amazingly, Carson still had energy for a quick dip in the pool when we got back to the hotel. After all, it would be an injustice not to swim at the hotel during one day of our stay!
Well, time for bed. We are doing a special Build-A-Bear workshop tomorrow (build a bear for yourself and make a spare to give to a child at a local children's hospital) and then Carson has bowling tomorrow afternoon. Closing ceremonies are tomorrow night!
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