So, it's been all about the meets. Last Wednesday, Judah and Ez had a Mathcounts meet in a town 30 miles to the east and Noah had a cross country meet in a town 30 miles to the west. Tag team parenting yet again. Gary watched the runners and I watched the mathletes. Thank God for texting so we could keep each other posted as the events were happening! Whatever did we do before cell phones?
Anyway - the cross country race was the Conference meet and Noah got 8th overall, his best time, and his team won the whole thing! Whoot! Meanwhile, Ez got 4thplace among all the 8th graders and Judah placed 1st among the 7th graders! Whoot again!
Now, I know what you're thinking - that we are celebrating a cut throat - win at all costs - kind of thinking. But I have to tell you, that's not the case. When the boys were tots, I actually tried to make our home a non-gun zone. It lasted 3 1/2 seconds. Noah picked up a banana, pointed it at his brother and said, "Bang". Then it was a lego brick and then a rolled up piece of paper. I gave up. And so it went with competition. Yes, we have always given them the 'do your best' and 'just try hard' lectures. But I knew it was all over when they get ready to eat their cereal and yell, "Ready, set, go!" and the race is on to see who can eat the fastest. Are you kidding me? A Eating Cereal Race? Well, you name it - they are competing about it. I mean come on - they race to see who can get their school done first, who can shoot the K-nex piece through a football goal post with a rubber band more times without hitting someone in the eye, and who can fly through the air the farthest after jumping onto the rope swing from the tree in the front yard. It matters not the event - they are going to try to one-up the other guy.
And so - I believe it's a forgone conclusion that it's in their DNA.
And frankly, I can not fathom where on earth they get it from . . .
:)
