Mountain Day Olympics

It was our first Mountain Day Olympics at Berry today and was more exciting than I could have ever imagined. Watching those K-8Th grade kids come marching down the hill to the lawn in front of Frost Chapel actually brought some chills and made my eyes tear a little. The weather was terrible though, rainy and cold made for not so happy parents. But looking at each child you surely couldn't tell the weather was bad. I don't think they noticed.

All grades competed in games, races and fun activities. Chloe had a blast! Her daddy and I followed her class around from event to event cheering. At the relay race he whispered to me; "I hope she wins!" We are both kind of competitive. We love to see the look on her face when she succeeds. It's just the greatest feeling.

At around 11:30 each class trekked back up the hill to their classroom for pizza. After lunch would be the finale, the traditional kindergarten versus eighth grade tug-of-war. While they were eating their lunch Mrs. Niedrach tried to pump up the class to get them ready. They had been lifting weights all week in preparation. Those eighth graders were big. She had each one show their mean face. After finishing up the pizza, we headed back down to the field. The kids were very pumped up. After the talk from Mrs. Niedrach, every child had confidence that they could win.

We watched as class after class competed. There was lots of yelling, encouraging and excitement as one class went up against another. As I sat there looking at the our class, it appeared they were getting a little bit worried.

The anticipation was growing at it was finally our turn. Chloe ran to get a good spot up front. When the horn sounded and the tug-of-war started they all pulled with all their might. The eighth graders, being the fabulous sportsmen that they are, pulled with all their might but just couldn't do it, (wink wink). The kindergartners came out on top just like they have every year in the past. Seeing those little bitty kids win and seeing those big kids look all sad that they had lost, WAS PRICELESS! Ben and I both had watery eyes. I suppose it's because he and I both LOVE the underdog and especially love to see the underdog win. Today, it was Chloe and her fellow classmates who got the thrill of victory when all odds were against them. It was a wonderful feeling!

In just a mere eight years she will be on the other end of the rope competing in another tug-of-war helping other little kindergartners gain some confidence. What an awesome tradition!

Until then we will continue to instill in her the importance of helping the underdog, the lowly, the less fortunate.

"He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. ¹³But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." Luke 14:12-14