IBM had a family appreciation day and 5k run today and Ethan trotted off after Daddy early this morning to do the race with him while Jason and I fed horses and came later for the festival part. It had been a rough week since we had to put Pearl, our 15 year old QH down due to lameness and eye problems. I was so grateful to have Jason with me in the barn since it helped temper the loss. I know it has been hard on E too but I was so touched when he saw a shooting star the other night and said, "Look Mommy...Pearl just made it to heaven." He is so incredibly sensitive and wonderful. Please let me remember that on the days he tests us and tries my patience. I don't want to lose that intuitiveness or damage that deep and caring soul.
As for the 5k, Jeff said Ethan did more walking or riding in the jogger than running but they did finish. Ethan then went off to do the kids race and Jeff took some video. When I got there, E was all excited and showed me his medal and how he got one for his brother just because. I was so proud. Ethan told me he fell once but I didn't think much of it until later when I watched the video Jeff took from the end of the kids race. Ethan must have fallen pretty bad cause I can see him in the distance with an adult volunteer holding his arm and walking with him while he limped along. Then he sees the finish line and his Daddy and he starts running and limping as he crosses it on his own. Jeff never noticed but I felt so sad for him that he was hurt and that he had to rely on a stranger. And on the video you see him struggling and walking over to his Dad with his medal and no excitement or pride...just relief he found his family. I wish I could have been there to protect him.
On a brighter note, we had a nice time with all the festivities and enjoyed seeing our friends Tracey and chad with their daughters and Shannan and Ramin with their two children. Ethan rode the carousel with Josh and even Jason ventured a tour.
Tomorrow I leave for a 2 week business trip to India and China and I have left Ethan in charge. Somehow when he is empowered to do things, he handles situations much better. I also bought some cameras for our laptops so I talk to my babies every day. We made chains out of construction paper that we decorated and wrote love messages on. They can pull off one link a day to help them count down to my return. I truly hope this is harder on me than them. Maw Maw and Paw Paw are coming to help for a week and my parents are here but I still hate missing any little thing. You don't get these days back.
