Rockin' Relay 2009

I've been trying to get this post up for several weeks but couldn't get the video to load. It finally decided to cooperate tonight, so here goes.

A few weekends ago, our elementary school held a fund raiser called the Rockin' Relay. It was very well supported like most things are in our little community.

There were teams of grandpas and grandmas, middle aged moms and dads and little kids - all running together!

Here's the starting lineup, all rarin' to go.

Some were more rarin' than others.


It was very early and quite cold, the kids decided to warm their hands on Luke's fuzzy head.

Beings how this is a rural, ranching community, you're bound to see sights like this at many sporting events, I find it endlessly entertaining. The first sporting event I ever went to here was an alumni basketball tournament and half the guys showed up in cowboy boots with their sweatpants tucked into them.


My girl was asked by one of her friends to run on a team and was the third leg.

She worried and fretted and stressed about it for a week. She gets like this whenever she's asked to perform in front of other people. I can relate, I was the same way times 10 when I was her age. Even though this was a very fun, informal kind of race, she was still worried.

And she had to wait a while for her turn.

But then came the hand-off...

I was poised with my camera to capture the moment, and didn't realize what was happening, but as she headed out to run, her dad went with her....



They ran her lap together - him in his cowboy boots - and I caught this little video clip of them coming up the home stretch. (Bless my D90 for having video!)

Brynn was taking extra big steps to keep up with Dad, but they were moving pretty fast. That track goes around the perimeter of our new baseball field - behind that fence - and it looked like a pretty darn big lap to me.


I didn't pay any attention to who won. I don't think anyone cared. It wasn't about that. It was about dads who ran with their insecure little girls and moms who carried babies...


And teachers who held the hands of students...

(Did you see - their signs read, "We're off our rockers".)

And big smiles on lots of faces....


And everyone cheering for everyone else. And, of course, getting the t-shirt at the end. (Brynn and her team.)


And while I was there, I got to see the beautiful rock sculpture made and donated by our friend, the local chainsaw artist. Isn't that a COOL buffalo?!

What a wonderful place to live, we are very blessed.