Three Children...Three Reasons to Be Proud

I've been thinking about this post all week, ever since Monday evening that is. Last weekend was one of those proud parent moments. Fourteen-year-old Alix competed in the Level 8 Gymnastics State Meet and received a high enough all-around score to compete in the regional meet held in Peoria, IL in May. It was a nail biter to the finish. Let me tell you, I'm one of those girls that likes to win by a long shot, not sit on the edge of my seat wondering if my team is gonna eak out a win in the last seconds of the game.

Alix finished the first three events, bars, beam and floor, needing a 9.075 on vault to get the 34.50 required all-around. No pressure. All of us were praying. In fact, Alix' coach texted a couple of other parents whose daughters had competed earlier to pray because of this awesome task set before Alix. It's a good thing that Alix' best event happens to be vault. Still, one doesn't want to have to rely on getting more than a 9. It would've been better to have breezed into this event only having to cinch regionals with...say...a 7.0. Much better on the parental nerves, I'd say.

So, Alix speeds down the track for her first vault (she gets two tries and the judges score the best one). When she lands, she takes about a million steps backwards until she stops. This is definitely not the vault we are looking for. Tony turns to Maddie and says, "You better pray for Alix." Immediately, Maddie drops her head, folds her hands and prays. Vault number two, Alix races towards the vault, catapults over with her souk and sticks it with one itty-bitty step. Hallelujah! Cheering ecstatically, we know this is most emphatically 9-worthy. Impatiently, we wait for the score to flash. Finally...the score pops up with a...9.1. Yep, we got it by the hair of our chinny chin chin, with a .025 to spare. Good thing I'm not given to chewing on my silk nails, or I'd have had some nubs for sure.

Later, I asked Maddie what she had prayed. "I just prayed for her to stand. Jesus was right behind her holding her up." Oh, the faith and prayers of little ones such as these. He most certainly was standing right behind Alix! I truly believe we witnessed a miracle that day, and Maddie certainly played an important role as she called out to Jesus on behalf of Alix.

The next auspicious occasion came the very next evening when we attended our son, Nick's induction into the National Honor Society. A record 130 inductees crossed the stage that night. I'm usually close to tears on proud moments such as these; however, with Maddie waving wildly at everyone she knew walking down the steps, my weeping was kept at bay. Then, the DQ (Drama Queen) blurts out, "When I get up there someday, I'm going to say (in her best British accent) 'thank you so much'." Our friends sitting next to us got a huge kick out of that comment. I guess there's a reason why none of the students are making speeches because of the possibility of someone like Maddie taking the opportunity to perform. Nope, I believe that when Maddie crosses that stage someday, she'll shake the principal's hand, accept her certificate and her pretty carnation, and if she attempts to go near a microphone, she'll kindly be escorted down the stairs!

Tony, Nick and me at the induction

Not to be outdone by her older brother and sister who had amazing accomplishments this past weekend, Maddie received honors as well at the reception following the induction ceremony.

Maddie speaking to one of the assistant principals (mouth full of cookie): "I just ate 6 cookies."

You know, I forgot to ask if she now holds the school record for cookies consumed by a 7-year-old at a school reception. I really do need to check on that...and find out why in the world her parents had no clue what she was up to. This is exactly why we now have a book by our bed entitled, "Have a New Kid by Friday" by Kevin Leman.

The conclusion to this post: ALL of our children are extremely talented in very unusual ways! Perhaps Maddie's claim to fame will be Prayer Warrior Extraordinaire...I would be very proud indeed.