Cross country Saturday again

The CAJ middle school boys waiting for the start.

Today we had cross country again. Same place as last week (check out my post from last Saturday here).

Two big differences.

1. I didn't wake up with a headache. Yay!! 
2. I had to drive six kids with no other adult in the car. Not so yay!

The drive was longer and more tedious, not just because the traffic was worse, but because I had no one to distract me with good conversation! Just silly 11 y.o. girls in the very back of the van, who were watched by my incredulous 7 y.o. and an almost 10 y.o. beside me who was very moody, ranging from silly jokes and creative stories, to grumbling about all sorts of things. Teresa, I know you read this blog, and your young lady wasn't a problem at all, she was very quiet for most of the trip back to CAJ.

This is all the middle school boys just after
the start — all 105 of them.

Some of the runners (not mine).

Anyway, the day was just as hot, but I weathered it better because I hadn't battled a migraine the day before. Our eldest son, however, took his coach's advice to "take it easy down the hills" a little too much to heart and ran well under last week's time. Never mind, there are still at least four more meets in the season for him to find his rhythm.

Another CAJer striving for the finish line.

A couple of random observations from today:

• I'd rather drive from Mt Isa to Alice Springs than drive in Tokyo traffic like I did today!
• When you are a foreigner living overseas, you connect with other foreigners so well. I had a lovely conversation with someone I'd only just met (who is a Christian, but not a missionary) and I swear we connected better than I do with many Australians who've never lived overseas.

I fought sleepiness all the stop-start way home, but after a bit of a rest (and a slightly caffeinated coffee) I feel a lot better now, so I'm off to make a very simple dinner.