For the first time ever Anna and Grace go to the same school and therefor, were able to do the biggest fund raiser of the year, the "Fun Run," together.
Grace, as I've said before, isn't big on crowds and was ready to back out when we arrived at the school, but Anna assured her she would be right there with her.
I figured she'd stay until Grace was comfortable with everything then feverishly pursue her goal of making enough laps to reach $200 in pledges. This would win her an iPod! Wow!
In stead, they ran side-by-side the entire time they had to run together... most of it hand-in-hand!
This was quite a risk for Anna to take as her goal was to finish 22 laps on a roughly 1/4 mile track, but she wouldn't leave her little sister in the dust... or, more accurately, the mud, given the pouring rain. Instead, she ran with Grace for the 30 minutes allowed for the Kindergarteners and they made it to Grace's goal of 13 laps! (Edit: Grace just corrected me that she ran 14 laps. I looked at the sheet again and she's right! So G. gets credit for meeting her goal plus one, too!) Having her big sister there made all the difference for her. Then, when Grace had to finish and go inside and the 4/5s ran their final 10 minutes, Anna turned on the heat and blasted out NINE MORE LAPS! That means she made her goal plus one extra for good measure!
I was SO proud of them... and especially Anna. Not only for her amazing speed, but her kindness and consideration for her sister.
What impressed me most, however, is what she did last night. That was when we tallied up how much each had earned for the school. Anna had made $214. More than she needed for her iPod. Yippee!
We figured out that Grace made $172... enough for a portable CD player, but just short of the iPod. Grace said she was fine with that, but Anna said, she knew Grace would be really disappointed when she realized the difference.
"Mommy," she asked, "how much more money would Grace need for an iPod?"
"$28"
"How much does she have?"
"$4 and a bunch of change."
"I want to give her $20 toward the iPod and maybe she can put in eight."
"Are you SURE?! $20 is a lot of money for you."
"I know. I just don't want her to be sad."
*gulp*
I tried very hard to make real to a five-year-old's brain, what this meant. Anna was giving up a full month's allowance just so she wouldn't have to be disappointed when her prize wasn't the same as what Anna had worked so hard for.
Grace thought about it for a second, then ran over and hugged Anna hard around the neck as they laughed together.
Later, Grace came to me and said, "Mommy, I'm glad God gave Anna to me for a big sister."
You guys... I get to be their mom.
Wow.
3 comments:
Wow. Your girls are so sweet. That was amazingly generous of Anna. Isn't it fantastic when the best in our children shines through?
And I get to be their Grandma! :-)
I'm SO proud of all 3 of my girls!!
Me.
Wow, how sweet is that? And the pictures of them running hand in hand are great. That's the kind of thing you should blow up and frame on the wall.
And nice parents raise nice kids. I'm sure you had a lot to do with how they got to be this way.
Now I really wish we were neighbors so our girls could play together. I think they'd really get along.
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