Jessica loves taking part in sports day. For her, it is all about having fun and being with her friends, rather than about winning. Just taking part and crossing the finish line makes her a winner. This year, she got to take part in her first Girls’ Brigade sports day with her friends from the Explorers section.
The date of the Girls’ Brigade sports day was a significant one in our calendar. It was exactly six years on from the day we were told that Jessica’s heart condition was so severe that post-birth surgery was unlikely to be an option. To be six years on from that devastating day and to be able to watch Jessica running around and enjoying herself was amazing. I have to confess I got quite tearful at times while watching her!
The girls in the Explorers section are aged from 4-8 and so each race was divided up by age. Each company could enter two girls from each age category in each race. There were three girls in Jessica’s age category so they had to split the races between them. The leaders were very considerate of Jessica’s needs when it came to choosing which of the races she would take part in. They chose the ones that would need the least amount of stamina so as not to tire her out too much.
Sophie was quite keen to join in too. She wasn’t too impressed at not being able to take part in the races! Once she had got over her disappointment, she was quite happy wandering around the field and playing football with Daddy.
Jessica was quite happy cheering her friends on from the sidelines. She took part in three races. The first was the egg and spoon race. As usual, she crossed the finish line way behind the others but was quite happy just to take part.
The next race was the dressing-up race. Jessica had to pick up and put on a hat, a scarf and a bag on her way to the finish line. Once again, she finished last – but with a big grin on her face as usual!
I fully expected that she would come last once again on the obstacle race but this time, I was wrong. The girls started by pigeon-stepping towards the first obstacle: a hula hoop. Jessica’s pigeon-steps weren’t quite so small as the others though – and she was in front. The next obstacle was the bean bag. She was supposed to put it on her head but threw it instead and headed for the hurdle which she stepped over with ease.
She did remember to walk backwards for the last section and managed to cross the line in third place! Admittedly, there was some slight bending on the rules taking place. I don’t think Jessica had completely grasped all the instructions. There were just too many of them for her to remember. It didn’t matter though – she got her third place anyway! For Jessica, just to finish “not last” is an achievement – to finish in the top three and score some extra points for her team was fabulous! She also got to take home a certificate too.
The effort of coming third in the obstacle race had clearly tired Jessica out though. She chose to sit out for the relay race. She managed a quick kick around with Daddy with the last of her energy reserves but then hit the wall energy-wise quite abruptly. We had a very upset and overtired little Jessica on our hands. Thankfully we had brought her buggy with us. Being able to sit in it and rest, while watching her friends and knowing that she didn’t have to walk back to the car, made her a little happier.
Sophie also got to take part at the end in the siblings’ race. She didn’t have a certificate on the day but Captain gave her one at church the next day which Sophie was very happy with.
The girls both had fun running about in the sunshine. I did have two very tired little girls in the car on the way home. Both of them were asleep within minutes of getting in the car!
Well done to Jessica, third place is wonderful and a little honest cheating well meant never did any harm, I’m so pleased she was allowed to keep her victory and not be penalized at all for missing some of the instructions. It sounds like you have joined a lovely group where Jessica is making some good friends. If only you could have had a glimpse forward to this day 6 years ago, so much heart ache would have been lifted.
Thank you fort sharing with me on #CountryKids
Thank you Fiona. They are a lovely group and it’s so nice to see how they encourage Jessica to join in whilst also being mindful of her needs.
What a fantastic achievement – well done Jessica! You must all be very proud. #countrykids
Thank you – I was very proud of her 🙂
Aww! Well done Jessica.
It sounds like everyone had a really fun time x
Thanks Kim – it was a fun day 🙂
A brilliant achievement! The obstacle race sounds really fun.
Thank you, she had lots of fun 🙂
Ohh bless, I bet you were a bit teary watching her run around and enjoy just being a little girl and great that she can decide when she needs to sit out and take ti easy for a while. Mich x #CountryKids
I did get a little tearful! She’s very good when it comes to self-limiting 🙂
Bless her, she looks so proud of herself! I’m impressed you got a dry day for a Sports Day!
Cat
#CountryKids
Thanks Cat – I was glad it stayed dry – it was quite overcast at times!
Jessica sounds like such a great trooper and I think she could teach her peers a lot. #CountryKids
Thanks Helena, she is a little trooper 🙂
Ahh bless her, that’s so lovely. It’s fabulous that she enjoys taking part even if she’s miles behind though, that’s what sport is all about – enjoying it regardless.
Nat.x
Thank you Nat. It is lovely to see her enjoying taking part so much 🙂
What a little superstar. Her face says it all. Well done to her #CountryKids
Thank you Mary, she was so pleased with herself 🙂
What an absolute star Jessica is. You must be so very very proud! Such beautiful smiley photos. We could learn so much from children at how they just get on with whatever life throws at them. You have a real beautiful girl there xx
Thank you so much. I was very proud of her 🙂
Well done Jessica and how thoughtful of all the other participants to let her join the races that wouldn’t wear her out. I can just imagine how proud you all are after the initial diagnosis to now, what a lovely day x #CountryKids
Thank you Sherry. It is lovely to see how the rest of the group are so encouraging when it comes to her taking part in things whilst also being mindful of her needs.
That’s just wonderful! She must have been so thrilled, as must you! She looks so happy, lovely post Louise x #countrykids
Thank you Sara, she was so pleased with herself 🙂
I can only imagine how significant that day was for you all, if only you could have seen the future six years ago when I am sure you had some dark days. In a depressing week this post brought me to tears, such a happy outcome and to see the huge smile on Jessica’s face is so meaningful #countrykids
It is lovely to be six years on and to see her doing so well 🙂
That’s lovely how much she enjoyed herself, and well done on her getting third. #countrykids
Thanks Emma, she was so pleased with herself 🙂