Today is a proud day. It is a day that I knew was coming, but I pictured it to be many years down the road still. Today Benjamin totally smoked me (and everyone else) in his two-mile Fun Run! Brigham (pushing Ty in the stroller) and I ran with him, and when he started out fast we warned him to slow it down or he would probably burn out. He assured us that he was running as fast as he normally did, and kept it up. Actually, not long after that he turned it up. I know because it soon became a challenge to keep up with him! After awhile I stopped trying, thinking that he would burn out soon and that I'd catch up easily. But my theory was shot to pieces as I watched his back getting farther and farther away from me. After awhile I thought that even if he didn't burn out, he must be tired, and if I could only catch up, I could run with him the rest of the race. So I picked up my pace, but still-- he kept getting further and further away. So I eventually gave up and felt silly running in an elementary school race without a student with me. Brigham did manage to keep up, though he said he had to work to do it. He estimates that Benjamin was running about 7:45 miles! He was so fast that his Dastrup grandparents at the finish line didn't even have their cameras out and ready since they weren't expecting him to be done yet. They ran the race in waves, starting with the 6th graders, and then every minute or so letting the next grade start. His grandma Dastrup said that only about 3 fifth-graders had finished when Benjamin came blazing in and took first place in the whole second grade! The second and third place finishers weren't even close behind-- it was a couple more minutes before they came in. Brigham and I were completely blown away! We had no idea he was so fast! I could see the running-coach light gleaming in Brigham's eyes as he gazed in awe at Benjamin after the race... 
After watching Benjamin's awesome win at the Fun Run, we raced over to Alta High School to watch Jacob's Sports Day. Kids with different disabilites from all over the district came to participate, and it was neat. It started with an Olympics-like opening ceremony in which all the kids marched around the track with banners announcing the schools they came from. Brigham, Grandma Dastrup, and I all got choked up as we walked with Jacob (who was very excited) and saw all the high school kids cheering their loudest for these sweet kids. It was a very neat moment. Jacob participated in a sprinting race, a game of tag, and an obstacle course before he decided that he was done with the whole thing, so we left.
What a great day! Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Dastrup for coming and being the best cheerleading squad ever! You guys are great!
