We got a call
mid-week that two sisters on the serpentine team would be gone Saturday to
their great-grandpa’s funeral. Jayden and Alivia were to fill in as alternates.
Jayden has never gotten to practice the entire routine beginning to end. Today was the first Match of the broncs. Of course I was
nervous, stressed, and had bad dreams about everything. I was nervous for Jayden
who had not even practiced a full routine and today she was going to perform with the team. I was nervous because it was so windy and muddy and she also had to carry the big American flag for the star spangled banner in the arena all by herself. It is heavy and hard enough when it is not windy. I was also
worried that my position as barrel director would not go smooth. There were so
many little things that needed to be in order from helpers to the timers and
etc. I wanted the day to be over before it began. I knew it was silly to get all in a fret and I just had to pray and trust. The girls arrived very early to give Jayden
extra practice, or should I say her only practice for serpentine. At 10:30 they practiced for an hour. Jayden is
so good, she rides like a pro and you would never know she just learned the pattern.
Then the t-shirts were handed out to the girls. Everyone’s names were on the
back big and bold. Jayden’s name was in tiny print as the american flag carrier. It kind of belittled her. This was just another thing that added up to so
many details from the start that just have left Jayden feeling sad. Nobody
likes to see their kid sad or hurt and this was getting ridiculous. I had a
rotten feeling in my gut most of the day. We did our best not to let it get the most of our day. Jayden did a great job during the performance and I know she loved the chance to get to perform with the team. You would never know it was her first time. She is amazing. The girls all looked so nice in their new pink shirts. She carried the big american flag with pride and looked great on her big ol Tex. Because of the rain and mud it has been really hard to practice barrels and poles, so Jayden did not compete. Her and Alivia T. ran the back up stop watches in the crows nest.
Comments