Pedal Pull Piston Cup!

Yesterday was summer.  It just felt like summer.  Okay, after the clouds blew out and the humidity rose, it felt like summer.  We spent the day hopping from event to event, but in a casual way.  We enjoyed lots of time with friends, time we don't normally get. 

We were also able to take a few hours and head over to Hartford's Jubilee days.  We've never been over to it since we are usually celebrating Czech days down in Lewis' hometown of Tabor.  They were holding a tractor pull for the kids so our aim was to arrive a little before 2.  Lewis had done it as a kid and so had my sister, and they had both won their divisions when they competed so the pressure was on!  No, not really, its just fun to expose your kids to the "home town culture". 

We signed the boys up for their respective ages.  The four year olds were up first and Will was the second to last to pull.  I think it was somewhere around 21 feet that he had pulled and the next one was at 18!  He won!!!  I guess its not really that big of a surprise, taking in account the general size of him.  He was all smiles, and didn't really know how to react.  This was the first time he had been able to compete in anything, I hope he doesn't think its always this easy to come out on top.

Jack was up against some stiff competition and ended up at third place.  He gave excuse after excuse as to why he didn't win.  I felt bad that he didn't come home with anything, but we reinforced the fact that everyone has their own talents.  The other boys in his class were just bigger, but he could probably run faster. 

The fact that Will had won and Jack hadn't must have sunk in on the way home, because Will began parading his trophy in front of his brother.  He didn't say a word, he didn't have to.  Jack was not impressed.

After our day was over and Will was getting ready to head into bed, he stopped and asked his dad "Are you happy I won my trophy?"  Lewis replied "yes!"  Will continued "Dad, would you still love me if I didn't win it?"  "OF Course!"  Lewis encouraged.

I never want my kids to think that their value is based or linked to what they can do or what they do for me, but I do want them to be able to experience the real feeling of success and accomplishment, the kind you get from actually doing something.  Not just the fake kind you get after "participating".  I guess that is why I'm so excited for Will.  Not even that he won, but that he gets to know what success feels like, and what its like to have your very own "Piston Cup."