OH MY GOSH SO SO SO SO SO SO FREAKIN' PROUD!!! Justinbustin and his robotics team took first place in core values (essentially teamwork and sportsmanship) today at their robotics tournament and got invited to go to regionals in January!!! I am SO SO SO SO excited!!!

Truthfully, I was looking forward to a HUGE break from robotics after going, going, going the last few months and especially the last few weeks - on top of normal volunteering, work, and life. BUT I am thinking I could run on pure adrenaline from today's tournament until then. I am SO SO proud of them!!

In addition, today's actual tournament wasn't HALF as stressful as last week's practice scrimmage. The scrimmage had fifty people shoving around the tables while the team sent their robots out to do their missions. Today, the tournament was MUCH more organized and only the teams were allowed on the floor with their robots and coaches, and the parents in the bleachers. SO much less stressful without fifty kids shoving around the table.

I did wake up with a stress headache this morning from having nightmares since 3am about forgetting things we needed. Turns out, I did forget two things - the core value (!!) posters we had made, and a kid on the team (!!). But, one of a team member's parents who came called the school vice principal who called a custodian at the school to open the school for them to get the posters, and while they were doing that, I went and picked up the kid who I had forgotten I was supposed to pick up after he texted me, thank goodness. All was well. There was SO MANY other things I did well and DID remember that I couldn't possibly beat myself up for that, as KT and Brando so often reminded me through out the day.

First person I called when we got out was KT. I thanked her for her support these past few weeks when I've sent her texts saying I'm stressed or feeling defeated or worn out. She would text me back how amazing I am for even doing this, how inspiring I am, and what a wonderful thing I am doing. I wish my phone was a smart phone and not a dumb phone so I didn't have to delete everybody's texts and could look back at hers to smile. I still smile when I think about them, though. Everybody needs a best friend like KT. I also told her, shhhhhh, a secret that the core values was my baby, the one I took on because it was a new judging realm this year and nobody seemed to know what to do with it. So I took it on, realizing if it was new and nobody knew what to do with it, I couldn't fail any way. So when the kids won first place in it today I secretly gave myself a pat on the back. I felt that maybe I CAN contribute and maybe I DO have something to offer, as I have been backing off in every other realm except to completely support the coach, send out all emails, do all research, provide all materials, and make suggestions that the coach made the final decision on. Core values is the only one I ran with. Of course, it still wouldn't have happened without the kids and the coach. The kids ARE awesome together and we've been talking the last few days how we haven't had any problems with them, and the coach made several home run suggestions today to do with teamwork. Yet the leading thing was spurred by the thing I came up with and implemented each week. As KT says, I am just "enjoy[ing] the way it makes [me] feel". She's so awesome.


As is my stellar hubby who reminded me this morning as the tournament got rolling and I headed to pick up the other team member, by calling me by name to tell me it's not about what I SHOULD'VE done it's about what I CAN do. I texted him back, "I like when you say my name." and smiled because of his support.

What an amazing, amazing day. Now, I have warned the boys and myself of the down slope after such an amazing adrenaline rush. I am constantly reminding myself so it doesn't hit me too hard!! It already hit Shawners HARD this evening. He is now in bed missing Captain America because of it. He's probably already passed out asleep. If not, I'll go get him in a bit for having a good attitude about going to bed and let him watch a bit.

Justinbustin had a TINY bit of a meltdown. Tiny, big bit, but more Shawners induced, which Brando was put on comedy listening order for the same thing, which I understand. I barely held it together myself while dealing with Shawners on the way home. He finally realized it though and was in sincere tears rather than attitude shouts this evening, so if he's still awake he will see that reward.

And I'm off to finish my port and enjoy the "way it makes me feel" the rest of this evening *smile*.