Johanna's Field Day

May 22, 2019

Johanna loves it when we get to visit her at school, so I volunteered to help with Field Day. Grades K-2 get to spend the afternoon out on the field, doing all sorts of playground games. The day has a non-competitive focus and really is just a day of fun outside.

I was assigned the 3-legged race station with two other volunteers. The day was beautiful, not hot at all. Just pleasant. The school is overcrowded so there were over 400 kids coming our way in groups of  about 12. There were multiples of each station, including the 3 legged- race. I went through the lists and found Johanna's group. She was in group #1. I checked my station schedule and discovered that Johanna's group would never come to us. I talked it over with the other volunteers and we all agreed to swap out so we could find our kids and go around with them for a while.

Shortly after this, Johanna and her teacher came across the field to find me. Johanna was crying, she knew I was on the giant field somewhere but didn't know where. We hugged and I explained the plan, and that I would be visiting her soon. She didn't look reassured but she did go back with her teacher.

When I was releaved of my station, I joined Hanna's group and I was glad to see she was participating, although she didn't have much energy. She was recovering from a cold and had missed school the day before. Johanna played Giants and Elves, and the egg-spoon race. She wasn't quite herself and when it was time for me to go back, she clung on to me. One of the other girls in Johanna's group was also teary and was looking for her Mom. The group leader asked if I could help find her Mom. I got her name and realized this little girl's Mom was one of the 2 Mom's I was volunteering with. It worked out great and I was able to bring her over when it was time for me to return. Johanna came with me and sat on my feet for a while.

Johanna had a good time but she was wrung out. She crawled into bed when we got home and took a solid nap.