Faster

JoEllen's last of three birthday cakes was the one she shared with Nicolle on Nicolle's birthday at a party at her house.

The next morning, we took our customary stroll on Canyon Lake dam, along with donuts from Sweeties and the usual bad jokes from the children - "Grandma, do you want to go on a dam walk?".

Evan was frisky and in the first few minutes he challenged me to two races, which he lost. He's gotten a fat head about how he is really fast because his soccer coach has told him that, and it's the reason he gets to play center forward. But it's mostly in his head and I can catch up with him in a dozen steps and beat him in another ten.

Vivian has been running too - at school every day, with a mile run for time every Friday. She runs faster than all the girls in her class and most of the boys.

When Evan challenged me to a third race that morning, Vivian asked if she could join. Jo called it out and we started running. We both dropped Evan in the first twenty yards. He sat back down on the faded tarmac of the dam and complained to Jo and grandma that he was tired because of the previous races (his excuses are even faster than his legs).

Vivian and I kept sprinting. I was running flat out as fast as I could and I was just keeping even with her. She looked over at me and smiled. Soon I felt myself running out of steam. I had to slow down, thinking she would too. But she waved at me and kept running - probably even gaining speed. I stopped, breathing heavily. She kept going. When I finally caught up with her, she wasn't even panting.

So my eleven year old girl can outrun me now. I have entered a new era as a parent.