race weekend and Owen growing up

We went to PA over the weekend for the boys motorcycle race on Saturday and Pete's on Sunday. We got there and walked the rather muddy track right before the skies opened up and let torrential rain, wind and other crap fall from the sky. It looked like a scene from "Twister". We made it through but the track got WAY more wet and tall grasses made it almost impossible for Owen to race. Ty opted out after falling one too many times during warm up (I am sure seeing the track the evening before didn't reassure him either).

boys getting read for warm up

Owen did AWESOME until his poor bike overheated and died on him. He was disappointed but most of the other little bikes did the same. The track was just not made for tiny bikes. Owen was very proud of himself and said it was the hardest race he had ever done ... and there's been a few tough ones last year.

Owen coming down a big bumpy hill

But we had fun camping, playing with friend and goofing around as always

The boys even got a medal (yes, even Ty who really didn't race but the organizations try to keep the kids motivated and positive)

A few days before we left Owen mentioned that school was having an art show and he wanted to go. He said he had a piece in it so we went and every child was represented in the show. This was Owen's piece and he is really proud of it:

Owen also impressed me yet again yesterday. He was under the impression that he was going to be moved to the junior level in taekwondo this month but come to find out, he was moving to a purple belt in his class. When I told him the news, he was rather disappointed. He really wanted to move up. He told me a few times that he was getting bored in his class and was working hard and focusing in order to move up. They instructors don't usually move the kids up until they are 7 years old. I told him I could not change anything for him but that I knew for sure that Master Lee would take the time to listen to him and hear him out if he wanted to talk about it. I wasn't about to do it for him ... it's his business, his desire to move up and there was too much of an opportunity to learn here knowing that Master Lee is THE PERFECT person for a kid to practice this type of grown up skill.
He had butterflies in his stomach the minute I picked him up from school, we practiced what he wanted  to say in the car a few times, he was so nervous that he started crying and got me to promise to hold his hand while he talked.
He was amazing. He asked Master Lee for a moment in private as he needed to talk about something important, Master Lee was fabulous ... took him seriously (there was no doubt in my mind in the first place), walked him to his office, asked him to sit down and intently listened to Owen telling him how disappointed he was and that he really knew he could move to the Junior level. After a few explanations behind the decision (mostly he's too young and will have to wait no matter what before testing for his black belt and that he needed to be sure he would be able to learn the large amount of forms and be ready for the test at such a young age) he told Owen to continue working hard the way he had until now and he and the other instructors would review their decisions before graduation if they thought he was ready. Owen agreed, Master Lee shook his hand and noted how mature he was for having that talk with him.
Owen had long let my hand go (though I was standing right there in the room) and I believe he learned something he will never forget at that very moment. He was so scared but he just went and aired out his grievance, was listened to 100%, was validated by a man he has so much respect for and looks up to and was congratulated for his courage, maturity and effort. Plus, he learned to practice a speech and what it feels like before using that speech in real life. He's only 6 years old. I am just amazed at my little boy.