Austen's First Cross Country Team Race

Austen is having so much fun in middle school. He's enjoying switching classes and having different teachers as well as making new friends. He really took to heart what I said before school started about making sure there is no one sitting by themselves at lunch. There was a new kid whom we met during orientation who just moved from Nebraska. His locker is by Austen's so we met and talked with the the mom and kid a few times during our practice locker/schedule run throughs. I told Austen that if he sees someone sitting by himself/herself to invite them to eat lunch with you. The first day, he said, mom, I got to lunch a little bit late and I saw "the new kid" eating lunch by himself then I saw all my other friends sitting at another table. I went and sat down next to "the new kid" and starting eating lunch then my soccer friend and his friend joined us and another one of my friends and soon he wasn't eating alone anymore.

As a mom (and one who was the new kid a lot when I was young), this story almost made me cry. I was so happy for that kid and proud of my own son. It's hard navigating 6th grade when you're just trying to fit in and here was Austen not caring if he had a place to sit but caring about the feelings of someone else who would have to eat lunch alone. I truly wish more kids did this and parents encouraged this sort of inclusivity. It's been three weeks and Austen still eats lunch with this group of boys. It's interesting watching his friends change too. He still has his friends from elementary school but he definitely gravitates toward his soccer friends now that there are more at his school from his team. (The other half goes to the middle school across town but I can only imagine if they were at the same school!)

In the interest of being social and making new friends, Austen also joined the cross country team. In his first race he had to run with 6th, 7th and 8th grade boys. He did great finishing in the top 6 for the 6th graders (who beat many of the 7th and 8th graders). Only the top 20 6th graders get to run in the district meet so I'm glad he's placing in the top 10 or so because if he continues he'll get to run that race too. Here he is running with his buddy Matthew and then finishing strong.