Swimmers Weekend

We had a fast and furious weekend with swim meets. Wishing we had a weekend to catch up on rest, now. Emma had a meet on Saturday afternoon in Albuquerque at Academy (a very nice school!) where she competed in 8&Under events only. At this meet they award high point swimmers in each age group, male & female. She usually competes in at least some 9-10 year old events because her birthday falls one day short of being able to compete in the 8 year old state championship meet--so she may as well be used to racing these older kids if she is going to compete in a state meet this year. However, if she competed in all 8 &Under events, she could probably have one some trophies so far this season as she performs pretty well in this age group. So this meet, she did so with the intention trying to place overall, hoping to do well.

She did well! She won! We were very proud of her and she was extremely happy! Not only that, but she improved some of her times immensely. Partly because it had been almost 2 months since she last competed, but I think her practicing and work ethic is paying off. She qualified for the state meet (9&10 year olds) in 50 back and came within a second of qualifying in the 100 IM and within 3 seconds of qualifying in the 100 Free. Pretty good, we thought. Then today, she swam a 500 Free in a fun meet (not sanctioned, though, so no qualifying times) with a time 45 seconds faster than she was hoping for so if we're lucky, she'll qualify in that, too. Very good job, kiddo. You have some pretty proud and goofy parents. Keep up the good work.

Next we have Miss Karly Jo. She competed in a fun meet today in Las Cruces and did awesome, too. She got a 3rd place, two 2nd places and a 1st place ribbon. If she wasn't so busy lifting her head to check out her copmetitors during the race, she probably would have 3 1st places! Nonetheless, she was a champion today and got to shine in the spotlight after big sis had the whole thing to herself yesterday. We are very proud of you, too, girl. Stick with it! She's preparing for a gymnstics meet, too, so we have to keep up with her.

So what does all this mean? It means we are the total stereotypical sports mom and dad. Yes, I even wore my big buttons today, one with Karly's face and one with Emma's face, just so everyone would know who were my kids. Not really, I wear them so the girls see me wear them. So hopefully they will know how proud I am of them. It has nothing to do with what other people think because if you ask me, I think moms who wear those buttons are dorks! Well I used to, I mean. Now, no judgement is passed, trust me. Whatever your reason, all the power to you. Fashion statement, hardly not, but a proud parent, heck yeah. It's all about our kids. Patric and I have been comparing times, to the hundredth of a second, speed counting points, awaiting result postings and replaying home videos for the past two days, playing a role we never thought would come this early. Those nutty parents who are so into their kids, maybe too much into their kids?...that they are totally consumed by all this. Perhaps that's why watching Michael Phelps mom can make me cry when she tells Cooper Anderson, "I was just a mom who wanted her kid to do well." I understand. And I am there, too. I think will be this way for the rest of my life.

Hang in there Reese. Before you know it, it'll be your turn!