I've gone on before about how great it has been, and what a positive impact it has had on Claire.
Well, I've never mentioned what it does for the rest of us:
Long, hot, humid practices
Little sisters being dragged here, there and everywhere to watch
Evening upon evening in the pool or in the car driving to a pool
etc, etc, etc.
Well, there is one more thing it has done for us. It's made us a swim family!
That's right! After several invitations from Coach Kim, Ella finally decided to give the team a try this summer, and she's loving it! (After all, it beats sitting on the bleachers watching practice!)
I think she's a natural swimmer. She has taken right to the water, and the hour long practices twice a week. She even likes wearing the swim cap and goggles!
Finally, this week, she had a chance to show us what she's got. Ella participated in her first meet last night. What a show!! She was a little nervous when we first got there, but 10 minutes in the water to warm up and she was ready to go.
She swam in 3 events: 25 Free, 25 Back and the 100 Medley Relay.
She did great! (By that I mean she dive-jumped off the starting block and swam all the way to the end without being DQ'd.) I could not have been happier! It brought tears to my eyes watching my baby swim like that. Watching her swallow her nerves and stand strong and brave on that block. Watching her fight to keep going, straight and narrow, all the way down the lane.
I had to stand back and thank God for the gift of Ella. From the moment she was born, she has blessed me and scared me and loved me and inspired me and reminded me of God's love. She is so caring and loving and selfless and now, a member of the best swim team around!
Thanks to my friend MaryAnn for taking some great pictures!
Enjoy~
Ella getting ready for her first event
Coach Kim offering some last minute advice
Taking her "roll-over breath", we're working on that!
Made it!
Back stroke ready! Looks like a pro already!
Swim baby swim!
Almost there.....
Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Johnson, Boppa, Daddy and Avery for coming to watch our Ella compete for the first time!
Thanks to big sister Claire for being such a great example, for taking Ella under your wing. You are not only a great swimmer and great team member, you're the best sister!
And congrats to Claire on a couple of first place finishes and some great swims against 9 and 10 year olds last night!
