The Swim Family

Last night was the Swim Team picnic dinner and awards ceremony.  John baked a blackberry dessert we named Blackberry Booyah.  Of course, as soon as everyone found out that my husband had baked the pie, he got a ridiculous amount of attention for his efforts; and despite over 20 desserts on the table, his was the first to disappear! 

Nearly the whole team came with parents and grandparents in tow.  We talked and set up long rows of food while the children played in the jumpy houses that Coach Yarko and Dianne had set up for them.  Denver's good buddy, Alex, was there, as well as some other little boys who ran up and hugged Denver before they all ran away together like a pack of puppies.

After prayer and a delicious dinner, we settled in for our first awards ceremony.  I assumed everyone would just pick up a little certificate and the athletes who placed well in state would get a trophy or something.  There were surprises in store for me!

The first surprise was that each boy received not only a certificate with his best times listed at the bottom, but also a big blue and black duffel bag with the team's logo on it.  That will be useful! 

The second surprise was that Denver was one of the top three point scorers for his team-- earning 22 points.  This earned him a medal.  He was SO proud of it!  He swaggered back to his seat and said to his pal, "Alex, you didn't get a medal.  But it's okay.  Look at mine!" 

The second surprise was best.  When John Robert was called with his age group, he didn't get a high scorer's medal.  Yarko began talking about John Robert, though, and how he persisted through his illness at state and managed to swim the best times.  He also talked about how coachable he was.  Yarko laughed and said that what coaches really like is an athlete that makes the coach look good!  He told about how at the county meet at Georgia Tech, he had told John Robert to get out there and win his heat.  He said John Robert swam so fast that the other athletes in his heat looked like they were swimming a different race! 

John Robert looked both embarrassed and delighted with all the attention.  Yarko then awarded him a big medal-- the Coach's Award.  We clapped.  I took pictures.  John Robert floated back to his chair.

Just as wonderful as the recognition the boys received for their efforts was the realization that Coach Yarko and Dianne are deeply dedicated to their coaching.  Both John and I were touched by the obvious love the coaches feel for each other and their devotion to the children on the team.  As we drove away that night, John and I both commented on how lucky we were to have such coaches and that they weren't kidding when they referred to the Walton Waves as their Swim Family.   

Swimming State

Like salmon swimming upstream, my husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and I pressed into the crowd to find seating in the spectator's area of the Georgia State Swim Meet yesterday.  Along with hundreds of other parents and family members, we wanted to see our child swim.  John Robert didn't disappoint us.

In order to compete at the state level, athletes have to be in the top 50 in the state in their chosen event. 
John Robert qualified to swim in four events:
100m freestyle
100m butterfly
400m medley relay (swimming 100 freestyle)
400m freestyle relay

Always quiet, John Robert rarely lets his nervousness show.  He did mention that his stomach hurt and that he felt very cold as we pulled into the aquatic center at 7:15am yesterday morning.  I didn't know he would have diarrhea or vomiting.  It was only after his second event, the medley relay, that Coach Yarko sat down next to me to tell me what happened:

As the boys were lining up for the medley relay on the pool deck, John Robert vomited.  His team members panicked and ran to get Yarko, shouting, "John Robert threw up!  John Robert threw up!"

Yarko walked over to John-- who was still bent over-- and asked, "Did you get sick?"

John Robert pointed to the mess and said, "That's mine."  (Yarko smiled as he told me this).

Yarko stood beside him for a moment.  "Do you think you maybe ate too much breakfast or didn't drink enough water or that maybe you're feeling a little bit nervous?"

John nodded.  "A little bit of all that."

"Do you think you can swim?"

John Robert turned to face Yarko and calmly said, "Yes."

Much to the surprise of the officials and paramedics-- who expected an alternate to be called-- Yarko asked for some water and a towel for John.  When they hesitated, he said, "Okay, well I guess I can just have him jump in the pool to clean off."  They quickly found Yarko a towel and water, and Yarko helped John get cleaned up and back in line for the race.

The team placed 12th in the state in that relay.  They bested their personal best time by over two seconds.  They placed 10th in the state in the freestyle relay.  John Robert swam his fastest times in every event that day.  He placed 12th in the state for the 100m freestyle-- cutting his best time by over 7 seconds.

It was a tiring day for everyone.  Denver and Spencer spent over four hours playing in the adjacent water park and were happily exhausted.  Mimi and Paw Paw were unaccustomed to the long waits involved between events in a swim meet, but I think they enjoyed being there for John Robert.  John was thrilled to watch John Robert compete, but was tired of the huge crowds and little to no seating.


Denver and Spencer enjoy playing at the playground
outside the aquatic center in Gainesville.



I was happy when John Robert's events were done and his appetite suddenly returned with force.  Two hot dogs, an apple juice, two bottled waters and an ice cream cone later, we were in the car headed for home.  All the way to state . . . and now back home again . . . with our five foot ten inch first born baby boy riding in the passenger seat while I sat in the second row holding Denver's sleeping head on my shoulder and rubbing Spencer's feet as he told me all about the water park.

Good Weekend.       

Extreme Mammals





A trip to Fernbank is always a pleasure-- but even more so with two of the boys' friends (and one mom-- so I'll have someone my age to play with!).  Curious and talkative, the five boys explored the museum; and we all enjoyed one another's company.

One of many things I am grateful for are the new friends we are cultivating since beginning to homeschool.  For reasons I don't quite understand, they tend to be more passionate about learning.  Physics, math, even Shakespeare are viewed by these friends as exciting areas of exploration-- rather than areas of toil.

I've watched John Robert go from excited lover of learning who wanted to be a paleontologist to a boy who seemed only interested in his school friends' opinions and video games; and now that we are homeschooling again, I have my curious learner back.  Hurray!

  

Summer Flies by . . . on the Wings of Fireflies

Blackberry Tart









 





Denver and Lady--
Ready for the 4th of July.













Where do the summer days go?  A blur of 4th of July fireworks, swimming pools, and blackberry picking.  Grilling burgers by the pool, going to swim meets and swim practices.  Finally getting around to our end of year testing-- and finding that even after a month without "homeschool," the boys still remember what they've studied.  Trips to the library and evening walks with my husband and dog while the boys run ahead catching lightening bugs and talking to the frogs.  This is our summer.







 

Spencer's Birthday with Denver
in the Mountains

Chores are a Gift to Help You Grow Up!



Denver LOVES fresh corn; and he's willing
to shuck and clean it, too!



Okay, so no one is buying that one!

When I was growing up, I  remember doing very few chores that weren't directly related to my own body or possessions.  I brushed my teeth.  I cleaned my room occassionally.  I didn't learn to cook, and I rarely helped clean the house.  Mom did it all.  She worked 12 hours a day and then came home for her second shift.  Whenever I was asked to do a chore-- usually during summer vacation when I was home all day while Mom worked-- I felt like chores were someone else's job.  How spoiled I was!  How ridiculous to not realize the importance of helping.  Even worse-- I didn't realize that as a family member, I had an obligation to help.

I recently read a book about education and parenting practices in other cultures-- particularly western european countries and Japan.  In those countries, parents and teachers emphasize independence in a way that our culture does not.  Japanese children carry their books, bags, and lunch to school without assistance.  They often walk rather long distances while doing so.  They are expected to take care of their possessions and be able to assist with family meal preparation at a young age.  In many european countries, children are expected to participate in the running of the household.  This includes caring for younger siblings as well as oneself.  People in other countries refer to the way we treat our children as "The Child King."  They see middle class American children as unable to function independently because everything is done for them.  



Car Maintenance class with Dadders.



I think our culture used to be different.  I know my parents-- especially my father-- were active members of the family who helped with livestock and farming in a way that today's children do not.   Still, it is my belief that we are all happier when we feel useful and needed by those around us.  It is even better when we feel competent and able to help.  

Along with academic success, good friends, and a healthy body, I want my boys to know that they are capable of caring for themselves and others.  So although I promised the boys a break from academic work for the summer, I took this opportunity to help the boys learn some basic skills--preparing meals, doing laundry, doing basic car maintenance, caring for the yard, and cleaning a house.  Much to my surprise, they are already well on their way to mastering these basic skills.  



I am very excited about their progress and their attitude.  What could be a better gift from a parent to a child than the ability to leave the nest.  Why wait until you're grown to learn how to cook a meal?

Of course, all of this is easier said than done.  The laundry is rarely done the way I'd like it.  The bathroom sink isn't really clean.  It took John over an hour to change the oil in the car today with his three "helpers."  Yet, there are payoffs.  Denver is particularly proud of his ability to use a knife.  He prepared fresh peaches for everyone at lunch, and used his knife to slice even more peaches for his evening snack.  Listening to the boys laugh as John Robert teaches Spencer how to do the laundry is priceless.     

John Robert and Spencer are supposed to be putting
clean sheets on the bed.  I had to go see what all
the shouting was about!