3rd Swim Meet - Forest Lakes

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Our second scored meet was against Forest Lakes, and the kiddos were just as excited as always.  Margaret swam ONLY 8-under events and her first long-free (50m for 8 and unders).  That's a serious challenge for a 6-year-old, but she was up for it. 

Always has that sweet hip cocked.

 Think she's excited??

I truly admire his focus before events.

Daddy's been gone since Sunday and will be again tomorrow, but made the 3 hour drive home to see these guys swim and sleep just a few hours.  Makes their sweet little days. What dedication he has to them.    

We've had such a nice week that it was FREEZING waiting for the long free events to close out the meet!  It dipped into the 50's last night....not weather I want to be wearing a wet suit in!

Margaret's first long-free....50m for 8-under.  She was a little nervous for her flip turn (you don't have to do one, sweetie!) and at 9:30pm said it would be nice to go to bed rather than swim her most challenging event to date (understandably so!), but she absolutely rocked it! 

Andrew's 100-free.  Doesn't make much sense to video these events, but they asked for it, so I was happy to comply, with a friend's help.  I can't video and watch/cheer. 

Little Man Earned His Cap!

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Little Man earned his cap this week:-)  JJ's tradition is to gift the kids their first own Fairview swim cap when they swim freestyle the whole length of the pool, unassisted, without stopping.  He was capable last year and PJ tried his very best to get the guy to do it, but he wouldn't.  But this, the Little Man can't be stopped!

JJ and Coach Bri, proudly presenting him his cap.  

"I will open the bag MYSELF, thank you very much!"

"Oh, man. Putting this thing on is actually tricky."

NOPE! I do NOT want help.  "I will do it whichever way I want!" 

And he had it on the entire rest of the day...

And did his "homeschooling name writing practice" right on it.

 

Rounding off May

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Deck coloring, a Greystone banner!  Nice way to enjoy a spring evening without getting splinters.

On our way back from Greystone, we stopped at Chick fil a.  It was Memorial Day, and the Christian restaurant was NOT going to let us forget what the day was truly about. 

What an awesome show - The Black Box Players did it again! 

The brothers fishing....with Jim's clients, supposedly??

Visiting Mary Spencer for her 96th birthday!

So very full of wisdom (and THE Word, every one of them!) that every visit is to be treasured.

We call it showing our "prayer expectations" to indicate when we are ready.  He may be praying for new pants, but at least he's talking to God.

  There's always a cold and steamy May practice and I LOVE that it doesn't slow them one bit!

Along with the end of school joys and beginning of summer fun, we also celebrated our sewer line backing up into our basement.  There will be no images posted as I wouldn't put this in my worst enemies head:-(  The gloomy summer project we hadn't planned on....in all our free time. 

2nd Swim Meet - ACAC

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First scored meet, vs. ACAC. 

 The big girls have shown her how to handle her heat winner ribbons during meets (she'll get her age-group first place blue ribbons Thursday morning.)

 Sweet friends from school and the bus, but I'm not sure Garrett EVER gets a word in!

Last off the block, but first to the finish line.  That's my girl!  It was her long underwater pull, courtesy Fairview coaches and our afternoon technique practices. So fun to watch her come from behind!

    First in this heat, but 1/21 overall.  23.56

Margaret's backstroke  1/14...31.45.

Still working on her fly and breaststroke, but considering there aren't even events for them 6 and under and she's swimming up to participate, she's got time to put it all together better.  

No 6 and under or 7-8 relays in a 50-m pool because they cannot accommodate the 25-length races.  Bummer for these strong swimmers, but let's us end the meet before 10pm!  I was timing the 2nd half, so couldn't film Andrew's 50-fly or 100-free, but I'm still in awe of this kid.  

U2 - Joshua Tree Tour, Take 2

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 It's one heck of a journey to get to FedEx Field, but by the Grace of God, we made it in time.  Cville and Arlington to Michael's hotel in Springfield, then 10 minute drive to the metro for a 70 minute ride up to Landover ending in a mile walk.  But absolutely worth every minute of it (even the TWO HOUR trip back)!  It was Michael's first concert and I hadn't seen them in 15 years.  

Lumineers opened---great little band with an intense cellist.

Suffering through pink eye, the glasses were my best friend for 10 days, but how I wished I had prescription sunglasses.

Date night, with 90,000 of our best friends!  We actually knew 8 other couples from Cville alone that went, just couldn't swing logistics before or after as everyone was meeting up with various friends and family in conjunction with the trip.  Bono should really just come back to Scott Stadium again soon. 

This Joshua Tree tour was long overdue.  Michael admitted he appreciates their music much more now and hadn't realized how much Christian influence and references are in their lyrics.  Bono is an incredible world advocate and I pray this tour will help open some people's hearts and mind.  

Where the Streets Have No Name

Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

With or Without You

One

 Lumineers - Ophelia

Lumineers

Swim Team

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And our summer of swim team begins!  We have 3 morning practices (plus tennis) and two afternoon practices a day, but they wouldn't have it any other way!

Our unscored practice meet was at City this year.  

Let the heat winning for Miss Margaret begin!

 I'm not making up that they love it-she's simply giddy at the clerk of course, while waiting to do butterfly against girls 2 years older than she is. 

 Andrew's first 50-fly.  Good grief, it's a tough stroke to swim that long!  He hasn't quite mastered his rhythm, but he'll tell you it's his favorite event right because it's the most challenging.  I pray he has this drive for life!

 Just as exhausting to watch is his long free, which is a 100 now.  I'm not sure I could sprint a 100 free if you...

And the summer of selling seahorse totes....Margaret's own line, "$100 totes, but 80% off just for YOU", with a wink, wink. 

JJ can literally coach under any and all circumstances.

"This is how it's done!"  Nothing but heat winners in her 6 and under events (she's still top 20% competitive in her 8 and under events), but since she's in the top heat of all events, every pink "heat winner" ribbon comes with a blue 1st place the next day! 

 Stormy night = movie night!

 

 Little Man gashed open his foot right before we came to the pool but was a trooper with his days of bandages.