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Sunday, March 3, 2013

Amazing Adventures in Parenting

       My heart was pounding fiercely in my chest.  I could hear it in my ears.  My stomach felt like someone was twisting it an ringing it out.  I could hardly breathe.  It was hot and humid in the building so I was sweating like crazy.  I don't think I've ever been that nervous in my life.  And, all I was doing was sitting in the bleachers.

     We went to my daughter's district championship swim meet this weekend.  This is her third year on the team so, it was her third year at this meet.  Her events this year were 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 medley relay, and 200 freestyle relay.  It was a particularly exciting meet for her because it was only the second time she's swam the 500 and we knew that her freestyle relay had a good chance of making state time.


     I was nervous for her during her 500.  She's been training so hard for this for weeks, working on endurance and her form.  We were counting on her dropping time during the meet.  It's fun to watch a distance swim because it lasts longer than a sprint.  But, it can be nerve wracking when you know how much the results mean to the swimmer and that swimmer is important to you.  She did fantastic!  She kept her pace the whole 20 lengths of the pool and won her heat.  Her time improved by a whole 4 seconds.

     However, it was nothing like watching her 200 relay.  That event just about killed me.  I am not kidding when I describe how I was feeling watching the relay.  My girl swam the second leg of the relay.  They had to improve their time by 1.5 seconds.  I literally could not breath.  I was terrified to watch the time on the score board.  I did not look at that until the anchor swimmer was on her way back to the block.  It would have been very easy for me to lose control of my bladder at that point.

    When the anchor swimmer hit the wall I let out this very loud yelp/squeal/scream that probably sounded like a pig dying.  I almost collapsed.  Really, I am not being dramatic here.  They managed to improve their time by 3 seconds, making state time by over a second.  They also placed 7th in that event. My baby girl is going to state this year with an awesome relay team.

     It means a trip up north.  The place they hold this meet is about 4 1/2 hours from where we live.  But, to watch my girl participate in her favorite thing at a meet she's been working towards for three years is worth it.

     Anyone that misses out on this part of being a parent has no idea how empty is their life.  I can't imagine having lived without this type of experience.  I could never have felt those feelings that strongly for myself.  I can't wait to do it again, for/with both my children.




29 comments:

  1. totally get it. the feeling i had watching my son preform in a play was indescribable. possibly the best in my life!! :)

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    1. It is so cool watching your kids do their thing. I've had these moments watching my son play football, baseball and basketball, too. I just feel very blessed to get to be there to see these moments.

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  2. It is so exciting to watch your kids participate in sports and/or whatever their passion. My husband makes fun of me every time we go to their events and I get misty eyed!
    Congratulations to you and your daughter!

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    1. Thank you! I did get teary at the swim meet. It's been 3 years in coming for her to get to this point and I got to be there to see it.

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  3. Great description. It is definitely more nervewracking for me to watch my children than it is for me to do something myself.

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    1. Thank you! My daughter was so funny when she couldn't understand why I was so nervous. Hopefully, some day she'll get the chance to experience it.

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  4. Congrats to her! I was a freestyler in high school, and those relays are tough :)

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    1. Thank you!! She likes freestyle best, too. She loves swimming the 500. And, she loves the whole team aspect of the relays.

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  5. Very cool. My wife was a swimmer in high school, at the state level. If she has any say (which she does) in our kids' lives they'll be swimming every weekend for years to come! I agree - this is the kind of stuff that makes parenting fun!

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    1. My daughter will be joining her high school team in addition to her Y team next year when she's a freshman. The high school practices at the Y, too so she's already met the coach and most of the swimmers.

      I just can't imagine missing out on this part of parenting.

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  6. I was a competitive runner in high school and college, so I can totally relate to beating the time. A PR is the best feeling ever! I really hope that when I have kids, they will take to some sport so that I can cheer them on the way my parents cheered me on. You're a great mom; I always felt that I did better when my parents were watching.

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    1. My daughter actually did a season of cross country in intermediate school before joining the swim team. She loved it.

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  7. How exciting, congrats to your daughter! I get nervous when my son (junior in HS) pitches.

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    1. Thank you! My son plays second base and short stop on his baseball team. I get nervous watching him out there and when he's batting.

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  8. You're an awesome mom. Really. I swam from the time I was 7 all through high school. My parents went to a handfull of meets, which is probably why I couldn't wait to stop once I graduated. Keep it up, your daughter will be such a better person (and parent) someday for it!

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    1. Thank you! One of the reasons I go to everything is because my parents did not. Besides, watching my kids is the joy of my life. I hope both of them do the same for their kids.

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  9. I can't wait to be that mom one day. The one like you, and the one like my mom - she had the.loudest.scream from the bleachers at my events. I could always hear her, and it always made me smile. :)

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    1. I'm glad it made you smile. Most of the time my daughter is ok with it, but sometimes she says it makes her lose concentration and laugh. Laughing while swimming... not good.

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  10. The way too fun and cool part of parenting! I loved it and miss this days terrible. My daughter was a high school all-state sprinter running those crazy 4X100, 200 relays. I swear I held my breath for each baton pass. So excited for your girl. Report back after a few deep breathes!

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    1. Thank you! I actually just booked our hotel room for the state meet. She will only have to swim one day there because girls and boys do not swim the same day at that meet. It is weekend after next.

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  11. Great job -- both you and your daughter. My son is 7 and shows talent as a swimmer. He's only been taking swim lessons for two summers and somehow passed into Red Cross Level 5, so he's joining the swim team this summer. His favorite stroke is the breaststroke -- he's almost as fast as my hubby!

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    1. Thank you! Good for your son! Swim team is a big commitment for both kid and parent, but SO WORTH it!

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  12. Congratulations, that's fantastic!

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  13. What a great mother you are! Not having kids yet, I can only imagine how proud you must feel. :)

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    1. Thank you! Being a mom is the BEST JOB EVER!!!

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  14. Congratulations to your daughter! As a parent, it's a wonderful and exciting thing to watch your child expand their interests and abilities and to cheer them on and watch them flourish.

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