Swim Team

The kiddo spent her first summer on the swim team at the pool we spend our summers out. I can not even begin to say how proud of her that I am. Not proud because she is a great swimmer, but proud of how she has grown as a little lady this summer.

There has not been one new experience that she has not struggled adjusting too since my mom died. She has always been a little clingy, but when Nan passed away she became much more so. She loves school, and dance, and gymnastics, but each of them has included tears, extra hugs and kisses, more tears, more hugs and kisses, and finally me pushing her into the room.

She cried the first day of swim practice... she was scared. There has not been one tear since unless she was hurt. This is a really big step in her really short life.

I am also very proud of the friends she choose to make on the team. She has befriended several very sweet little girls, and mostly on her own. No pushing from us to go talk to people. These may not be friends she always stays close with, but friends she will have each summer as they swim together.

Swimming is such a great sport for kids. She has learned to push herself, that is not about beating someone else or winning, but doing your best, what ever that may be.

Thoughts on this morning...

Mike and I are now ushers at church. I messed up one part, he did not. I am pretty sure God will forgive me this one time.

We did not have the usual sermon this morning, but a speaker from Gideon. You know the people that pass the little Bible's out and make sure there is one in every hotel room. I was really enjoying what he had to say. For a fleeting moment I even thought this is something Mike and I could do in the future. One of the really wonderful things about this organization to me is that the money donated only goes to Bibles. The representatives travel on their own dime. I will fully admit that when my daughter was handed a little Bible at the fair last year that I was a little dumb struck that they gave her one. After thinking about it, they just give you a Bible. There is no harm in that. There is none of the "come to our church, we have a young minister", or "our kids programs are the best, why would you want to go somewhere else?" evangelism involved. The stories that he had to tell in his fabulous Australian accent made it that much better. People coming to find the Lord as their savior all because of a little Bible they were given. That is powerful to me.

Then, he started talking about Muslims, and how we Christians are persecuted in Muslim countries because of our beliefs. While I agree that this happens, what about how we persecute Muslims in our own country. I live my life as a Christian, all of my imperfections are put out there for God, and most everyone else to see. I truly believe that we all worship one God. Whether we call him our God, Allah, Father, or Friend, the important thing is that we believe and that we live our lives as good people. I know that there are many who would not agree with me on this. I just feel that when we are teaching our children that one religion or another is bad and wrong, that we are teaching them to judge. Our judgement will come and it will not be from our neighbor, or the person in the pew next to us.

I'm kind of lonely....

After my husband being home with a year and being my constant companion, I am kind of lonely now that he is gone. I know, it is just for a week, and while I miss him, I am not yet longing for him to be home quite yet either.

If you know me in real life, I am not calling out for you to call me to hang out.

Our lives were so up in the air that I am just going to need time to adjust to this new normal.

Libby wants to order pizza, and I just may give in. Think of it as my reward for bathing the dog.

Where to start...

These first few weeks of summer vacation have been busy. I can not believe that it is July already.

10 years ago tomorrow Mike asked if I would marry him.... I said yes! We joked last year on our seventh anniversary that 7 to 8 needed to be better that 6 to 7. It has been a good year, minus all the things we continue to break :)

Libby has swim team Monday through Friday, and swim meets on Wednesday nights. Who would have thought that it seem to take over our lives some days. She is having so much fun swimming, making new friends, and building confidence that we do not care. She has place 4th four times, a couple of 8's and 9's, and one 12th. What I love best about swimming that it is not about beating or winning but improving yourself. We did have a rough spot last night when the third leg of her relay team refused to swim... Libby swam anchor and had her personal best. We then had to explain to her that they were disqualified because the other little girl would not swim. She is over it, but there were some tears and a new book involved to make her feel better.

I am taking an education class this summer. I am working on a research project about teacher's code's of ethics and how they have changed over time. I am focusing particularly on female teachers and how their roles and behavior expectations have changed through the course of public education in our country.

Mike is leaving on Monday morning for a week for training for his new job. While we are very excited, and I mean VERY! I am a little nervous about him being gone. I am perfectly capable of running the house I am concerned about who is going to clean up when the cats vomit and taking out the trash. Just kidding, well maybe, honestly, pathetically, in the almost eight years we have been married we have never been apart this long. Send him your prayers in first flight ever.

We went to a funeral on Wednesday for the father of our rector. Funny, even after being through the death of a parent myself I never know what to say. Mike, Libby, and I were talking about it, and it seems as Christians our goal is to live good lives as believers, and ultimately live our eternal lives in heaven. In this case it was the death of a gentle, kind, and caring man who lived a full 87 years. While I know his family is going to miss him, I also know they are rejoicing knowing that he is in heaven, and that they will be with him again some day. I need to get my thoughts together and find the appropriate words to put into a card without sounding so generic. Father Bill and family, if you would happen to read this I am thankful for your father's life. We will pray for all of you as you transition to earthly life without him. I thank your father for the wonderful lesson of love that he showed our family each week in church sitting with Billie, and the wonderful lesson that was shared during the funeral yesterday.

Have a happy and safe fourth!