River City Swim Championships 2012

We have been anticipating this past weekend since Annie started swimming!  She started swimming in May and took to it immediately and seemed to pick up the strokes very quickly!  We were amazed at how well she did at all the meets! Dan had to install a row of hooks over her bed for all her ribbons she has won!  We were warned that Annie might be overwhelmed by all the mass hoopla of the championships.  I have been very nervous about it all.  I kept telling her it wasn’t about winning as much as doing your best and having fun!  Yeah, I can hear Dan saying in my head, “If your not first your last….(rick bobby)” But seriously, she has only been swimming for three months and she just turned 7.  

We got on the road and halfway there I realized I forgot to eat lunch and forgot to feed Annie.  What???  Thank God Annie had given me a massive list of snacks to bring so she was OK.  We thought we timed everything out good but then the Matthews Bridge was closed. We also hit a traffic jam.  I was starting to panic that we would be late but we got there right on time and I was relieved. It was almost an hour of driving to get there.

We arrived and found our BAC tent and Coach Paul welcomed us and pointed out where everything was located on the grounds of Cecil Aquatic Center. Annie warmed up and we waited for the call for her event.  We got her checked in and rushed around the building to watch her swim.  I thought Dan was going to cry.  Her best stroke that she has won many ribbons for is the backstroke.  If she cut just a second off, she could have placed!  Bless her heart, she got a late start.  She said she could hardly hear the whistle. She swam like crazy and caught up but didn’t cut the time she needed :(  Dan was visibly upset and so was I. We found our girl and thank God she was unfazed.  I love that about Annie.  She is typically very steady and calm.  She seemed more concerned about getting back to our tent and getting her promised fruit snacks!!  Apparently that is the secret to successful racing! :)

We were trying to stay cool under the tent and I glanced up and saw the most wonderful sight, John and Carrie Wyatt walking towards us!  Now that is true friendship.  A swim meet is something you typically do only if you have a kid swimming due to the sheer chaos and heat!!  They said they wanted to cheer Annie on and they certainly did! She swam her best breastroke time!! I ran into a friend, Lisa, who has three boys swimming and that was so fun to catch up!  She keeps up with me and my tribe through the blog so it has motivated me to get with it and start posting again!!  It was a great first day!

 

On Sunday she had to be there at 7:30, which meant a 6:30 departure.  I drove separate so I could disperse the Wog kids at a more descent hour.  I arrived right when Annie was finishing warm-ups! I ran into my childhood best friend Paulette’s sister Dee Dee.  She is a swim coach and her kids swim for the Wahoos!!  We had a great chat and it was a special treat to see her! 

Annie’s first event was her 50 Freestyle and we were so excited! She moved up in the advanced group about three weeks ago and is swimming a lot more so we were hoping she would have more endurance. She shaved off 6 seconds off her time and even got a high five from Coach Bob!  We found out that she was swimming the backstroke on her relay team and I was so happy.  It would give her another chance at her best stroke! She was also going to swim on a relay for the freestyle.  She started the relay and swam her heart out and gave us a nice start and we ended up winning!!  

Later, while she was having her secret weapon snack of fruit snacks, one of her coaches said hi to her.  Annie hid her head and acted so shy.  She really likes Sara who is one of the best BAC swimmers and works with Annie’s group at the pool.  After she recovered, she gave Sara a hug and couldn’t wait to show her the first place relay ribbon!  Sara did awesome in her race and was the 1^st runner up for the whole city!!  Annie really loves being on the relay teams.  I am working with her trying to her to be friendlier. What little 7/8 year old girls don’t have much to say??  I guess Annie!! I know she is shy but I told her there is a thin line between rude and shy.  She needs to at least say hello!!  

She did great on her freestyle and it was time for her reward for swimming so hard, a JUMBO shaved ice!  She got to tell Coach Dunbar thank you and goodbye and her response was this, “NO, thank YOU!  It was such a joy to watch you swim!!” I thank God for the day I ran into Coach Cynthia in Kmart and shared with her about Annie's joint issues and how we needed to start her swimming.  I just know it was not an accident that my dear Young Life friend was a beginner swim coach!  That was a God-ordained divine appointment.  Annie loved every minute of championships! She didn't act nervous or uptight at all! (unlike her parents! :) This summer has been a life changing one for Annie.  She has gained self-confidence from her new skill and I am sure all this swimming is keeping her joints strong!!  God has a plan for every child and I think that is the biggest challenge for parents is to help them figure out what that is!  I really believe Annie has found her calling! It's a perfect fit for her calm, competitive, self!  I am really proud of Annie. She listens and does what her coaches say.  She hasn’t complained one time except if she has to miss a day swimming!  I pray that the Lord will continue to bless her dedication and commitment with many wins and good times swimming!!   It is pretty funny that my ginger self hangs out by the pool almost daily!!  Thank God for sunscreen!!!

Bubba on Sports Radio

Wow what a day!  Bubba was so blessed to go to 1010XL 92.5 Sports Radio Station and be on the air with his favorite host, Mike Dempsey who has a football program!  This all started on Sunday morning when Dan and I were getting dressed for church and we heard Bubba talking really loud in his room about Tennis. We both looked at each other and went in his room and he gave us a thumbs up and mouthed that he was on the air.  Dan was like, “Dude, you don’t know anything about Tennis.”  When Bubba got off the phone, Bubba told us he knows everything about tennis.  We were like, “What???”  The next day, I saw my friend Jill and told her about Bubba calling into the station.  Jill has a connection at the studio and worked it out for Bubba to get a tour the station.

Bubba was so excited and could hardly stand it!  He got dressed in his Pop Warner Jag jersey and topped it off with a Miami hat of course!!  My friend Jill hooked him up and off we went! We walked in the station and they had Bubba’s name on the board like he was a really special guest!  It was so cute. The staff could not have been any sweeter and attentive to him.  Terry at the front desk welcomed Bubba with a gift bag with a hat, shirt and mini football.  Bubba was pumped because he loves any kind of sports paraphernalia!  They truly treated him like he was a celebrity!!   I guess he was for a day!  


They took him into the producer’s area and he learned all about what she did.  Her name was Donna and she is pregnant with a son!  She talked to Bubba and was so nice to him.  Finally it was time to join Mike on the air!  We went in and met Mike Dempsey and he told Bubba how things worked!  Jill and I also got to sit in and were very impressed with the operation.  Donna and Mike work really good together and Bubba said if he ever has a show, he hopes Donna will be his producer!  LOL!  Mike prerecorded a couple segments, which was really nice because it gave Bubba a lot of time to talk to him about sports. They talked about the Jags, the Red Sox and Yankees and of course the Hurricanes!!  Bubba told Mike the sports he played and that he makes straight A’s.  Mike treated Bubba like a peer and couldn’t have been more welcoming and kind to him!  The big moment came and Mike introduced Bubba and they talked on the air.  

Unfortunately Bubba had to fit in a Tebow dig, which I talked to him about on the way there.  I reminded him that we live in Tebow town and to go easy on his Gator Hating but he apparently disregarded my advice.  I guess it didn’t help that Mike is a Seminole so they obviously had a connection!!  Bubba did great and thoroughly enjoyed this experience and keeps asking me when he can go back.  I think he would like me to drop him off there everyday!!  

Later in the night, my friend Jill texted me that they may even start a Kid’s Sports show now because Bubba did so well!!  Who knows what the future holds for Bubba but after this experience he may go into sports casting.  Good Lord knows he has put the time in to educating himself in all things sports!  I have always marveled at Bubba and how he has never deviated from his sports passion and obsession since he started following the Miami Hurricanes when he was 4.  Jill knows this first hand because she has been Bubba’s art teacher for years.  She has been so thoughtful to me and has texted me pictures of Bubba’s projects.  Jill said that he always negotiates with her to work in orange and green or the U into whatever project they are doing.  She said she usually lets him do it even when she really shouldn’t! :)  He is a persistent little sucker!  I think after this experience she has sealed her status as Bubba’s “ favorite teacher of all time”!!   I think he is the most dedicated little fan I have ever met and I pray that God uses him to do great things in the sports world!!

Beach Fun July 2012

As if I didn’t have enough of the beach on the 4^th of the July, I actually suggested we ride the bike as a fam to the beach. Last night we ate at the Pier restaurant and were amazed at the people on the beach at 8 PM at night, I think it was the awesome power nap I took that made me energetic or something.  We had an early morning and a VERY hot swim meet at UNF so the nap was needed!  I asked Dan if we could take KC since she hasn’t been walked much because of the heat.  We have only taken her a couple times to the beach and she was not a fan.  She hates water and didn’t really like the whole experience.  I thought it was time to give her another try!  We ate dinner and then jumped on our bikes.  It was beautiful at the beach and the perfect time of the day for my ginger self. 

 

Ed went running into the water and way out in the ocean with waves crashing over him, I was freaking out.  I yelled at Bonnie and Bubba to hurry and get him as I started rushing through the waves.  What was he thinking??  I must teach him some healthy fear!  All the kids and I were out in the ocean jumping the small waves and having fun.  Poor Dan was stuck on the shore with KC howling like crazy for the kids.  He waved us back in and we were shocked that KC had waded out in the water up to her neck. The kids were thrilled and stayed in to play with her!  We walked her down the beach and picked up some shells! Annie wanted to climb in the lifeguard chair and I think she may be a lifeguard when she gets older because she looked like such a natural!  All the kids climbed up and I snapped some pictures of my cuties!

Times like these, remind me how truly blessed we are to live by a beautiful beach.  I am so thankful that God gave me 5 healthy, fun kids and I enjoyed them very much today!  The times when I have them all together are fleeting and I know it.  I have watched my sisters and brother release their children into adulthood and it’s painful to watch.  All parents desire their kids to grow up to be thriving adults but right now I relish the times when I have all five of my babies together.  That’s why I bug them so by taking so many pictures!  When they all fly the coop, I will be so grateful I captured so many precious memories!  For now, I just ignore all their complaining and keep snapping away!!!  

Independence Day 2012

I LOVE the 4th of July Holiday!  I look forward to this patriotic holiday every year!  It’s a time when everyone comes together and celebrates our great country.  We truly are the best country in the world and all you have to do is travel some to figure that out!  It is pretty stressful resisting all the awesome red, white and blue things in the stores and I can’t say I didn’t over indulge some!  I love it that my kids will dress patriotic for me the Sunday near the 4^th.  They did not complain at all and that’s impressive having 5 kids.  


After church was over, Pastor Dave said that he was sitting behind Bonnie and couldn’t believe she didn’t have any patriotic clothing on.  He said he was going to scold me about it when she turned around and he saw that indeed she did have a flag shirt under her jacket!  LOL!!  I almost screamed when I saw a Team USA shirt at Walmart for the Olympics!  I splurged and got myself one and it’s now my favorite T-shirt!  

We started the day with Annie swimming at 8 AM.  Her swim team was having a swimming party!  Dan came home and guilted me into going to the beach saying it’s an annual tradition since I went last year.  For years I have “sacrificed” and stayed home from the beach fun with sleeping babies!  I can’t  anymore in good conscience send Dan to the beach with 5 kids.  I agreed and started the long process of preparation.  I thought I was being really smart and didn’t pack any lunches so we would be forced to come home when the kids got hungry.  We loaded our water, towels and chairs on our backs and headed out on our bikes.  What a crazy entourage we must have looked like.  We ran into Clay Sones who was very proudly decked out in his American best!  It made my day!  The level of Patriot clothing on the way to the beach was mind-boggling.  I loved all the USA support! 

When we got to the beach my nephew Britt Sanders had put a tent up, thank the Lord that I quickly but my chair under. I had sunscreen on, a hat, a long sleeve swim shirt, a chair with a lid under a tent!  I don't think this ginger had a chance of getting sunburned!  Britt even had patriotic decorations, as did others on the beach!  It was so inspiring.  Unfortunate for my sisters, I had a long sleeved swim shirt on that I am pretty sure was wool and doesn’t breath at all. We had a west wind that was blowing hot hair on my back and I thought I might pass out from the heat.  I verbally kept reminding everyone of my misery.  


Finally the wind shifted and I thought I might survive. Of course all 5 Wog kids stayed in the water for hours. They got on their cousin’s Sup boards and saw dolphins and stingrays up close.  Ed had his cousin Isaac paddling him around like he was King Edward!  The whole shafting them with no lunch was an epic fail thanks to my sisters.  They kept slipping the hungry little Wogs food and prolonged my torture at the beach.  We finally left for home and I got to enjoy the mass patriotic chaos on 1^st Street!  I happily greeted people and commented on their attire! It was awesome! 

Dan cooked an awesome dinner of pork and ribs and put on quite an impressive display of fireworks!  Ed was so enthusiastic and I realized it’s probably the first time he has ever seen fireworks! I hope Jax Beach reinstates the beach fireworks next year for my kids. We ended the night watching some fireworks on TV in the AC, which was pretty nice!  Tomorrow I am going to hit up the clearance patriotic sales and I can hardly wait! God Bless America!!!