Cool! Double Prizes!!!

At the beginning of this year, if you'll recall, I became Chinese.

One of the big parts of my new-found Chinese parenting was "swim skills".  Twice a week I'd take the kids to the YMCA and work them out, teach them how to swim their strokes better, and really help them learn how to work hard.  It definitely wasn't easy... for them or me.  However, I could see right away the benefits it was having in other areas of their life. (especially Owen).

If you'll recall, back in February I was cussed out by some guy at the pool for pushing my kids too hard.  If you need a refresher click HERE.  But I knew why I was doing this, and it had nothing to do with swimming.

As time went on and the kids were getting better and faster I said to Shane, "Oh my gosh, they actually might have a chance to win trophies in city swim this year."  I wasn't sure, I just thought it might be a possibility.  Maybe.

As they started swim team and came home meet after meet with mostly blue ribbons I thought the reality of getting a trophy was within our reach, and then, I'll admit, it became a little about swimming. :)  But still, more than anything, I wanted them to learn that hard work and discipline pays off.

Well, it does.

Last night we didn't walk away with just one High Point trophy, but two!  Olivia & Owen both won first place in their age groups and I couldn't be a more proud Mama. :)

 (Body marking is all the rage these days at swim meets. Who were we to buck the trend?) :)

They didn't win because they are naturally strong or talented, in fact they are both on the small side of things and their strokes were atrocious when we started, but they worked harder than anyone else and that's what makes me proud.  They spent most of the season working out with the 9-10 year olds and even Owen out-swam most of those kids at practice.

(This is Olivia with cousin Tatum (left) and friend Haylee Haynes (right) who got the runner up trophy. More on that later.  Olivia is standing on her tip toes because both these girls have about 4-5 inches on her!)

When you work that hard you get to walk away with these:

When I see those trophies I nearly cry because I know what went into getting them.  One of my mom's favorite quotes is this:

"The greatest reward for man's toil is not what he gets from it, but what he becomes by it."

That's what I see when I see those trophies...what those kids have become.  They know how to push and work hard and want something and go after it and not give up and be disciplined and work past fears and get over disappointments and be their best.  And in an age where most kids don't know how to do any of those things, I find that to be a major accomplishment.

When we started swim skills I truly never intended or even believed that this would be our outcome, but I am pretty proud and happy that it was.

A quick side-note about Olivia beating Haylee Haynes.  When I was eight I got the runner up trophy and a girl named Nancy Haynes got the High Point.  Nancy is Haylee's aunt.  What are the odds?!  When we figured that out I told Olivia she had to avenge my loss. :)  And so she did.  She and Haylee are so cute together.  They are great friends and Olivia went back and forth from being excited to feeling bad about winning.  But mostly she was just excited.  She said Haylee told her she is just here to have fun and if she wins, then great.  Olivia told us she liked that attitude and decided to take it on.  Pretty cute wisdom for little eight year olds.  I'm glad they were there to push each other to be their best.

(Olivia & Haylee after the meet--proud owners of their trophies.)

I'd like to give a special shout out to my mini-me coach Morgan.  She's been by my side at every swim skills.  She yells at the kids to go faster, she corrects them on their strokes, and tells them all the things they are doing wrong.  She's quite the professional at age 4.  She really has been such a great sport throughout all this and has picked up some swim skills of her own.  I'm excited to throw her into the swimming mix next year!

Anyway, this post is much longer than I ever like to do but for the record here are their best times on each event (some of Owen's divisional times were faster) and if you want to see what awesome little swimmers they are you can follow this youtube link.  It's a straight run-through of each of their events and them getting their trophies.  Just mute your volume because I scream like a crazy lady. :)  I know they can't hear me, but it makes me feel better.  Also, I was shaking and cheering so it may not be the best video. :)

OWEN:

freestyle: 18.59 (1st)

backstroke: 25.98 (3rd)--had a bad race, he's gotten 1st at the last two meets)

butterfly: 24.42 (1st)

OLIVIA: (she was 1 second off the city record for every one of these)

freestyle: 15.64 (2nd)--she and Haylee really pushed each other. best time for both of them.)

backstroke: 19.52 (1st)--she is such a great backstroker)

butterfly: 17.50 (1st)

SWIMMING VIDEO LINK:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSTiZD4j1E0