swimmers!

Have you ever wanted to cry when you saw your children accomplish something that seemed kind of almost impossible to you but then as you watched them do it you were kind of in awe at their ability and you wondered why you had never expected them to do that before?

This week.  Swim lessons.

That was me.

I don’t mean sad tears.

I mean – like really excited for someone you love happy tears.

There was my girl, standing at the pool’s edge, arms stretched out over her head, hands across one another with adorable form and an intense and hopeful little look on her freckly summer face.  She was serious.  Concentrating.

She took a breath. Steadied herself.

And then jumped right in to water nearly over her head.

You could almost see her beam through the water she was swimming under.  Her little face would rise up for breath, she would use her strokes, she would switch to her back when she was supposed to – and she reached the other side – straight across the deepest part of the pool.

At the other side she would look for my freckly summer face.  Our eyes would lock.  I was grinning for her and holding my thumbs up and cheering her on.  She switched her face from joy to serious and then took herself right back under that water and made it across to the other side again.

She is a beautiful swimming miracle.

I am so happy for her.

On the other side of the pool, there was my boy.  My youngest.  Perched on the ledge.  Instructed to take his goggles off and not entirely pleased with that command.

But ready.  And willing.  Arms over head.  Hands one on top of the other.

Splash!

This baby boy of mine (who still sucks his thumb because that’s what last babies do sometimes) plunged right into that over-his-head pool and kicked his sturdy feet and his strong calves and forced himself right over to the other side.

He comes up with a gasp and my heart still kind of burns a little with the fear of seeing my kiddos plunging under water because when I last saw them do such plunges they would struggle to emerge again.

But not this time.

This time I have swimmers.

Swimmers!

It is so freeing for them to have that knowledge and skill.  So fabulous to be able to enjoy every beach, every pool, every lake at a new and improved safer level.

Swim lessons are nothing I could ever teach.  Nothing I could ever impart to my own children.

I am so grateful for incredible teachers who are both patient and kind.  Determined and strict.  Who say what they mean and mean what they say.

My little student swimmers are fantastic proof that their instruction is good.

I can’t wait to take them to a pool again!