City Meet!

This past weekend marked the end of our Hurstbourne swim season.  It's been a different season this year...not as many kids swimming, and Sarah was only in town to swim in two of the meets.  The meets we did make it to were long and hot, and as much I complain about them, I know one day I will miss them. 


The City Meet is always a marathon weekend.  Since Sarah and John swim in two different age divisions, we ended up being at Audubon all day on Saturday for the prelims, and by the end of the day you don't even know if you want your kids to qualify, because it means you have to come back on Sunday!  Of course we were happy they both qualified for the finals and the consolation heats of several events, and on Sunday we met everyone up at the club to decorate our cars and caravan to Audubon.  Our team theme this year was "pirates" and we brought all kinds of fun stuff for the little ones to dress up in.

Sarah helps little Claire Maser with a pirate tattoo

Lawrence helps Brenden Corley get his doo-rag just right

This is the best part of the season...no more practice, you've made it to the finals, and now it's time to just have fun with your team.  

Having fun decorating

My pirate family!

The Hurricanes are ready to rumble!

Best swim team parents ever!

Soon it was time to caravan to the meet, and we cranked the music and headed into Audubon.

The coaches lead the way - Beware of Pirates!

Sarah loves all the little girls on the team, and one of her favorite events is the "all age relay".  It's the first event on finals day, and she loves psyching up the little ones.  It seems like it was just last year that SHE was a little one!

Girl power!

The tent is the place to be between races.  The kids keep themselves busy with anything and everything. John especially liked hanging out and "beading" this year (thank the Lord for whoever brought the crafts!).

Chillin' with the team

Soon it was time to swim, and Sarah came in third in the 14U 100 individual medley.  John came in 10th in the 10U freestyle, and they both swam in three relays throughout the afternoon.

Relays!

Last night was the team banquet, and Sarah and John were both sad because they had to miss it for field hockey and football practice.  They did make it in time to enjoy the post banquet pool party, and they were able to play a few of the games and swim with their friends (and get their bling!).

Toilet paper relay!

Sarah plays with little Addison Wilcox

Bling!  Lots to be proud of!

Swim team is a pain.  The kids complain about practice, I complain about practice, and we sweat to death at the chaotic meets, at the end of which we all want to kill each other.  But there is something about it we love, something about it that is part of our family, and something I don't think we'll ever give up.  We hate it and we love it all at the same time.  But like I said, I know one summer Sunday about fifteen years from now, Lawrence and I will go to the club for Sunday brunch, and we'll look out in the parking lot and see a group of families decorating their cars and heading to the finals of the City Meet.  And we'll probably both look at each other and start crying, and then we might just join the caravan.