Eat My Bubbles

When Jessie was in kindergarten, she showed signs of being a strong swimmer. She had aspirations of being a whale trainer at Sea World. After talking with one of the trainers, she learned that Sea World has a rigorous swimming test that you have to pass before you can participate in their shows. Jess set out to be the best swimmer possible.

The next summer she joined Frisco's summer swim team (FASST). She has spent the last 6 summers swimming on the FASST team. Sadly, she has decided that she will not swim this summer. There are so many other things vying for a 12 year old's attention. Plus, I think we are all exhausted and ready for the break.

Still, I'm sad. These are the things I'm going to miss:

May 2003 at the Dennison swim meet. This was Jessie's very first swim meet (and mine). Fred didn't come with us and I had to figure out the whole crazy process by myself. If you've never had a child swim in a meet, it is a very complicated process. She was only 6 and had never been up on the block before, but she didn't seem scared at all.

The top and bottom pics are both from that first year as well. She eventually learned the correct stance for diving. Actually, she became a very strong diver - almost too strong. Occasionally, she dove too deep and had to scurry to get back up to the top.

This group picture along with the picture below are from the 2005 State Competition where she did the breast stroke in a Medley Relay.

Swimming her least favorite stroke - butterfly.

Here she is in 2007 smoking her competitors in her favorite event, breast stroke. When she was younger, we would laugh so hard at her. The coach would run them through drills and would specify which strokes he wanted them to swim. She would wait until he wasn't looking and switch to the breast stroke because it was more enjoyable to her.

Once upon a time she was very speedy in the back stroke. However, when she was about 8 years old, she forgot to watch for the flags and slammed her head into the wall. From then on, she started way far in advance looking for the wall.

Lovin' that breast stroke.

I will miss sitting in the hot sun under canopies waiting for the next event. We look really classy. We would put our canopy next to Mom and Dad's and then run netting across to block some of the sun.

I will miss "back art." I'm not sure that I will ever have the opportunity to write on someone's back again. Especially not the words "Eat my Bubbles," "Surf my Waves," or "Swim Fasst or Be Last."

This is Coach Pat, one of Jessie's favorite coaches. We thought she looked a lot like Auntie Jan and that made her even more of a favorite.

This is what I will miss most of all... that proud look after working so hard!