Splashdown!

One more sport out of the way for Mr 18. Each day that passes seems to bring about another "that's the last time we'll see Mr 18 ______________," It's rather sad for us, but we also realize it's a fact of life and it can't be changed.
This weekend we drove half way across the state to watch Mr 18 swim one race. It lasted 1 minute and 5 seconds! Down and back doing the backstroke. He cut 3 seconds from his fastest time, and he was thrilled! He has spent 2 months this winter and 2 months last summer going to physical therapy for his shoulders. We have spent hundreds of dollars on his shoulders, and we are thrilled that insurance covered some of it, because PT is very expensive! But the biggest thrill for me came when he hit the wall at the end of the pool, looked up at the scoreboard, threw his arms in the air and jumped up and down. He didn't win the race, he wasn't even first in his heat, (for the record he was second in his heat by .04 of a second) but he swam so hard and with such heart that he dropped 3 seconds and the weight of this tough season was lifted from his shoulders. I had tears in my eyes, I'm not sure if it was because he was happy with his race, or if it was because that's the last meet I will watch him swim in. We've been watching him swim since he was in 4th grade. I admit, it's not always exciting to spend all day at a pool in the heat and humidity, but we do it for the kids. I still have 8 more years of watching the girls swim, but Mr 18 will no longer in the pool.
He spent the day of finals cheering for the handful of teammates that made finals. He rallied the team as a captain, and was loud and obnoxious just as a captain should be. He painted himself in school colors and painted his teammates in school colors as well, they looked ridiculous, but they were having a blast. When the team arrived home it was to a disappointing finish at the State Meet, but ever the captain, Mr 18 invited the guys over and spent the rest of his night entertaining and cheering up his team.
I whine and complain about him, but in spite of his attitude at home, I think he is an encouraging and supportive friend, and that says a lot about the type of man he is turning in to.