Manic Monday

Just another swim day, my I don’t have to run day. No really, I like Monday’s they are my I don’t have to run days. I do have swim, but I have swim all the time. Now don’t get the wrong idea, I don’t actually swim, but I am here enough it feels like it. When asked what she wanted me to say about her in the blog she said “say nothing, there is no reason to blog about me.” I told her that I blogged about everyone else so it was her turn and I was going to do it night at swim. To which she responds “well tell them whatever you want, just don’t make me like evil or rude.” She is neither but she is not always the most social one either. She is a swimmer. She is an alter server. She is an excellent student. She has been an alter server since she made her first communion. I convinced her saying I would do something, but my part never happened. I am not as brave as her. Elizabeth has been on the swim team since last year, started on the pre-team in October just before getting pneumonia and moved up to the team in April. She has wanted to be on the swim team since kindergarten, never really taking an interest in any other sport. Swim does take a lot of time and money, but to see her happy and striving at something that does not come easy, it is all worth it. I think that watching her at practice is one of the reasons that it does not seem so much like a chore. She pushes herself and seems comfortable with what she is accomplishing. Elizabeth is the kid that most things come easy to. She does very well in school, getting mad at herself when she gets less than a 96 with little to no effort.

Swim has not always been easy and she is not where she wants to be yet, but she is getting there and setting goals. Watching her interact with her coaches and teammates is refreshing. Like I said most things come easy to Elizabeth, making friends has not always been one of those things, but at swim that is different, she is social and outgoing. She is fun and funny. Outside of swim, Elizabeth has the same attitude as me, which is not always a good thing. She has a hard time not following the exact direction, but she is learning how to adjust to changes. She is learning is that she needs to make things her own, work on the intent of the directions to make them work for her. She is learning a little extra sugar or some vanilla can change the recipe to taste just the way she wants. Is learning what will and will not work. There have been successes and failures, but each opportunity is a learning opportunity. She approaches cooking and swim with the same excitement and dedication. She wants to conquer it all and be the best at both. The setbacks have not stopped her from pushing ahead. Elizabeth has a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong, and struggles with a world that does not always see it her way. If it is some unfair practice for picking the Student Government or who is out in a game of musical chairs, Elizabeth expects that everyone is held to the same rules. Even when they are not, Elizabeth tries to maintain them for herself. Of course this not the case when dealing with her siblings or if it comes to a really good dessert!! Swim is helping her understand that everyone is not fair, and things are not always fair but that if she does what she knows is right then she has something to be proud of, herself. Elizabeth is learning no matter what, as long as she is working on improving what she believes in, what she can do, then that is the most important thing. Elizabeth is the reason for a Manic Monday, but I could not be any prouder of my oldest daughter.