She Believes She Can Fly

There is no doubt about it, my girls....especially Lily....were made to swim.  They love the water and since we live on the surface of the sun, I think they chose to fall in love wisely!

Summer swim team, although far more involved than I had originally planned, was amazing and such a fantastic experience.  Even though there is great structure and coaching, it still is really just for fun.  I think both girls really liked the social aspect of the time more than anything, and let me tell you....watching 5 year olds attempt the butterfly is downright entertaining!

The girls had a few swim meets over the summer and enjoyed getting their place ribbon with each meet.  It wasn't until the end of the Summer that Lily started to get the itch to actually "win."  Swimming has been just fun for so long and she experienced this cool switch from "hey this is fun" to "hey, I want to be BETTER!"  When she placed 4th in a heat she was sure she was going to win, I saw that look.......that one that inwardly says, "Man, had I just practiced and paid attention a little better I could have taken home blue."

So she and I had a great discussion about keeping it fun, but working hard.  If you want to be the best, girl, you gotta work!  So when Fall swim team started I reminded her.  Focus, determination, work, practice........I promise.....it will pay off.

For 6 weeks the girls went to swim team 2 times a week.  Evie was still very much in the fun zone and working on not getting lost in the pool while doing backstroke.  She loves the pool, but having to focus instead of play mermaids is simply not on her to do list.  I get it....she's 5.  I am just proud of her for showing up!

The Fall swim team has one big meet and we were all excited to see how all this was going to play out.

Bob was unfortunately out of town, and Evie came down with an ear infection, but God works in very big ways, and our dear friend Cheryl came to the meet to support the girls......and lets face it.....be my mother's angel.

Poor Evie tried to do it, and made it through the first freestyle heat.  She was feeling miserable and after being the last one out of the water came over to me and told me she was done for the evening.  Poor baby.

Lily on the other hand. Boy, the girl had a night! Both of the girls were extra excited when they discovered our friends, The Allens, were competing too!  Best buds right here!

Living in community is so much fun and it is amazing to connect at places you weren't even expecting to!

Lily's first heat was for freestyle, and this girl has been working HARD to improve in this stroke.  At the beginning of the Summer she had no idea how to side breathe and by the time Fall came around she was beginning to get the coordination.  She has been working hard, and I have noticed how much stronger she has gotten.

She was determined to prove to herself how much better she had gotten, and at the buzzer she took off.

She dominated the field and got to the end a full body length in front of everyone.  I was so excited for her and her smile and excitement was tangible.  "First Place, Lane 7".......

"Mommy, THAT'S ME!" Oh yes dear girl.  "I worked so hard, and look what I did!" 

The girl was on fire and her energy level went from happy to SO ECSTATIC WE CANT STOP GIGGLING!  She came again to play in the backstroke and after another hard fought race took home second place.  

The sun set quickly and Lily came up for the Butterfly.  This event is challenging, and she really only learned to do Butterfly this summer.  It is such a coordinated power stroke and frankly I was just excited that she wanted to compete!

Lily flew down the lane and I watched her dolphin kick her self with pride. She has come so far, and darn it, the kid is an EXCELLENT swimmer!

She and Erienne flew down side by side and took home the top two spots!  Well done girls. WELL DONE.

At this time of the evening, my Evie Bee had spiked her fever and was all done with swim team.  She really wanted to go home and didn't want to get in the water anymore.  I am SO grateful for Cheryl because Lily desperately wanted to finish the meet with the breast stroke.  I was so proud of her because its her weakest skill and Cheryl (a swim Mom herself) graciously said she would stay and take Lily home afterwards.  My village is amazing!

Lily had a great evening and finished the evening with a fourth place ribbon.  She came home a little disappointed and  with a lot of "I hate breast stroke." I stopped her right there and told her, "Lily, you just have new goals babe, and the only way you achieve them is by PRACTICING! You don't get to hate breast stroke, you get to embrace breast stroke!"

Lily got her first taste of true earned achievement and I think she believes she can fly!

#stagingacomeback

Oh wow.....I was stalking my own blog and reminiscing about some of our memories over the past month and realized that I started this blog and never finished it!  This guy just celebrated his 74th birthday and here I am finally getting back to this blog.  For shame! Man......just goes to show you that my lists have lists and all of those lists have sublists, and my brain just can't do it all.

Oy, so here I am determined to get this blog up and in the record books because the guy in the walker here is now full fledged back to ranch hand mode sans walker, or cane, or any "I just had surgery" attitude.  Y'all.....if you ever want to know where I get my gumption...........

So back in July, my Daddy ended up having pretty emergent hip replacement surgery.  Ever since he took a tumble off of their Colorado barn, the guy has been battling lots of pain.  The screws they put in his hip started to cause a lot of trouble and a few months ago he ended up with major back surgery.  Unfortunately, that still didn't solve his pain problem and in July he was in such crippling pain that they did a full on hip replacement........que all over the hill jokes.  Two major surgeries inside of 4 months is rough.....really rough.

Since the surgery ended up being emergent, life got a little chaotic really quickly and my Momma had to go to Colorado for  a week to work so she called and asked if I wanted to come up to the mountains for 10 days to take care of Dad.  We organized our schedule and I jumped at the chance to have some Father Daughter time.

When Ellie and I arrived, Dad was still very dependent on the walker and was just starting to take actual "walks." Given that he was only a few days outside of surgery, any mobility outside of walking from his bed to his chair to the kitchen was good.

Ellie was very worried about Papa, especially when we started doing Physical Therapy.  Guys.....I don't handle seeing those I love in pain, I really don't, so when Mom told me that I would need to push the PT and encourage him to do more than he wanted to, I was a wee bit nervous. HA....I think I missed my calling.  As soon as I was up there and working with him even with the pain he was experiencing all I kept thinking was "coming back after 2 surgeries ain't gonna be easy, but sittin' still will be far worse." Dad wants to be out doing his ranch hand stuff, carrying buckets, moving hay, and working hard......so he was going to work hard in PT.  Apparently I am a decent drill sergeant.  Luckily my gumption isn't all I get from my parents, my coachability comes from them too.  Even though pain and discomfort, Dad did everything I told him to do.

And by day 2 he was up an out of his chair more than he had been.  We started a puzzle and worked hard on it between short walks around the barn, physical therapy, eating, and of course watching Movies! 

Of course Dad wasn't the only thing under my care up at the ranch.  I had 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 3 horses to worry about too.  And guys.......my Mother has a routine.......a straight up process......and while at first I was a little on overload, by the end of the first day I had the plan down and only forgot like 3 things (JK I have a photographic memory, Thank the Good Lord!)

YES...I actually took this picture.  City girl in a ranchy world.

Ellie and I would get up every day and go for a walk or a run.  Getting the energy out of her was really important and we love the forest up there.  She and I had a grand ole time runnin' our 3 miles.

I'd come back, check on all the animals, add water to the bin, muck the stalls, wash the buckets, make the grain, and keep the Flying E in check.

Then it was time for Dad's walk and PT.  For the first 3 days he could walk around the barn with his walker or cane, but by day 4 I was ready to push so he did his first walk to the mail box .25 miles away.  I was so proud of him.  The physical therapy was paying off and not only did he walk there and back, but he didn't even use the cane he had brought. #stagingacomeback!

I upped the anty on PT pretty quickly and we moved into doing 2 sessions a day by day 3.  It hurt, and I knew it took a monumental attitude focus for him to do it, but again, I think I found my calling.  Between my gumption and coaching, and his coachability and trust, we did it, and BY GOLLY the guy really improved.

Everyday we went for adventures and I did my best to keep him moving and active.  On the first day Dad was not able to stand with 2 feet together and sit into a chair.  There was no mobility in the hip and back for that.  He would have to stick his bum leg out, lean to the opposite side and lower himself down all catty whompus.  I remember inwardly setting goals that I was going to get him sitting in a chair without all that hubub by the end of the week.  I knew we could do it about half way through when he nearly did it during PT........just time, and practice, and strength Papa.  LETS DO THIS!

Around day 6 I was so bored (hahahaha) that I started looking for other creatures to care for and found myself this wretched lady.  

Yep....that there is a Black Widow complete with spawn of satan sack (babies).  She had set up her spawning center right by the garage and I had a "Hell, No!" attitude when I discovered her.  Catching her was one of those Wonder Woman moments for sure.  Guys.......I do not like spiders.  I have worked all of my adult life to not act like a squealing tire when I come across one.  It takes effort.......and now I had to figure out how to successfully catch the darn thing because my commpadre couldn't bend that far over.  WHEW......yes I can.

Why catch it you ask?  GREAT QUESTION.  You see, I am all about learning and making sure kids see and experience life in all of its creepy (Seriously God.....Black Widows?) glory.  Memaw has always talked to my girls about Black Widows.......and I was determined for them to meet one and learn all about it first hand.

Unfortunately, my girls weren't supposed to come up until the next day so the Widow had to live in a jar.  Oh man guys, we put the jar outside with a board over it for the night, and I had one of those moments where  I actually asked myself, "Can spiders grow superpowers? Can she rock the jar over? Cause man if she gets out she knows what I look like and can find where I sleep." Yes, I pulled a Maria Von Trapp and checked my bed for her family.  It was a fitful night.

But we made it till the girls could meet her and they did! Science 101.  Lily was ready to see it die (you and me both sister), and Evie cried over the fact that I was going to kill the babies.  YES plural.  Because we are curious and because......well Google......Dad and I googled what was in that sack. Hundreds of tiny babies........all black widows........my heebies still have jeebies.

We drowned her and her spawn sack in alcohol and then went about our day......

Having the family back with me after a 7 day hiatus was wonderful and fun....even it it was more work.  The girls and I enjoyed some horseback riding, while Bob built lego rockets, did puzzles, and worked on the computer with Dad.  He loved showing Dad all about the NASA JPL institute after an intense PT session.  Nothing like some good ole distraction.

All the while Dad continued to improve and make leaps and bounds towards finding his footing again.  It was so cool to be a part of and such a neat thing to watch.

I am so proud to say that by the time Mom came home (with another horse I might add :)) Dad could officially sit down in a chair with both his feet together.  He had made it so far and was able to venture out and start to do all the things that keep him occupied.  

Daddy is truly staging a comeback and how could he not with such a great team!