Alrighty this is a long one so get a cup a coffee people! If you're not in the mood for long...skip to the bottom for some pics cause that's what we read blogs for right? Well that's what I do anyway...if the pics are good, you go back to read & see what ya miss!
Here is a lil momma life lesson I experienced & wrote down awhile back...
(April, 2011)
Today I took the kids to swim lessons. Levi has had a fear of the diving board and has talked about it frequently over the past 2 weeks. It seemed like he really wanted to be brave, and he was really excited when we walked in the pool house, but when it came time to getting in the pool, it was very difficult. I really had a hard time being strong myself. Part of me strongly believes that these swim lessons could help him not be afraid and become an excellent swimmer. The other part of me just wanted to pick up my little boy, hold him until he stopped crying and take him home. (for the record I did hug him, I just didn't let him quit)The whole time I’m wondering if I’m doing the right thing. Will this cause him to loose trust in me because I’m making him swim when he’s fearful of it. We prayed on the way to swim lessons, I have prayed for weeks and would you believe it, the swim instructor said there wouldn’t be time for jumping off the diving board, what a relief that was to Levi. Hopefully next week he’ll be strong enough to want to try the diving board and hopefully one day he’ll be thankful that his momma made him take swim lessons.
(May 2011)
6 weeks into swim lessons and it all clicked, Levi’s worries & fears of the diving board & slide just somehow disappeared and he did it! He went off the slide 7 or 8 times in a row, and loved it! The next week he conquered the diving board! What happened to this boy? I say: delayed answers to my prayers as a mom, it was a lesson both he & I had to learn, pray and do your best as a momma…as for him, pray and try, try again and that’s what we both did.
Looking back on the experience, the pain was worth the end result. The uncertainty of the outcome brought me to pray & drew me closer to God…. and taught me that my children are watching and learning how I deal with the not so easy life lessons. As for my fish son, he loves the water & most likely won’t remember that there was a time in his life when he didn’t want to go off the diving board.
This may sound wrong, but I plan on reminding him of the not so fun moments of swim lessons, because he ended up conquering his fears and he’ll need the strength to conquer new fears in the future…whatever they may be.
(Sept 2011)
“Mom, when do swim lessons start again? I want to go back!”
One more thing.....I can't help but share a few Halloween pics.
Tough lil Cowboy
Happy lil Shortcake
Hanging out at the watering hole