A Blonde Ambition

I know this is silly.

I don't even know the girl.

But that's the thing about this blog world.  You feel like you KNOW people who pour their hearts into their blogs, opening up and letting you into their little world.

I have been reading A Blonde Ambition blog for years now, so therefore author, Leslie, and I are besties.  Isn't that how it works??  From her posts, she is just adorable-- look at this smile! Hard not to like her, right?



I have emailed Leslie a few times to ask random questions and she always wrote back quickly and was always super sweet.

Leslie had two baby girls within months of each other (I think they were 13 months apart...). Right after her second one was born, she was having some health issues... she checked into a hospital very soon after she was born (maybe 6 weeks after) and spent 90+ days trying to get better (she had a pre-existing heart condition). 

They were having a hard time fixing the issue, whatever it was....

She posted this post last week, letting her readers know she was going to another hospital to try to get it all right.

And then today, I found out she passed away. 

Again, I do not know her.  At all.  But I feel like I do.  I feel like she's my friend.  I know it's silly.  She doesn't know me from Adam. 

I loved the way she wrote and her positive outlook on everything.  I loved reading about her and Stephen, and how they met (on Kelly's Korner blog Singles Day!).  She was always so adoring of him-- if that's even the correct way to say that....she thought the world of him.  And you can tell from pictures that he feels the same of her.

 

Leslie ended every post by saying: "Be Blessed, Lovelies...." And I love that! What a wonderful reminder.... BE BLESSED.

I will say this one more time, because I need to reiterate it: I know this is silly to be sad for someone I have never met.  Maybe her young age has reminded me of Molly...who I have been missing so much lately... my heart aches for her two young kids, who are growing up without their momma...much like Molly's kids. 

Life isn't fair.

A good reminder to BE BLESSED....



 

Championship Swim Meet and Banquet

July 18th was the Championship swim meet at Koury Natatorium (UNC's pool).  Andy decided not to swim, so Cal and I were up bright at early to get there by 6:30...! It was an early morning, for sure, but it is worth it!

 I took a picture like this one above last year too...maybe I will get one each year with him in front of this UNC sign.

Love this next picture-- champs is chaotic and stressful and loud and HOT...but it is also a lot of fun!!!

Cal swam hard-- he didn't do great in freestyle (hahha, he stopped mid lap and looked around...after the race I asked him what he was doing and he said he was looking for me! I told him to NOT look for me!). But he dropped 4 seconds in his backstroke so we were excited!

The coaches made a mistake in the relays assignments and Cal didn't get a relay for champs, which is totally no big deal.  Of course he wanted one, but he was fine with not having one.  Well, the morning of champs, a 7/8 year old boy was sick and couldn't swim...Cal swam up in two relays with 7 and 8 year old boys...! He did great-- except for the fact that he had to swim breast stroke in a medley relay and he can't swim breast very well....! But he swam his little heart out in that free relay! It was so fun to watch. 

Our team was told we placed THIRD, which we were all thrilled with! And then, we received notification that one swimmer's times were not entered accurately, and we actually got SECOND place!!! This was HUGE!!!

Sunday of that same weekend, we had the swim team banquet! The boys were dressed for the occasion...

I adore their smiles in this picture....I mean, seriously.... we were late getting there and I took this about as fast as I could get them to turn around...and I love it!

They started banquet with the head coach speaking and then each age group was brought up... here are the 6 and under boys! There's a LOT of them!

 I zoomedin to get Charlie, Andy and Cal...

Each age group got a coaches award, most valuable award, spirit award and most improved award. When the coach started talking about the most improved award, he said "this kid could barely swim at the start of the year...and I watched his first meet where it took him a minute and 35 seconds to swim a lap, but he did it, without a DQ!..." and I knew it was Andy....! He dropped 45 seconds (or something like that) off of his time from that first meet.  I was a proud momma!

With Coach Harrison after the banquet...

Really proud of him.  I have written on his a million and ten times about his struggles with overcoming this anxiety... he would cry and scream and be miserable.  The lessons in the "off season" tested my patience and made me want to never let him swim again.  He is improving.  And that is awesome.  What more could a mom want? He is really and truly enjoying it.  He went from the start of the season to crying his eyes out at every practice, to the end of the season, walking right over to the block and flying off into the water-- smiling the whole time.  

I love these two little swimmers and I could not be more proud of them for an outstanding swim season.  They make me a happy lady!