"TGIF!"
"Sorry Honey It's Thursday"
Have A Great Day!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
she's baaack....
Crystal the Olympic swimming champion has returned to the pool.
Okay not really, but I did finally get back in the lap pool after a 16-month absence. With sweet encouragement of Reese and Ethan, I dusted off the ole' cap and goggles and headed to the legacy center to give swimming another chance. It felt so amazing to get back in the water. I had convinced myself that being on the high school swim team for 4 years had ruined swimming for me and the thoughts of ever returning to swim between those dreaded lane lines and suffer from skin reeking with the stench of chlorine would send me into a nervous wreck.
That may sound a bit over the top but it's true. I am so glad I did swim team in high school for many reasons: friends, exercise, following in my brothers footsteps and to be part of a team. But I never was and never will be a competitive person so I always hated competing in meets, preparing for meets, or even thinking about meets because it made me so nervous and sick to my stomach. Ever since my swim team days I have linked those same feelings of nervousness and anxiety to swimming laps or even walking into the locker room of the pool.
Basically, it was a very big deal for me to finally get back into the pool yesterday. And I couldn't have and wouldn't have if Reese and Eth hadn't been there.
After pushing all anxious feelings aside I jumped in and pushed off the wall. The second I took my first stroke of freestyle I realized how much I still love to swim. I love the feel of my arms and legs pulling my body through the water. i love the silence of everything but water splashing and swishing past my ears. I love using muscles I haven't used in over a year. It was almost therapeutic for me.
I now view swimming in a new light. It's now where I want to go when I need quiet time, where I go to spend time helping Eth or spending time with Reese, and a place to go when I need to burn off a few calories. Swim is no longer a chore or a requirement but rather a little bonus to my life. Swimming with body that is 20 pounds lighter also makes it more enjoyable and makes being in a swim suit a little less intimidating. I feel comfortable in my own skin for once. Even if it is super itchy and dry from all that chlorine. I guess the title "She's baaaack" is a little off because I don't feel like the Crystal who is comfortable in her body is back, but more that she is here for the first time. I feel like I have finally accomplished what I set out to do when I first started this blog. That is to feel healthy and good about myself. It may have taken me a bit longer to get to where I am today than what I originally hoped for but ever step of the way has been so worth it. I'm on the right track and life just keeps getting better.
All i have wanted to do lately is spend my time with my family and with those who I hope will become family someday. They are all the most important people to me. I feel like it's okay that I don't spend every weekend with friends from high school. I miss them all like crazy but I realize that all of our lives are different and that is okay. I guess you could call it "growing up" saying that makes my eye twitch a little.
Life is just wonderful. I am learning and loving everyday. I am surrounded by people I love, admire and adore.
Ethan and I returned to the pool tonight, without Reese because, well, did I mention he is a firefighter? Yup, I have myself a studly firefighter for a boyfriend! So he was off doing firefighter stuff like, well, just brutal firefighter stuff. So it was just Eth and I off the the Legacy Center to get some swimming in and for the FIRST time in over 4 years that I didn't have the slightest feeling of hesitation, anxiety, or nervousness as I walked through the locker room and hoped into the pool. I was looking forward to my time spent in the pool and I loved it.
Also, Eth made some wonderful improvements on his breaststroke and will be kicking trash at his meet on Friday.
Okay not really, but I did finally get back in the lap pool after a 16-month absence. With sweet encouragement of Reese and Ethan, I dusted off the ole' cap and goggles and headed to the legacy center to give swimming another chance. It felt so amazing to get back in the water. I had convinced myself that being on the high school swim team for 4 years had ruined swimming for me and the thoughts of ever returning to swim between those dreaded lane lines and suffer from skin reeking with the stench of chlorine would send me into a nervous wreck.
That may sound a bit over the top but it's true. I am so glad I did swim team in high school for many reasons: friends, exercise, following in my brothers footsteps and to be part of a team. But I never was and never will be a competitive person so I always hated competing in meets, preparing for meets, or even thinking about meets because it made me so nervous and sick to my stomach. Ever since my swim team days I have linked those same feelings of nervousness and anxiety to swimming laps or even walking into the locker room of the pool.
Basically, it was a very big deal for me to finally get back into the pool yesterday. And I couldn't have and wouldn't have if Reese and Eth hadn't been there.
After pushing all anxious feelings aside I jumped in and pushed off the wall. The second I took my first stroke of freestyle I realized how much I still love to swim. I love the feel of my arms and legs pulling my body through the water. i love the silence of everything but water splashing and swishing past my ears. I love using muscles I haven't used in over a year. It was almost therapeutic for me.
I now view swimming in a new light. It's now where I want to go when I need quiet time, where I go to spend time helping Eth or spending time with Reese, and a place to go when I need to burn off a few calories. Swim is no longer a chore or a requirement but rather a little bonus to my life. Swimming with body that is 20 pounds lighter also makes it more enjoyable and makes being in a swim suit a little less intimidating. I feel comfortable in my own skin for once. Even if it is super itchy and dry from all that chlorine. I guess the title "She's baaaack" is a little off because I don't feel like the Crystal who is comfortable in her body is back, but more that she is here for the first time. I feel like I have finally accomplished what I set out to do when I first started this blog. That is to feel healthy and good about myself. It may have taken me a bit longer to get to where I am today than what I originally hoped for but ever step of the way has been so worth it. I'm on the right track and life just keeps getting better.
All i have wanted to do lately is spend my time with my family and with those who I hope will become family someday. They are all the most important people to me. I feel like it's okay that I don't spend every weekend with friends from high school. I miss them all like crazy but I realize that all of our lives are different and that is okay. I guess you could call it "growing up" saying that makes my eye twitch a little.
Life is just wonderful. I am learning and loving everyday. I am surrounded by people I love, admire and adore.
- Brandon and Hope are having a girl! I cannot wait for November!
- Jeff and Rachel are due in January
- School is going... well it's just going
- Work is awesome, especially my job at the Special Ed preschool(Best Job Ever!)
- Reese just started the mission paper process and is doing firefighting all summer
- I teach the sweetest 7 & 8 year old kids in primary and I love it
- Finny Mae is growing up so fast and I got to introduce her the world of Barbies. She mainly slobbered on Ken's head, chewed on Barbies ill proportioned feet and growled at them. I couldn't have been more proud.
Ethan and I returned to the pool tonight, without Reese because, well, did I mention he is a firefighter? Yup, I have myself a studly firefighter for a boyfriend! So he was off doing firefighter stuff like, well, just brutal firefighter stuff. So it was just Eth and I off the the Legacy Center to get some swimming in and for the FIRST time in over 4 years that I didn't have the slightest feeling of hesitation, anxiety, or nervousness as I walked through the locker room and hoped into the pool. I was looking forward to my time spent in the pool and I loved it.
Also, Eth made some wonderful improvements on his breaststroke and will be kicking trash at his meet on Friday.
Monday, July 5, 2010
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