the summer of the pool

I think when the boys are grown their memories of this summer will be colored sparkling blue. The smell of sunscreen and chlorine will remind them of the summer that they got to go to the pool almost every day! Warm beach towels will bring them back to afternoons lazing in the bright sunlight because mom made them take a brief rest from swimming. I hope they remember this as the summer when they first felt their bodies move like fish. The summer that they overcame some of their fears. The summer their mom wore that royal blue bathing suit along with her big sunglasses and floppy white sunhat. The summer their dad taught them the technique to make the biggest cannonball splash. The summer that every now and then they were allowed to pick a special treat from the concession stand.

We weren't sure if the cost of a family pool membership would be worth it. But we decided to try it and all I can say is that it has already been worth every penny! Almost every day finds us pulling on our suits, grabbing our swim bag, and heading to the pool for at least an hour. The boys swimming confidence has gone from, "I can basically keep my head above water" to snorkeling, underwater diving, sliding down the slide, and fierce cannonball competitions.

I love to watch the boys jump and swim and splash and snorkel. Their enthusiasm is boundless. Their hair is bleaching even blonder in the sun. Nathaniel swims energetically and fearlessly, refusing to give in to exhaustion or cold. Jeremiah proceeds with more caution but quickly masters new techniques once he puts his mind to it. They are growing so fast these boys of mine. All I can think while I watch them is that this is the stuff that childhood memories are made of.