Just a Woman with a Sharpie

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Sink or Swim

Day #51

June 15th 2013

Team Zybko

When Baby Daddy and I took a tour of this house 8 eight years ago I was in no way interested. All I saw was work. I looked around with a frown, floor to ceiling around each square foot and my list of hours, projects and sore muscles became longer with each room we entered. Removing wall paper border, painting and saving for new carpet....blah blah blah. I was a real buzz kill and Debbie Downer to say the least. I was pregnant at the time but no excuse. Baby Daddy immediately saw the light of this house and counteracted my poor attitude with a bright childlike smile. He saw good bones and lots of potential. I saw a black swampy pool with a thick layer of algae, home to a village of nasty, slimy, warty frogs. The sun was hot as we walked circles around the deck, he excitedly talked about how much fun the kids would have out here and all the future pool parties to come. I listened respectfully as I held my breath, morning sickness was a huge lump in my throat, threatening to roar its ugly head all over the weeds in the over grown back yard..

Well that was 7 years, 395 buckets of chemicals and 5,291 perfect cannonballs ago. I have no problem telling BD he was right. It's true, this house and the pool area have been a match made in heaven for our family and the guests that walk through the smudgy sliding glass doors. I will even step out there on the high dive and say.....this pool has a history of changing peoples lives.

Dramatic? Yes! True? Yes!

Like the Sisterhood of the Traveling pants, this water is one size fits all. I don't care who gets in or hangs around it. Old, young, big, little, experience swimmer or not. Crazy good stuff happens. My tiny brain can't really truly understands how it works.

But I swear it's true.

Magic? No! Coincidence? No!

Not one person has ever walked away from this body of water unhappy or not better off in some way. Over the summers and through many a sunny day lessons have been learned with giggles, laughs and possibly a few gentle shoves. Pushing past any fears one may have. Kids have learned to touch the bottom while retrieving coins, go without floaties, master chicken fight form and improve swim strokes. Old school games of sharks and minnows, greased watermelons and pointed toe handstands competitions are among my favorites to watch from the deck. Get in the water or not, the choice is yours. If you hang around long enough you may even have the pleasure of watching an old soccer mom show off a front flip learned and perfected back in the 80's.

A recent transformation has taken place at the start of this years pool season. Someone super special to me and the kids has changed a ton, right before our eyes. Not just at our house but through out his travels, growing up learning and blossoming beautifully.

Just like in a pool, life is a sink or swim deal. Sometimes it's a conscious choice, other times we aren't even aware we are changing and growing until we look back. Funny how sometimes we aren't really even sure how we made it through. Perhaps we walked, crawled or dragged ourselves through a trial but eventually we emerge on the other side like a beautiful butterfly.

Transformed and better off.

The pool has not let me down in recent weeks. It does what it does, however is does it. I know, great English and super deep right?

Lourdes, I could cry my eyeballs dry with happy tears as I watch your Marco kick, splash and whoop it up in the pool. Amazing to think back 2 years ago and remember the little boy who barely talked to any of us. Not interested in taking part in any of the shenanigans happening around him. From a boy clinging to your leg to a new sparkling life full of personality, singing and dancing around the deck. His fear of the water is gone as well as any social anxiety of this sometimes overwhelming family.

Let's make sure to squeeze in at least a few more visits before this pool is no longer ours to enjoy. Sad for us yet thrilled for the new family to make remarkable memories. No doubt they will be just as amazing and note worthy.