I had thought the copious amount of schoolwork taken home at the end of last week was the end of it, but it turns out that both girls had backpacks full of yet more papers and notebooks today. I am still trying to figure out what to do with all these papers, and am slowly making my way through the piles to see what needs keeping and what can be recycled.
Today's piles of paper included writing by both girls about swimming.
Madeleine kept hers short and sweet, in poem form:
Swimming
By Madeleine Rowe
Swimming makes me feel joyus.
I love how the warm, cool, hot, cold, water brushes you with every move.
I love the speed - I love it all.
Just that clear-blue water.
Julia had a more detailed true-life account of a swimming experience:
Julia Rowe New England Swimming
Even though the pool deck was warm, I was shivering. Even though I was confident in myself, I was shaking.
I watched as the kids swimming the 9 and 10 butterfly started their race. I was still 10, but my coaches were having me swim up as an 11 and 12.
"Come on, Julia. You can do this." I thought. "You can make New Englands."*
I glanced up as the swimmers brought their arms around their heads and slapped the wall with both hands to finish.
"Good luck, Julia," one of my swim coaches, Bob, told me.
"Thanks," I replied, as I slapped his hand for a high five.
Then, I stepped up to the lane my mom was timing. I put my goggles over my eyes.
"Girls 11 and 12, 50 yard butterfly," the announcer said. "Swimmers, step up."
I stepped up onto the block and satred down at the still, blue pool. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.
"Swimmer,s take your mark," the announcer said. Then he raised the whistle to his lips and blew out a shrill blast.
I exploded off of the diving block and felt the icy cold water close in around me. My body surged with power as I used my legs to dolphin kick. I reached the surface of the water. Now was my chance to make New Englands. My head emerged, and I began swimming butterfly with all of my might. I sprinted ahead, pushing the water behind me. AsI lifted my head up to breathe, I could hear the crowd cheering for me.
"They all believe in me," I thought. "And I do, too!"
I thrust my arms forward even more, pushing myself to go faster. I felt my hands slap the hard wall, and I dropped my arm and brought the other over my head for an open turn.
All I had left was one more lap. I sprinted forward in confidence, until I hit the wall. I stopped, panting.
My mom's face glowed as she beamed down at me. Her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she held a stopwatch in one hand.
"You did it, Julia," she exclaimed. "You made New Englands."
"I did?!" I cried, grinning from ear to ear. "What was my time?"
"38.9," my mom replied.
I hopped out of the pool for the next race. "I need to go tell my friends!" I exclaimed, ecstatic.
I speed-walked back to the room where the swimmers had to wait. I felt like I was walking on a cloud, with a smile on my face that was a bright as the sun.
*New Englands was a swimming championship with teams from all over New England. I was so close to making the time in the 50 butterfly, and I had a feeling this would be the meet where I would make it.
Bravo to both girls on some wonderfully descriptive writing! Now I return to delve deep back into the piles and piles of papers...
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