Swim lessons = SUCCESS!

Woo hooooo! Yippee! Hooray! Kennedy's swim lessons this past month were a HUGE success! She started out the first day (of a 2 week long/4 days per wk. swim lesson session) EXTREMELY hesitant and honestly scared out of her mind! She even cried some as we were walking up to the pool house...followed by an entire hour of her "nervous laugh". It's sweet sounding for sure, but it was time for some change. She was even ready to not be as fearful I think. And now my firstborn who approaches every SINGLE situation w/ caution and is fearful of anything unknown...LOVES the pool! She not only has become quite brave in the water (comparatively speaking), she even looks forward to swimming now. : )

Kennedy had a fantastic swim teacher/lifeguard in "Mr. Nolan" (an extremely compassionate teenage guy), and she became so comfortable w/ him as well as the other couple of female swim teachers that helped out in her class occasionally. One of the girls even pulled K aside the first day to give her a little one-on-one time which was very sweet. Nolan was especially patient the first day or two when she was her most hesitant and he encouraged her every step of the way! We can't say enough great things a/b him. Kennedy was even used as his example during the last couple days of swim lessons which proves her extreme amount of progress! We were SO proud of her...and still are!

In Kennedy's 'Beginner 1' class were 3 and 4 year olds who were learning to swim or who just needed to orient themselves a little more to the water. We have had her in the water ever since she was born basically, and despite her LOVE for it two Summers ago (aka ~ "b/f she knew any different")...the past two Summers was a completely different story. Put her on a shallow step or in a swim float and she was fine. It was just everything else that she wasn't okay w/. ; ) That made for an interesting time for sure!

She learned how to crocodile swim (in shallow water), how to blow bubbles, how to float on her back and belly (w/ assistance of course), more kicking review, jumping off the side of the pool (w/ no assistance), holding on and maneuvering around the edge of the pool in the deep end, going under on her own, etc. They played SO many fun games in the pool and she loved every minute of it!

She just walked right under the rope and straight to her teacher every day (except the first) and was so stinkin' proud of herself while doing it too. A couple of the lifeguards became pretty attached to her by the end. : )

All of the parents even got to come inside the fences of the pool on the last day to watch them up close ~ which was fun. The lifeguards opened up the diving boards (for the older kids) and the lg. curvy slides on the last day for the kids to enjoy. Kennedy's class was too young (and short) to slide down by themselves, so the lifeguards went down w/ them. She had a blast!

She was completely heartbroken and pretty beside herself before the last day b/c she didn't want them to end. But, a "Beginner 1 PASS" card and a popsicle from her swim instructor made it all better! Well...that and a celebratory lunch @ Chick-Fil-A w/ Mom, Dad, Bubba and Aunt Kimmie! Haha! My sister-in-law, Kimberly, and I even took the kids back to the pool in Springdale after lunch to swim all together and let her "show off her new talents". She had a big day as you can imagine! And Will loved every minute of it as well!

Will surprised me w/ just how well he did during those eight days of swim lessons. He enjoyed walking around (as a beginner walker) and exploring everything he could get his hands on! He also loved clapping for her and waving @ her from a distance anytime I pointed her out. And I thoroughly enjoyed visiting each morning w/ one of my new friends, Wendy, while 2 of her 4 boys were enrolled in swim lessons @ the same time. Wendy's husband, Joel, is our church's new Hispanic pastor. And we are thrilled to death for the wonderful ministry that they are going to continue here in NWA. Wendy and I have a lot in common and I truly enjoy her company.

Swim lessons were a great experience for Lil' Miss and we're thankful for the Lord's faithfulness in the small things.

* What once was this...

...then became this.

* And here are some extras taken throughout the 2 wks.

* And a few from our fun day after swim lessons ended

(I just had to post so many of my pictures b/c of all of the family members who have been wanting to see them, and b/c I just couldn't pick b/w them!)