Swimming

As I sit here and fizzle down after a full weekend of family fun, my mind wanders to my Mom. I love my Mom. Today was spent swimming with my brood in my mother in law’s pool and as I see the joy in my children’s faces I remember being on their end.

When I was little, like Kindergarten little, we lived in Ft. Worth, TX. In our apartment complex there was a pool shaped like a snowman. We were in it almost everyday from what seemed like Easter to Halloween. Our bronzed little bodies and our sun bleached hair just never got enough. We were fish. Some of my favorite memories of those days were of my Mom. I can still vividly see her face, with her lips all scrunched up, coming out of the water after diving in. Her super curly hair all slick to her head. I loved to hang on to her and let her pull me as she swam, her skin was so soft. I remember her breath, her teeth, her smile real close as I clutched to keep myself from drowning in the deep end (like she would ever let that happen). I love the smell of sunscreen. I love the feel of sun warmed towels. I love my Mom.

Today in the pool I had two little leeches hanging on to my body for dear life, floaties in my face, snot dripping, stinky breaths panting. I thought jeez kid, can’t I just swim here?!? My little frogs (they live on land, unlike my sisters and I) wanted me to pull them on rafts, catch them when they jumped in, swim with them on my back and I was feeling a little smothered. I had at first forgotten what they must be seeing. Then it hit me, I’m my Mom. I will have to ask her if she ever felt like I started off feeling, and she’ll probably lie. At this “ah-ha!” moment my attitude did an about face and I truly, simply, and purely enjoyed the rest of our pool play.

Just like I did, they want to be in my face because they feel safe, or maybe they think I’m pretty, or it’s just fun to see Mom doing something they enjoy so much. So I play in the water, splash fight, catch them when they jump, give rides of the deep end. As I put them to bed tonight I snuggle in their necks and breathe deep. Ahhh… the faint smell of pool water, lingering sunscreen, and sweat. “Mmmm, you smell like summertime.”       

I love you Mom. xo