Sophie participated in her very first swim meet this past weekend.

Two years ago, she begged Mike and I to sign her up for the swim team that Breanna and Sabrina used to be on, so I inquired and was told there was a 100-mile-long wait list. We added our name to the bottom, and Sophie decided to use the wait time to practice, practice, practice.

Last year, we finally got an email letting us know that new swimmers were being accepted, which thrilled Sophie. She showed up for her first practice, and loved it. That is, until we told her she needed to sign up for a swim meet.

She balked. So for a full year, she went to practice and enjoyed learning the different strokes, content with never ever ever ever ever going to a meet.

Then her coaches noticed, and the pressure was on.

She signed up. And cried. And fretted. And chewed her fingernails. And said she never liked swimming to begin with, and maybe golf was more her thing. She asked us repeatedly if we'd still be proud of her if she got disqualified. (Bre shared with her that when Bre was on the swim team, she was told she got DQ'ed, and then she got very excited bc she thought she was getting Dairy Queen for swimming so well.)

Saturday came, and Sophie was not happy. But she put on her swim cap, walked to the deck like it was the gallows, and joined her team. I don't know what these sweet girls were chatting about, but it was the first time that morning Sophie had smiled!

She swam 3 races that day: 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, and 50m free.

She got Dairy Queen'ed for her backstroke bc of an illegal flipturn, but she was happy with herself for doing it. When she came up to where we were sitting, we couldn't have been prouder – or louder – in telling her she did a good job, and to not worry about that flipturn.

She came in 5th place for her breaststroke, which disappointed her.

When it came time for her freestyle, however, her attitude suddenly changed. You see, Big Papa had taught her how to freestyle, just like he'd taught her sisters. And you do not want to race against her Big Papa. Before she left for the deck, she looked me in the eyes and said with a grave tone, "DQ'ed on back. Fifth on breast. That ain't happenin' on free."

And it didn't.

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The rest of the story:

1. Sophie's main concerns with participating in a swim meet were as follows:

A She thought all of her team mates would be standing at the side of the pool, watching and judging her as she swam.

B. She thought everyone in the audience would be dreadfully silent as the races were going on, which made her nervous to think about.

C. She thought that perhaps there were sharks in the water, just like in the bathtub and toilet at home.

2. Sophie swam her 50 free in 36 seconds, a good 10 seconds faster than all the other competitors in her heat.