Swimming and My Sisters

I have been reading a book called The Power of Habit and I feel like it is really changing the way I think (or at least causing me to think more). I love it. It is so great to be able to question things and wonder why they happen. Why do our brains make certain connections and what cues cause those connections? Our brains our so diverse, complex, and amazing. I honestly don't think that we will ever know all that they do or are capable of in just our human capacity. It is so interesting that the more I learn and think about all the brain does the more I have a testimony of physical and spiritual things.
Growing up, every summer my sister and I were on swim team. We would wake up at 5:45 to swim from 6-7:30 am. It was hard and I remember my dad would give us 1 (MAYBE 2) days to miss practice per summer. There weren't a lot of swimmers on the swim team at this time so we all met at 6am, the 7 year olds to the 18 year olds. My sister and I were always together. We got up at the same time, went to the pool, showered off in cold water when we got there so that when we got in the pool wasn't as freezing, swam in the same lane, worked hard together, got out, the best days were when we had donut days or cereal days after practice, but other wise we would go home and sit on the couch eating cereal, watching tv. All summer, every summer from when I was 7 to 14 it was Cami and I. Then, when Shannae was 7, she started swim team, too. The team had gotten bigger so we were split into two practices now, 13 through 18 year olds from 6 to 7:30am and younger ones at 7:30 to 8:30am. We would be done by the time Shannae and my dad came at 730. Shannae was the cutest, funniest little girl. She would complain about being sick every morning but my dad would show no sign of backing down (he was somewhat used to this from when Cami and I were young), which now I am so grateful for. She would get in the water for awhile, my dad would leave, and Shannae would just sneak out and find Cami and I saying she was sick or too cold. Every.single.day.
I love her.

I miss those days with my sisters. Waking up for swim team was hard, work outs were hard, jumping into cold water at 6am was hard. I wouldn't trade those summers for anything in the world. I love swimming. When I am swimming or underwater, I really feel like I am in another world. It is so different. The principles of movement, breathing, and physics are all different than being on land.  I feel like swimming is a superpower and I am so grateful I have it. I know that sounds funny but being able to swim is so special for me.

I love my wonderful sisters (and my brother, too..even tho he never had to go through this) and the connection that my brain makes to them when I swim. It makes me feel closer to them when I am hundreds of miles away from them. It makes me really miss them. I know that when I have children, I will create opportunities for them to form bonds and memories with each other like my parents have done with us. 

I am so grateful!

Love, 

Kelli 

Side note: I don't know why my dad pushed us girls so hard to do swimming and not my brother, but I'm sure there is a reason for it. I know that we are different and it helped us to develop into the people we should be. My brother probably really needed all those days to sleep in because later in life for 2 years he would wake up at 6:30 everyday on his mission. Or something like that.