Me, me, me. Oh, and how about some more about me?

I think it's safe to say that for a large majority of the time, I'm focused on doing things for someone or everyone else in the house. So this weekend marked a strange little twist in that I spent the whole time making everyone do things that revolved around me. Prior to my swim meet (the Southern Pacific Masters' regional championships) I had been thinking, "How many 41-year-olds are really willing to get out there and practice swimming and then spend the weekend going to a swim meet?" Turns out, the answer is "The ones who are REALLY good." It was a little humbling to learn that I was seeded 11th out of 11 in my age group for my first event (50 fly), and even though I swam what I thought was a great time, I came in 9th out of 9 (two people didn't show up). I felt even worse that I didn't even earn any points for my team after all that. So I had to change my focus a little bit, and turn it around so that every time I was up on the starting blocks I'd do a little self-check: Am I having fun? Yes. OK, good. Carry on.

Altogether I swam 6 events and two relays. I got fourth place in the 100 IM and 100 fly, 6th place in 50 breaststroke, and third place for a 200 medley relay I swam with some teammates (the picture above is of me on the starting blocks while my teammate swims in). I earned my first ribbons in 23 years, and I experienced the joy of having the family (Dave brought the boys and Suzi and Bill came too) cheering for me at the start and finish (and also the crazy new option of having some folks watch me live online at www.liveswim.net).

The people at this meet amazed me. There were some 60- and 70-year-old grandmas strutting their stuff in Michael Phelps-style full-length swimsuits. There were some 80- and 90-year-olds racing, which seems like accomplishment enough. There was an elderly woman in a wheelchair who got some help gently lowering herself into the water, then went on to swim a very competent 100 backstroke. And then there were people setting national and world age group records left and right. All day today I kept thinking about those people: On Sunday they set a world record in a swimming event. Today, instead of spending the day lounging around in a posh hotel room while a publicist fields calls from corporate sponsors and the media, they are probably sitting at a desk somewhere, largely unnoticed. Phew. Seems unfair, somehow.

So now that I spent an entire weekend away from the family, it's time to throw myself back into the familiar here at home. No one gave me a ribbon or a medal for making dinner, but I did get some hugs and kisses and drool on me as a reward, so there's that.

Last thing just because I feel like throwing it out there: Zach doesn't seem to know the word for "belt," but he handed me my belt this afternoon anyway and said, "Here, Mommy, put on this stripe."