If you just want to watch Andrew singing the National Anthem, cut straight to the video at the end of the post.

For those still with me, I promise I won’t be long (or maudlin).  But this week we’re wrapping up our time as Gator swim team members and parents, and it really is the end of an era in our family.

Last Saturday was the final home meet of the season as well as “senior day” — so Andrew and Claire were recognized on multiple occasions.  A few pictures from the halftime ceremony can be found at the end of the video — although we look pretty wiped out in them.  (Quick aside:  Candice just yelled down, “Oh no, you put those pictures on there!”  Yep.  They were part of the video which was prepared by another parent.)

Then this past Wednesday, we all went over to the home of the team rep for a party honoring “departing parents.”  Just glad it wasn’t “departed parents!”  It was great fun, and we were recognized for our service (although truth be told Candice did about 95% of the “service” for the swim team in our family.  I primarily helped with the yearly awards and trophies).

Tomorrow we’ll head out bright and early to divisionals, where Andrew is swimming as part of a relay team.  It is a Franklin Knolls Gator tradition that the older boys get mohawks the day before divisionals, so Andrew can be seen  below with his new haircut.  He’s upstairs now shaving his legs to get every last second off his time.

I’ve written before about how much I love the pool and our swim team — even though I’m not a swimmer.  Sunday night we’ll have the team banquet, when Andrew and Claire and their senior friends will be cheered one last time.  I promised myself earlier this summer that I would savor this final year as a Franklin Knolls Gator and I have.

So enjoy the pictures and the video — where Andrew shows his stuff singing the National Anthem.

More to come…

DJB