Courage

Last month over the fourth of July weekend my Dad aka Poppa answered many of Santiago's many questions. He's very curious and inquisitive and asks about everything! Now to the story...My dad has a coffee cup at the lakehouse that has a picture of John Wayne and a quote that says, "Courage - being scared to death but saddling up anyways." After my dad explained what the quote meant and that John Wayne was my dad's hero and a great cowboy, you would hear Santiago constantly reciting "John Wayne, Being Scared to Death but saddling up anyways. Courage". He memorized it and has remembered it over the last month.



We started Santiago in swim lessons this week. The first day went pretty well although he wanted to get out after 20 minutes of the 30 minute private lesson. He said the water was cold and he didn't like that she was making him go under water and blow bubbles. Day 2 was a nightmare. I decided to talk to the instructor and tell her that he was a little scared of going under and asked if we could take things a little slower that day. Santiago began to scream and cry and didn't want to swim. After about 5 minutes Hector it me to leave his side an take Gabriel in a different room out of view so maybe Santi would calm down. He cried for 15 more minutes but was swimming and following directions. When I heard him settle down, Hector waved for me to come back in and I got to see him finish the lesson. When it was over Hector and I told him how proud we were for overcoming his fears and swimming. We told him thy he was like Poppa's hero because he had courage. He was scared but he swam anyways! He beamed from ear to ear. We rewarded him with a snocone after dinner too. He was beyond proud of himself.

The next day, Day 3, you would never believe the same boy was in the pool. Hector wasn't able to come and he had a new "cooler" instructor. Santiago really overcame every fear of swimming without floaties after his second lesson. David, the new instructor, had him kicking properly, swimming with his arms, jumping off the side of the pool into the water and then turning around to swim and pull himself out of the pool, and swimming to the bottom of the pool to grab a ring. I was shocked and so proud!

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