34 posts tagged “sam”
About three months ago, I did this post about Stephen's Shadow:
http://coleclan9rdfc.vox.com/library/post/stephens-shadow.html Here we are 3 months later and Sam has indeed made a drastic improvement in just this short time of training! He could not even make it across the pool without stopping but now, he makes it look SO easy. This season of swimming has shown him that he absolutely LOVES to swim, even though every workout was grueling.
Steve too has been working hard with all his different strokes and has been fairly happy with how he has improved in the butterfly! Stingrays ends for the boys next week already. The time there was quick but very beneficial. The coaches are tough but they certainly helped to train the boys to swim correctly. Steve hopes to continue training well this summer (in prep for a fall triatholon and the Grace swim team) when our neighborhood pool finally opens in two weeks as he leads his siblings in a challenging swim workout routine. I hope he isn't too tough with them?!?!
I think that word sums up the boy's first basketball season on a team! They learned a lot of lessons, some great plays and mostly how to work hard, have fun and keep playing your best even IF you probably wouldn't get the chance to shoot as often as you would like. They had a great last game though. Their coach let Sam and Chris both play point guard and Sam made his second and final shot of the season from mid-court (again) and Chris was pleased with his two awesome lay-ups!
Now that Grace Lions is over for the season, Steve and Sam have started a 3-month training stint with the Stingrays, a homeschool hour swim club down the street from us that uses the same pool that Grace did. That will take them through till May when our neighborhood pool is finally open for the season! Sam has decided that although he 'likes' basketball that it isn't a sport he wants to continue unlike his brother Chris who is learning to love it more and more. So, since big bro Steve loves swimming, he wants to learn to love it too. We shall see how he fares this Spring!
In case Sam never plays BB again on a team, he scored today! From a pretty far spot, the ball swooshed perfectly into the net, and you should have heard my sister, Paige and I scream! We were all a bit disappointed that we weren't able to get it on camera...
We took care of a 6 month old baby and lived life like usual and survived. That may be more because Emma was as near perfect as an infant can be to take care of than in our abilities to manage the day with an extra little person around. She played well, slept well (2 hours at a time) and ate well. Honestly, she did not cry once. Since Sammy is OUR baby, he had a blast feeding someone smaller than himself since he has no younger siblings! Here's a conversation we had while she was here.
Sam: Mom, we need to have a baby just like this one.
Me: Why, when we can just borrow this one?
Sam: This one is so cute and chubby. She doesn't ever cry!
Me: Not ALL babies are as easy as she is. So, if we have one or get one, she might not be like her. And, most babies cry a lot so you'll have a lot of work to do to help out.
Sam: Well, I still want one anyway.
Here's Sam feeding little Emma:
Sammy opted out of a birthday party this year and instead chose to REDO the skating rink (like last year) and just invite whatever families were able to show up! On the left are pixes of all four kids (minus Tar who had no one to race against) in their foot races where they all won their age division race!!! You'll have to click on each photo to see them in its bigger form.
And a video of Sam winning his skating race!
Then, the following evening we were able to celebrate the Christmas season in a deeper more meaningful way by watching Andrew Petersen and his crew perform BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD! What a wonderful concert. It's one of those experiences you cannot explain, you just had to be there. I didn't get any pix of the night but I did get to videotape one of our family's newest fave singer, Bebo Norman. We think he sings much better in person than on CD. His passion and love of Christ is overflowing as he uses his gift of singing. Many of you know this famous song of his:
And lastly, after Christmas, the East Coast Urbiztondo (mom's side) all got together for a Christmas Candy exchange. This is just two shoots off the tree; my mom and her daughter's families and her older sister, Helen and her two daughters and their families: Armoreda, Judge and Cheeks. Since my mom has 6 other sisters and a brother who just got married, we do have a pretty big family if we were ever able to be together all at the same time. It hasn't happened ever, I don't think, as there is always one or two sisters and their families missing. But, we think a big crowd will turn out in June for the youngest and only boy's wedding!
at least on this particular afternoon! I'm glad the simple things in life still make them laugh together....
Howard and I tagged team today for Sam's outpatient surgery. They left at 8 this morning and I was able to take him home by 1:30. Sam also had a special visit from the hospital chaplain too! Grandpa Cole just happened to be on shift.... He is very tired, sore and woozy but very happy to be home resting, drinking and watching all his fave movies. He had his first bit of food for the day.....yummy jello and has had presents of candy (for celebrating later on) and ice cream from friends and family and it's just day one. He has been a trooper the whole time; no complaints and pretty fearless from start to finish! We thank the Lord for the gift of medicine and the technology that allows healing to happen quicker than in the past. Keep him in your prayers as he lays low for the next week or so!
Those are the words I heard overhead as I found my seat on our last leg of our flight back home to NC! The pilot was kind enough to bring the 3 youngest Coles into the cockpit and answer their millions of questions and even gave them the chance to speak on the intercom. What a treat!
Sam's been waiting years to get older and taller to finally do the climbing wall and Ridge Ropes course. For years he has been TOO small but no longer! The photos are
a progression from waiting, to climbing, hitting the bell on the top and finally rapelling down on the outdoor climbing wall. He had a blast. He is the last of our kids to experience this adventure. He said it was fun and exciting. But, he had a bit more issues of trust on the Ridge Ropes Course. It was a bit higher and harder than he imagined but he tried his best! The ropes dude said that perhaps a couple more inches in height might help him to succeed further up next time. (Those are the photos below.)
While H and I were adventuring out with Sam, Tar and Steve joined a Foosball competition. Unfortunately, they lost during the first round to a couple of brothers who just happen to own a foosball table at home but they gave it their best shot and had fun in the process. Paige was the audience for their game and scorekeeper! Chris enjoyed some pool with a new friend (billiards - kid size).
Afterward, Steve finally beat me in ping pong 21-18. Then, H and I challenged Tar and Steve and won 21-11. We still have it! Our super duper ping pong teamwork from our early college days (20 years back already!) However, I think in another year or two, they will defnitely surpass our skill. It's just inevitable.
