Rain, Rain Go AWAY Jack's swim test is today...

This morning was the big day for the placement swim test for Scout Camp. Jack has been practicing jumping into the water (in his wading pool) and swimming. He was all excited and raring to go. Unfortunately Mother Nature had been wailing since last night and there were some serious storms throughout the area. I wasn't going to go sit in the woods in a storm so we (I) decided to wait until the radar (thank you Bay News 9) looked clear(er). So he waited patiently in his trunks eating a banana and watching the eternally on Animal Planet. I cleaned house and did laundry until it looked like things were clearing up.




Finally the radar looked like we were getting ready to have a break in the weather. We got our things together and headed out, hoping the blue sky west of us would follow us up to the test. Yeah, not so much. After an exciting drive through driving rain, thunder and lightning we made it to Camp Soule. OK, I know but I am still a freaking optimist and was almost sure it would at least not be raining up there.

Yeah, so it was still raining.... ok raining hard but there was no lightning. Well not when we got there anyway. We popped into the lodge to say hi to some of the leaders who were setting up. After a bit and no obvious sign of the rain letting up we headed over to the pool to see who else was feeling lucky today!

By the time we puddle jumped over to the pool the storms had erupted again. This time featuring thunder AND lightning... YAY!!! NOT!!!


The Littlefields were there waiting to test too which was great since we hadn't seen them at all since school let out. Jack, Dean and Karli clowned around for a bit then Jack just wandered around waiting for the rain to stop. About an hour later we were able to test.


The kids that were still there went out on the deck and waited under the little shelter for their turn. I noticed Jack kept backing up so that eventually he was at the end of the line. By this time the rain had started again and you could barely see through it. Jack's turn came and Ms. A took him over. They stood staring at the pool conversing. They then moved to the shallow end. More surveying and more discussion. One toe broke the water, said toe was snatched back and the foot attached to the toe headed back to the big shelter.


He was upset. Very very very upset BUT handled it very quietly and relatively calmly. He was embarrassed because all his friends are good swimmers. I reminded him that all the friends he tested with had pools at home and had probably been swimming for years.


I know he did the best he could with it. He gets derailed by things others probably wouldn't. The rain didn't throw him off the fact that there were two sections that were 4 feet deep and the lights in the pool (he is afraid that pool lights will explode when he goes near them) made him decide not to get in (his explanation). When you take into consideration that even last year the kid wouldn't go near a pool without losing his mind, I think he did great and I told him so. I know on Monday he will be in that pool with his buddies, he will relax and then they can retest. The swim instructor already told him he will work with him closely to help him get more comfortable. He'll be fine, once HE believes it, he'll be fine!