Anna Grows

Girls 11-12 Relay team:  Lauren, Anna, Caitlin & Megan The summer swim season has come to an end.  This year was a great one for Anna as she was the top of her age group (11-12) and led her group throughout the season on breast stroke and free style along with her relay team. This year, the Lakevale Dolphins were in Division 6 (as opposed to last year's Division 3....which was tough to say the least).  The season kicked of in dramatic fashion when the first meet came down to the last relay (it also included swims by team members with casts on their arms....and they won).  In a meet the team was supposed to lose by at least 60 points, Lakevale pulled off a major upset.  Anna surprised everyone when she won both of her races.  She did well throughout the season, winning all but one of her races in breast stroke and continuing to place in in freestyle.  Her relay team also did well, winning most of their races....often in dramatic fashion.  She was one of the high scorers fo

Aidyn & Anna starting a zip line course The summer is flying by!  It has been a busy couple of weeks for Anna.  In addition to lots of swimming, the past couple of weeks had some different adventures. Anna got her first full-day babysitting job last week.  She spent two days watching one 6 and one 8 year old boy while their mom teleworked.  Let's just say she was quite exhausted when she got home.  Both boys are BIG baseball fans.  Anna spent two days playing baseball (or having the boys "teach" her baseball) or watching baseball videos or talking about baseball.  The experience was educational on several fronts. The boy theme continued when her cousin, Aidyn, came to town for the weekend.  Aidyn enjoyed skateboarding and hanging out at the pool with Anna (or at least hanging around her as he was not quite sure what to make of her friends).  They also enjoyed playing video games and teasing each other...and annoying each other (they were in brother/sister mode

Senora Maria Fernandez It was with great sadness that we learned Anna's long time Spanish teacher, Senora Fernandez, passed away on July 2 following complications from heart surgery.  She was only 51 years old. Senora Fernandez was a long-time Spanish teacher at St. Mark's school (she has been Anna's teacher since pre-school).  She had just accepted a new position at a local Catholic high school that she was to begin this fall.  She truly served as an inspiration to her students and proudly adopted the U.S. as her home country.  She bravely fought - and beat - cancer a few years ago, all while continuing to teach.  The school community was devastated by her loss, but came together to celebrate her life at a memorial service on July 5.  Despite the holidays, the church was full of former students, colleagues, friends and family.  Anna joined her friends to sing in the choir. Despite the sadness, the mourners tried to honor her wishes by celebrating her life - in both