Swim Update

I am pleased to announce that Swim the fish is alive and kicking...er...swimming. He also has a tank mate named Birdie (name courtesy of Nate). It's amazing how entertaining a twenty five cent goldfish can be....and how strangely difficult it can be to remember to feed them.... Good thing they're hearty.

"Swim" the Fish

Tonight was Grandville Christian's Family Fun Night. Bri has been counting down the days all week. We went early and had supper in the gym. The kids were all smiles from the moment we got out of the car.

It was very interesting to be back at a family fun night more than 17 years after my last one... Some things have changed, some have very much stayed the same.

The highlight of the night was the fish pond. Silly me, I thought the fish pond was where they would stick poles over the side of a "pond" and get a prize.... What I soon discovered was that the fish pond is a game where you toss ping pong balls into a field of cups and if you land one you get a goldfish. Of course, I realized the prize only after Bri had lit up like a million-watt light bulb.

You see, for a few months now she has been begging for a pet. A dog, a gerbil, a bird...anything. The kid just wants a pet. Last week at Meijer I had to pry her off of the aquarium display as she was convinced that a fish was the perfect pet.

So, when she saw that the opportunity for a pet was within her grasp she became intensely focused. While she was in line I watched child after child throw and not win a fish. Whew. We're probably safe. These kids are 8 and over, Bri is only 4..there's no way were going home with a fish.

When Bri's turn arrived she cautiously stepped up to the line with her first ping-pong ball held firmly in her fist. The determination on her face was amazing. Carefully she aimed and "pop" landed that ball right in the cup. Oh, but we were not done yet. She still had two more balls. "pop" "pop".

We picked out the most orange (and non-floater) fish from that table and off we went to tell daddy and Nate the good news. Nate was thrilled, Daddy...not as much.

Bri nearly had tears in her eyes as she bounced up and down and told us how she was going to tell all the kids at school about her new pet.

So, as we walked to the car Jeff and I debated over the best way to handle this new addition to our family. Surely we could not let him continue to live in a styrofoam cup..or could we...no. definitely not.

He was also probably going to need a bit of fish food in the morning. Oh crap, will he live till morning? How are we going to explain this if it doesn't.

Excited about her new pet, Brianna called Grandpa Don from the backseat of the car- because he is a fish expert and she knew he would share her excitement. Meanwhile, we drove to Pet Supplies Plus in order to gather the things we would need.

So, $38.00 later we had a home for Swim and all the supplies that should be necessary to keep him thriving. As we put the 1.5 gallon aquarium, cotton candy colored gravel, filter and other paraphernalia together, Bri exclaimed "I was going to wish for a fish for my birthday and now I don't have to because I already have my wish".

So, here I sit, blogging about a fish who I am watching very carefully.. I have made Jeff come into the room 3 times already because I think he is swimming "funny". Jeff has assured me that he is not and that I need to "stop obsessing over the fish".

Here's to you Swim. May you have a long, healthy fish life!