Throw Back Thursday - St. Mary Swim Team Edition

Our church didn't really have a swim team, per se, but growing up it sure seemed that way. There was a group of families that swam competitively for the Freeport Area Swim Team and also attended St. Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Church; The Wagner Crew, The Saccomannos, The Faulks, The Swanseys, The Salinas Family, and the best swimmers of all, The Broussards. We spent Saturdays at swim meets running wild, and spent Sundays at church as altar servers or singing in the folk choir my Dad ran. 

When I think back on this time now, as a new mom, I think about all the great things our parents did for us. On saturdays they were at our swim meets working as stroke judges, running the ready-benches, slinging snow cones in the concession stand, keeping time behind the starting blocks or keeping score in the box above the natatorium. On Sunday's they were lecturers, catechism teachers, choir directors, or just making sure ALL of us weren't acting up. I remember a story about Fred Broussard chewing out Joe and Matt for acting up on the altar. Joe wasn't even his son, but it didn't matter, all of the aforementioned got to punish us like our parents.   
We were a family. Not by blood, but by faith.....and swimming.

We recently came together in the name of Karen Faulk. A mom that really was the perfect mom - selfless, kind and active in all of these times. My sister Sarah remembers how she hand crafted the coolest colored fabric diamond panels (TOTALLY 90's) for her daughter Teresa's wall.  She remembers how bad she wanted some of those diamonds and that she couldn't buy them because they were custom Karen Faulk's. Even though some of our memories of Karen are from long ago, they were still strong enough to bring us all together again...and it felt like we hadn't skipped a beat. It felt so comforting and also reconfirmed the blessed upbringing that we had by being a part of this group of families. I hope if anything, our parents know how much we appreciate what they have done for us and now the torch has been passed.  I need to get my butt to church.  And get these babies in the pool.  

Please excuse the old scanned photos.....this is fo real, throwback, no Instagram filters needed.

 That is Grace being baptized. Her Godparents were the Saccomanno parents, and that is Joe and Sarah looking on, I was probably jumping over a pew.

 I wanted to be on this relay so badly, they were so cool and fast.  Amy Broussard, Teri Faulk, Lucy Saccomanno, and Sarah. Look at S with her Keds on, no socks....can you say Baby on Dirty Dancing?? We were obsessed with her! I had a magenta pair.

That is ^Fred Broussard^ in the background..probably making sure we weren't giving the ready bench moms hell.

How awesome is that hot pink hat? The coolest.

Swimmers. Take your mark. Beep.

 Who knew Joe had the original 2nd place stink face!?

Sorry Sarah and Teri, but I had to. 

Ballerina flats in the early 90's. Haaay!

Karen looking chic in turquoise. Sarah and Teri should have taken notes! ;)

Laugh it up.