…a partial summary of last weekend.

Jake and Derek swam in a meet in DeKalb on Saturday. Of the four heats Derek competed in, he took first place in three! He received a badge for each win: 25m freestyle, 50m freestyle, and 25m backstroke. And what pleased Jim and me just as much was Jake’s genuine happiness for his brother, and Derek’s good sport-attitude. Because they’re only going to swim competitively for so long. Even if one goes on to the Olympics someday, their bodies will age. What’s more important is the character–the heart.

Then Sunday, my dad came by with a chocolate santa which was given to him from a guy from Slovakia. My dad gave it to Jake, knowing he would really appreciate it. I propped Santa up by Jake’s seat at the kitchen table before dinner that night. As I was in the kitchen preparing dinner, I noticed that Jeremy had been quietly standing on his chair staring at me for some time. Chewing. When I looked closer, I saw the chocolate in the corners of his mouth. And an empty foil wrapper lying on the table. The Santa had been consumed in one gulp. In vain, I held a napkin under his mouth and told him to spit it out, but alas, it was too late.

Meanwhile, Jake was on the verge of tears. I tried comforting him with, “It’s alright, it was just a piece of chocolate” (to which anyone who knows me well is laughing right now, because normally I would never put “just” and “chocolate” together that way in a sentence).

Jake replied, “I’m not sad for myself, I’m sad for the guy from Slovakia because he brought that all the way for me to have, and now I can’t enjoy it.”

I answered, “Well…it’s not a total loss. I mean, Bubbie sure enjoyed it.” Even though he tried really hard to suppress it,  Jake burst out laughing as he looked at his brother’s chocolate-stained face.

It’s not easy being the oldest. Many opportunities for character-building!