25 Weeks to New Human Life, 3 Weeks to U.S. Olympic Trials

Well, I cannot really think of another time I've had such spikes of adrenaline, joy, nerves-- I'm in a glass box of emotion! I submitted an order for "Team Grevers" shirts for the fan club to wear at Trials (or wherever in the world family may be!). Our friend at Starbuck Design came up with the manly logo...my only tips to him were "something including the Grevers gun show and maybe a Captain America shield....make it heroic." And here's what he came up with:

Top = front of tee, Bottom = back

Yeah, I think it's pretty heroic. Sure, the biceps look engorged and he's swimming freestyle, but everyone forgets MG strokes some swift freestyle too (he got third in the 100 free at 2012 Trials). Just thinking about these t-shirts got me nervous for US Trials. A swimmer asked me the other day, "Are you and Matt so excited? Trials is so close!"

Yes, less than three weeks away now. Well, my answer is mixed. I think MG will be excited to make it over the massive hump that is US Trials. It's the most intense meet the world sees every four years. It's cut-throat. It's faster than the Olympics. The US is overloaded with talent-- a good problem to have at the Olympics, but one that makes it extremely difficult to make the Olympic Team. 

One of the most nerve-racking things to hear from outsiders are assumptions that Matt (or anyone) is a shoo-in for Rio. Competition is steep. And there are no guarantees at U.S. Trials. Even Phelps will say that in interviews, "Well, first I have to make the team." 

Most media members hop through Olympic Trials in conversation like it's a simple doorway big names walk through to fire them up before the Games. No, it's a test of mental control, physical conditioning, and years upon years of strategic training. Anyone can slip up. Anyone can rise up. It makes it an invigorating, but hard-to-watch spectacle. 

This will be the first time in 16 years that I am not competing at Olympic Trials. I will be a sitting ball of nervous energy with no control over the efforts or results. I plan on working out really hard (as hard as baby allows, I mean) to expunge some of my pent up nerves between prelims/finals. Perhaps writing will help with that as well. 

Oh, and as if watching just prelims and finals weren't enough; Trials has semi-finals. So three races of each event to hold my breathe through. I had intentions last summer of getting my Trials cut, so I could have a deck pass and a way to distract myself from getting tightly wrapped around MG's races.

The largest diversion from all of these anticipated nerves is the beautiful baby girl growing in my belly. When Matt and I begin to think swimming is a big deal, we can think about the addition of another human to our family this Thanksgiving. Now that is a big deal. Not to completely underscore swimming's significance, but I think MG knows he has a beautiful life beyond the pool. 

Trials is the perfect time to dwell on Matt's and my fall-back verse: 

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Matt has control over his effort, but little else at Trials. I have control over nothing at Trials; well, I suppose the way I choose to handle my emotions. That's why I'll be praying for a peace that surpasses all understanding and a trust that God will use any circumstances that come for good.