USA USA USA

It’s that time again!  When the world come together to watch people for far greater abilities than we can hope to have – the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver!!

Unfortunately, I do not feel like staying up till three in the morning over here, so I will have to suffice with catching highlights of the opening ceremonies tomorrow on youtube. :-(
I absolutely love the Olympics!  Regardless of whether you cheer for the Yankees or Red Sox, the Raiders or the Niners, or (insert basketball team name here) or (insert opposing basketball name here,) you join together as Americans to support your Olympic Athletes!  This reason alone is how my brother so incredibly lost our debate about whether or not Michael Phelps deserved the ESPY athlete of the year award.  And why my dad remembers the night the USA hockey team beat the Russians.  And why Morgan Freeman playing Nelson Mandela in a sports movie is worth watching over and over.

I actually remember the first Olympics I watched (and could understand of course, because knowing my dad it was on when I was much younger as well.)  It was the 1992 France Games and I was watching figure skating (the only sport that appeals to a 6 year old.)  Kristi Yamaguchi skated onto the screen and my dad said “You know she’s from Hayward (town I was born in.)”  “Well then she should win” was all I replied and a sense of hometown pride was instilled in me that has yet to leave (I have to blame my Oak-town pride on something.)  And win she did.

And hooked I was.

I continued to watch the Olympics whenever I could.  Every two years for two weeks, I was staring at the TV watching almost everything from the US Soccer Dream Team...

To the powerhouse beach volleyball team that was Misti May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh...

To literally standing on the couch and yelling at the TV when the relay swim team came from behind to win...

Last year my brother's high school band even got the honor to be a part of the Beijing Olympic Band.

So yea...Olympics are big in our family.  Of course my first hero will always be Kristi Yamaguchi as I watched her skate into Olympic History.

So naturally, it was one of the biggest honors, as well as surprises, I’ve ever had when eight years and some months ago I received a very officially letter saying that I had been nominated to carry the Olympic Torch in the Salt Lake City Torch Relay!!!  I actually screamed.  No seriously...

January 21^st was one of the best days ever.  I was up super early in my extremely authentic suit.  The experience itself was surreal.  I actually don’t even remember the actual running part, it went by so fast.  I just remember the moments after when I realized I was slightly out of breath and the large muscle-ee man next to me who was there to make sure I didn’t drop the flame, told me I did a good job and congrats.  Then it was pictures and party time.  I got to represent my city, Girl Scouts, and 15 year olds - the youngest age category allowed.  And it was absolutely wonderful.

Oh yea…and I got to keep the torch.
So here's to the USA Olympic Team...bring home the gold baby!!!

Word of the Day: Spelen - Olympics

*It is with deep regrets, that as I write this, I have been informed of the tragic death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, Olympic Luger who dies during a training on what is now being called too dangerous a course.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends.