Epic Weekend Part 3: UCLA Gymnastics

On Sunday of the epic weekend, we met my aunt and some of my cousins at UCLA for some women's gymnastics. It was their last home meet of the season at Pauley Pavilion. To say that I was excited is an understatement. I've been watching UCLA all season on TV, so I was super stoked to get to see them live. 

My six year old cousin, Nathan, sat by me. Let me explain to you for a moment why this was perfect: he says the funniest things, he asks lots of questions, and he allowed me to spew share my ridiculous obsession with gymnastics (especially UCLA gymnastics). 

My favorite Nathan line of the day occurred when Samantha Peszek was on beam: She's like better than Nadia! I even have it on video. Love! 

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day: 

 Bars

 Emma, Nathan, and me

 Danusia Francis on beam. So incredible!

 So incredible, in fact, that she got a PERFECT 10!

 Samantha Peszek (my favorite) on floor

 The fam!

Samantha and me! ;) 

This was my first UCLA meet, but it certainly won't be my last! I can't wait until next season! 

Walking and Tumbling.

Now, let's not get carried away... I'm "walking," definitely not tumbling, but we got to see a lot of tumbling this weekend. Let's start with the walking.  If you need a bit of an update, click here.

Just last Thursday, the idea of walking absolutely petrified me. I couldn't wrap my brain around it. I couldn't quite figure it out. I was freaked.

I decided to take the walker to school on Friday and out of town this weekend. I used it as much as I could (definitely not into Staples Center, but in and out of restaurants and around the classroom, house, and hotel room).

It's definitely not easy, it takes forever to get anywhere, but my foot responds SO well to it--the color and swelling calm down whenever I walk. Jess (my PT) is a true genius. It's so encouraging to see some progress. Prior to last Thursday, I was getting quite discouraged. Now that I can see a positive response, I'm definitely more willing to push myself (and the girls at PT certainly love to push me). My hands, ankle, and foot definitely hurt, but that's a small price to pay to "walk." Yesterday and today I only used my scooter in the morning and back and forth to the office. Today I even "walked" to the library with one class. I still haven't quite figured out how to get around without the use of my hands, but my mom and the kids have been helpful.

I guess it can only get better from here, right?

Ok, enough walk talk--onto the tumbling.

On Saturday, my mom and I went to see the tour of Gymnastics Champions at the Staple Center. It. Was. Awesome!

 The men, of course, were AMAZING.

 They had far too much fun doing their "tricks."

 The US Women's gold medal soccer team was there to watch the show as well!

 LOVE.

 This was probably my favorite part.

LOVE these girls--especially the one on the bottom right, Alica Sacramone--favorite!!!

Here is part of Aly Raisman's gold medal winning floor routine. Love her!

Here are the guys having far too much fun on the Olympic rings. Enjoy!

I can't say that I'll be tumbling--EVER--but I'm confident that I'll walk normally again. 

Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement. Thanks, Jess, for your knowledge and willingness to push me. Thank you, God, for your continued healing and strength.  

Olympic FEVAH!

The Olympics start TOMORROW! 

Do you realize what that means??? Amazing athletic goodness for over TWO WEEKS!

I am SO EXCITED for...


the screaming
the tears
the stories
the victories
the National Anthem
the medals
the suspense
the rivalries
the underdogs
the memories.

ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!! Get the picture???

It seems like only yesterday that I wrote THIS POST that began the 100 days countdown. Now it's HERE!

How excited am I? I'm more excited than Jessie Spano on pills! (If you don't get that reference, you should have watched more Saved by the Bell).

I just guest-posted on Nicole's blog about what I Quite Like and Rather Dislike about the Olympics. Go read that post HERE! It's worth your time if I do say so myself. :)

As the Olympics quickly approach, what are YOU looking forward to?? Comment below and let me know.

What am I MOST excited about????

Our girls' gymnastics team!

Photo Credit

Bring home the GOLD, girls!

100 More Days...

...until the 2012 Olympics in London. Eeeeeeeeek! I can hardly contain my excitement...

Photo Credit

Let me tell you what....I've got the Olympics in me. 

I caught Olympic fever as a child and it. is. raging. 

I'm hard pressed to find anyone as Olympic obsessed as I am. I'm quite pleased that my friend Ashley feels the same way. We may or may not have already started planning viewing parties, medal tally charts, Olympic cakes, clothing, and the like. 

I'm not sure how I caught this fever, but I don't ever want it to go away! Of course gymnastics is my favorite sport (and my mind is reeling with which five girls will be chosen for the team--did you read that? FIVE...only five!...I'll be on edge until the team is announced), but I'll watch it all. I'll love it all. 

I'll laugh.

I'll cry.

I'll scream. 

I'll cheer. 

I may even throw things...

...if it comes down to that. 

I love the emotion, the determination, the drive, the hope, the success, the stories, the dreams. I love it all (have I made myself clear yet?). :) 

For your viewing pleasure (and to perhaps pass on a bit of the fever), here is a montage of the gymnasts from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Enjoy!

How excited am I, you ask?

Photo Credit