Hi, my name is Susan, and I’m an Olympics junkie.
There, I said it.
Really, I LOVE the Olympics! I always have. Granted, I don’t follow my favorite sports and athletes like I have in the past, but there’s just something about watching these athletes from all over the world participate in the event(s) they’ve spent years training for and pretty much dedicated their lives to that is so inspiring to me. And I love all the back stories that are shared about the athletes, sometimes to the point of tears. My heart breaks for those whose Olympic dreams don’t come true, and I get so excited for those who finally get to wear that Olympic medal around their necks. And yes, I get a lump in my throat every time I hear our national anthem.
And the opening ceremony—I love that too. I love learning about the culture of the host country, and I love hearing about all the countries and the athletes who are representing them, most of whom know that their Olympic dream is realized simply by being there. And the new Refugee Team? Oh my. Tears.
John, who is not such a big Olympics fan, knows The Games will pretty much be on in our home nonstop Monday-Saturday for a few weeks every 4 years in the summer and winter. He’s such an awesome guy to put up with my Olympics obsession—it’s definitely true love. We don’t have cable, so I have to rely on good ‘ol NBC, but that works. And while I definitely don’t sit and watch everything (taking two+ weeks off from life just isn’t going to happen), it’s on in the background so I don’t miss much AND I keep work and family stuff going. #GoldMedalinMultitasking?
I actually got to cross “Go to the Olympics” off my bucket list when they were here in Atlanta in 1996, and it was amazing! We got tickets to a USA men’s volleyball game, and to say I was in Olympics heaven is quite the understatement. We wandered around Olympic Park before our event, and even though I was a very large 6 months pregnant with Kailen, nothing was going to stop me from taking in the whole Olympics experience. The Macarena had just become popular, and there were tons of people doing the Macarena in the streets! We also took the kids up to Cartersville to watch the torch run, and that was an experience I’ll never forget either.
I also love learning about the different aspects of each sport and must admit that I do some of my own recliner refereeing. And if the USA isn’t in the medal hunt, I tend to root for the underdogs. Gymnastics, swimming, diving, and track & field are my summer favorites, and ice skating/dancing, speed skating, skiing, and anything using a sled are my favorites in the winter. I still don’t get the whole curling thing, but oh well.
Kam also loves the Olympics, and I’m so excited we’ll get to watch them together while I’m in Utah on grandbaby duty! The little guy can come any time now, but I’m really hoping he’ll wait until after I get there on the 17th. We’ll be able to get him indoctrinated into all-things Olympics at a very early age, and he’ll really help me get through my post-Olympics withdrawal. ?
Go USA!
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