Saturday, August 16, 2008

Eight for Eight

Right now my daughter is playing with my hair.... that has got to be one of the coziest feelings in the world.... sigh.

As she's playing, she's talking about what she bets Michael Phelps will be doing while he's in Heaven - lots of swimming. "I bet so too, honey...."

Did you know that Michael Phelps has ADHD? That he struggled as early as kindergarten trying to fit in, to sit still, to not be bored? That the structure of a pool with a clearly marked wall (boundary) on each side and T on the bottom keeps him focused and as such, it is his sanctuary. What a testimony of each of us being uniquely gifted. Even in his physical make-up - a man with obvious dis-proportions to his body - such incredibly long arms, but short legs in comparison to his torso - and yet that makes him the perfect swimming machine.

We just watched, as a family, CHEERING, YELLING, WHOOPING IT UP, as he and his team earned the gold medal - and he earned his 8th gold medal, more than any other Olympian in a single Olympics. Every event he participated in, he won - and every time, just as satisfying in seeing his reaction was that of his mom - always there, always encouraging - always loving him whether he was a class mess-up or the hero of the world.

I sure hope I can be that kind of mom, in all circumstances - challenging, pushing, encouraging, praising, disciplining, and always loving my children for just who they are, with each of their individual make-up of strengths and weaknesses that are often the very same quality.

Thank you Michael Phelps for making this the best Olympics I've ever watched, and thank you Michael Phelp's mom for being such a huge part in making him the hero that he is today.......

(You'll note by my comment that we were actually able to watch this all happen at 8:15 - and then went to bed - the comment doesn't make a lot of sense if you don't know that)

3 comments:

StephieAnne said...

Just woke up from a dead sleep to the loudest boom ever - Heart racing, wondering if we've just been bombed.....

John and I both now wide awake, thankful to see the lightening in the sky and hear the thunder to know that was just a lightening storm and not something much scarier.....

Anyone else in the neighborhood hear that and/or watch it? Come to find out, it was a big ol' alarm clock to anyone who snoozed off to wake up to see one of the greatest races in history......

Anonymous said...

chele said...
Our storm arrived at about 12:15. Good grief, I need to get past this late schedule of watching the Olympics into the wee hours of the morning so that I can somehow return to the very early wake-up calls once school starts... For now though, as I'm still wide awake, I might as well enjoy the light show above.
Oh - and great entry about Michael. What fun it has been to cheer him on. :)

Growin' With It said...

i was thinking the same thing when they focused the camera on his mom. what an incredible achievement. didn't know the adhd stuff....LOVE overcomers in so many ways.