The Buie Blog: Summer Olympics 2012

We...as in all FOUR of us...really got into the summer olympics. It was really a fun thing for us to enjoy with the kids. Swimming and gymnastics were our favorites. But, while we were packing...we had the olympics on. My mom sent the kids a fun "olympic" goodie package....that had like olympic coloring sheets, stories and trivia. Good call mom! Helped keep them busy while Rob and I were busy!

One of the first things they both did when we moved into our apartment was to make Olympic rings...with marker, paper and scissors and decorate the wall behind their bunk bed. No idea why....they are just lovin them some Olympics!

One of the first nights in our apartment we made an Olympic cake...a fun family project!

(Note: all the U-haul boxes in the background.)

This is a HUGE memory I have from the Olympics this year. Gabby winning the gold! And as excited as I was for her and the USA...I could not bear watching the Russian gymnast getting silver. The packing, the heat, the late nights and long days....made me more emotional than usual...if I wasn't careful. Everytime I saw someone under perform in an event...it just broke my heart. I have watched the Olympics so many times...but never reacted this way to it. I was just SO aware of the life commentment these Olympians have made...and the time put into training. The realization that they could have done it perfect 100 times...but this is the only time that counts! And to watch them stumble or slip...was just too much for me in my emotional state.

I remember one night that we should have been packing...but Rob and I to sit down with the kids to watch a few minutes of Olympics before we tucked them into bed and went back to work. Before long, everyone was asleep in the living room except for me. It was the girls all around finals night...so I decided I was just going to treat myself and watch it.

It was an amazing competition...down to the wire! Towards the end, Gabby gave an amazing floor routine to put her in first place. The commentators said the Russian would have to give the performance of her life to beat Gabby...as floor wasn't the Russians strongest event. It kinda seemed like it was okay to breathe a sigh of relief for Gabby and the USA.

Then the Russian gymnast was just flawless!! She did give the performance of her life! She was so happy. The gym was quiet and crazy tense while the judges calcuated her scores.

Look at those faces...

It really seemed like forever for them to past the scores....camera going back and forth between the Russian gymnast and Gabby...then I remember hearing..."It's a Gabby gold!" Crowd cheering! Shots of Gabby hugging her coach...knowing they had been through SO much. Shots of her mom...knowing sacrifices their family had made to get to this point! Shot of Jordan Weiber sincerely cheering for Gabby from the stands...knowing she was the one expected to be representing the USA in the all around competition. (I had watched her be devasted when she didn't make the cut several nights before...and cried with her too!) Tears of happiness just flowed. Everyone was asleep...so I didn't stop them.

Immediately....the cut to the shot of the Russian Gymnast. Who received Silver...she did not leave empty handed by ANY means. But, she is devasted. Pacing...rejecting her teammates condolonces...watching the Americans celebrate...wiping tears...trying to dissapear from cameras. Painful. She had given her best...and it wasn't good enough. It wasn't like she could have done better. The tears on my cheeks I had for Gabby....instantly transformed into tears for this Russian girl. I'm sure she will be happy about winning silver one day...but not on this night.