What a week!

Here's just 3 reasons why this week was awesome:

First of all, I'm an Olympics-nut, meaning I'll stay up hours on end glued to the tv to see which country, which athlete will win the next medal. Every night this week when I got home, I couldn't help but turn on the tv to watch - it's addictive. But when you see all the great athletes, the records broken, the medals won, the elation of victory, and the disappointment of defeat, you can't help but watch. Even the sports that you don't ordinarily watch, the low-profile events, seem to have new appeal just because they're now being done AT THE OLYMPICS. And how about the high-profile stuff like gymnastics, swimming & track? All the drama, intensity and competitiveness - it gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. It makes me proud to be an athlete, proud to be an American!

Also this week, I had lunch with my son and his kindergarten class on Tuesday. It was our first lunch together at school. He got the sandwich lunch. I got the plate lunch. It was good, but being there with him at school was great. He's been having a tough time when his mom or I drop him off in the mornings, but Thursday was a breakthrough day - no crying. I gave him a surprise later that day for being brave (a Ben 10 toy from Walmart). I know it took a lot of courage, and I couldn't have been more proud of him!

My third awesome event this week was my mom's birthday. Wednesday was her 70th birthday, but her party was on Saturday. The whole family got together in Savannah for a surprise party for her at a local restaurant. The food was great - the dessert even better. Everyone had a great time.

You know, as I think about my mom, I begin to realize how much she's influenced my life.

She was very athletic in high school and college, competing in swimming and track and field events. She loves to watch sports on tv and remains active today. She's a sixth degree black who's won numerous World Champion Gold Medals over the years! . . . SHE's the "Olympian" that I've watched on the medal stand. She's a true athlete. She makes me proud to be an athlete, proud to be her son (there goes the goosebumps).

Oh, and SHE was the one who took ME to kindergarten each morning and had lunch with ME at school. I know I cried a lot when she dropped me off at school, and I know she couldn't have been more proud of me on that day I didn't cry. I wonder if she bought me a toy for being brave?? She probably did.

I hope that when I celebrate 70 years that it's with my family - and that I've lived an active life - and that my son is as proud of me as I am of her- and that I've influenced my son like my mom has influenced me.