A Once in a Lifetime Experience

The US Special Olympics were held in Lincoln, NE last week.  Last time it was in Beijing, next time it will be in Greece, this time - little ol' Lincoln, NE.  I knew I couldn't let this opportunity pass by without being involved in some manner.  I tried signing up to volunteer, but I was on the waiting list - with 1500 other people!  So, I just packed up my four kids and showed up to cheer the athletes on.  There were about 10 events to choose from everyday, we only made it to a couple of them.  We saw a couple of basketball games - my boys readily chose sides and heartily cheered them on.  The boys met an athlete who had won a gold medal in Beijng and got to touch and feel it.


Another day we went to the swimming events and I remembered my camera.  Justus brought a notebook to get autographs of the athletes and someone from the New Hampshire team gave him an olympic pin.   Ethan commented on how slow someone was swimming and I asked him if he could swim a lap in the pool - he can't quite yet.  My favorite part about cheering on the athletes was not the cheers that went up for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, but the consistent cheering until the last athlete touched the wall - even a full minute after the winners.  It honestly brought tears to my eyes.  This is the kind of athletic event I enjoy - congratulating someone on actually getting out there and doing it!  As we were leaving, the people around us who had interacted with us asked if the person we had come to see had won.  It was great to say, we came to just cheer everyone on.  We may never have the chance to see a special olympics again, but my prayer is that my boys will see that if someone with limitations can get out there and do this, so can they.

Our spot in the stands

Athletes prepping for their race

Justus getting autographs

We got to see a medal ceremony

My boys and the Nebraska Swim Team