Thursday, February 18, 2010

U-S-A!!!!!

Watching the Olympics this week I have been filled with so much emotion! It is truly amazing! I am filled with such great pride, appreciation, gratitude, honor, passion, and love!

Love for our Country, Sports, Red White & Blue, People from all over the world, Competition, Dreams being a reality... so many things! One of my greatest memories is walking through the tunnel as 1, 1 Country, 1 team, into the birds nest in Beijing chanting U-S-A! I love what the Olympics represent and is, healthy competition among people from all over the world, we are all united. United by Sport. I loved walking through the athlete village and seeing athletes, all different shapes and colors from all over the world, wearing their Countries flags with such great pride! In the dining hall, all different types of food from all over the world! Competing against people who don't even speak your same language. Knowing how different we all are but how much in common we all have! I feel so incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity of being part of something so great, the Olympic Games!

Sports have been able to reunite the world, in a time were there is so much division. I hope you are enjoying the Olympics as much as I have this last week! Truly Amazing!

I remember standing on the podium with my teammates and being overwhelmed with gratitude! I couldn't help but think of all our servicemen & women and their families who have and are sacrificing so much. Thanks to them we were able to accomplish our dreams. I am so grateful for them allowing us and others to play, live, and have these great opportunities.

This picture is from last summer, I'm rounding the bases after Jenae Leles launched a home run vs Australia. But honestly, this is me this past week in front of the TV, screaming, cheering, rooting for USA! ...Minus the helmet & uni! :) In between the podium tears & tears of joy for the incredible individuals who have given so much and who are living out their dreams. I love the Olympics!

Along with knowing we have to fight to get this opportunity back for Softball in the future. For all the little ones who have The Olympic Dream.

Dreaming & Believing!
#27

11 comments:

Bianca said...

WHOA!!! Jennie, you looked RIPPED!

When I grow up I want to look like my best friend :)

Matthew T. said...

Softball isn't coming back and won't be eligible until at least 2020 from what I hear because they have been knocked off from the 2016 program. Speaking of which, softballs would have to keep dreaming and believing but to no avail, since the IOC insists that softball does not promote worldwide competition. We as fans are bummed about softball taken of these summer games and from all the possible reasons I've been hearing about, there is not one legit reason to cut softball out of these games. The sport has grown so much since the 1996 games in Atlanta.

It is just so sad to know that there will never be another summer Olympic games with softball and baseball. I like the Olympic games in general. Honestly, when the summer games went on, Softball wasn't receiving as much attention as Gymnastics, Basketball, Volleyball, and swimming. I hardly seen any USA Softball member or any nation's softball team player making big headlines.

Anyways, great blog entry, I just wanted to share my feelings about softball and the Olympic program. Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Oh girl these Olympics have been fun, fun, fun! My family, we have been watching almost nightly. When Lindsay Vonn was skiing downhill we were cheering, hooting, hollering...and she did it on a severly bruised chin..WOW!
But it also saddens me every time I watch the Olympics because ever since my daughter was little she has talked, dreamed and told us how she would one day be an Olympic Softball Player.I not only believed her I knew it would happen and couldn't wait for that day! Now at 17 yrs old her dreams are shattered. We can allow sports such as fencing, ping pong, and then you have other sports that are dominated by one certain country. But softball has been taken?? I just don't understand....It is just so sad and heartbreaking that the dream has been taken from so many! I think its sooo awesome that you were lucky to be able to experience it! Those memories will be with you for the rest of your life.
I wanted to share something with you. Remember me? I commented awhile back re: my daughter, Cate #15?! About her admiration for you, her love of the game, okay her obsession is more like it, lol. Today I received a letter from her school. She is being awarded The Essence, PPI(Positive Peer Influence) Award on March 6th. She was selected by teachers, coaches, staff as a student who excels in her sports, is involved in many things in school (NHS, Empowering Young Woman, Stu Co)and has a 4.0 or better GPA (hers is a 4.2). The letter said, "Your daughter leads by example, excels on the field, in school and out. You should be proud." She was originally nominated by a group of teachers and we don't know which teacher/teachers until that night. They (teachers) will read a short essay about why they nominated her and then they will announce her name. I have always told her being good on the field is awesome, and those experiences will be in her head/heart for her life but being who she is off the field is more important. I just wanted to share this with you, as you have been one of those leading examples she has always kept tabs on and looked up to you! Thank you.
BTW she says when she has kids she is naming her son, Easton....hmmm wonder where that came from?!

Coach Poole said...

Hi, Jenn,

Wow just found your blog- too cool! Glad to read that things are going well. Take care!

Leslie

Mama Mote said...

I am SO sad that softball was taken out of the Olympics. I love the Olympics, too. I cry with the winners and those who don't make the podium, but am proud that these people have gotten this far. To be there must be incredible and to get a medal on top of that has got to be the icing on the cake. I'm proud of the USA also. Keep cheering.

kaishimama said...

You are doing a very wonderful experience of Olympics participation. I want to see softball again in the Olympics. I want to see you in the Olympics (you as the player or the leader).

Jennie Finch said...

Bi- Thx, trying to hang with you!

Matt- Thanks for your thoughts and great comments!

All- There is still International Softball. The USA dream and dreams of others to play for their Country is still alive! We have Canada Cup, World Championships, World Cup(in OKC), & Japan Cup this upcoming summer! Also the NPF... looking forward to seeing it continue to grow and become more popular! The talent in the NPF is AMAZING!!!

Missy- Congrats! You have SO much to be proud of! Awesome! Such great news in this dim world! What a light Cate is! Please tell her Congratulations! Keep up the good work! Easton... my BF's son is named Easton! Im a bigger fan of Mizuno though! :)

Les- Great to hear from you!!!

Mama Mote- Go USA!

Kaishimama- SO great to hear from you! Hugs from the USA!

Laiken Elizabeth said...

i'm veru inspired by you, i want to be just like you! you inspired me so now i have my own blogger account to blog my thoughts and ideas on! keep dreamin & believin (:

Anonymous said...

Jennie, if I could spell shin vs chin maybe I wouldn't sound so stupid lol...ugh..
Cate said she LOVES Mizuno but might get some funny looks yelling, "Mizuno c'mere, lets go Mizuno."
BTW she doesn't use Easton bats lol...;)
Hope you and your family are having a great week! Did you see the Canada vs. USA men's hockey?? Was that not intense!!!! Holy toledo we were jumping around the house like a bunch of crazy's here!

caroline's privet thoughts said...

Dear Jennie,
Your so awsome!! You are my hero! I'm not strang enough to play softball because of my disablity but you motivate me to go exersie and get stronger. You are so beautiful and prove to the world women can do ANYTHING!! Keep rocking!! I wana meet you so bad!!!! Plz leave a comment on my blog!!
<3 always n forever,
-Caroline

Mama Mote said...

I just decided I wish you lived near me so you could be my trainer. I love reading your blog and seeing how God is helping you live life for Him. Thanks for sharing.