32 more days...

32 more days til the Olympics! It's coming fast!

We will be in Beijing before no time. We had a great practice today, we are in Portland, Oregon. We met up last night for our last leg of our "Bound for Beijing" tour. It's hard to believe its almost over. I can remember tearing up looking how busy this tour was and how much time we were going to be on the road back in November. Wondering how we (The Finch-Daigle's) were going to get through it and manage it all. Staring at the calendar would just make me ill. I can just remember bringing it to my mom and just crying over the calendar thinking there is no way. No way. She hugged me as she always does and reassured me we will get through it, we will just take it trip by trip... and here we are, almost at its end. After her taking a leave of absence from work, my Aunt and Uncle traveling across country and back again, the Daigle's flying in and out numerous times, my dad being just an incredible Grandpa being solo on the road with us, and many more people who have sacrificed so much to help us. We have almost made it. I see the light!

Now I am filled with so many mixed emotions excitement and anxiousness thinking about Beijing but yet saddened by the thought of it all coming to an end. We have made it! We managed it and have made it a magical and memorable year... with the best yet to come in Beijing. With so much help from our families and friends we have done it! Ace has been such a trooper! Casey has really been the incredible hulk and entirely amazing in this journey. He has been our rock, he has spent the many nights alone away from us, and yet remains our foundation. He has given so much and I am so forever grateful. Still every time we leave Casey, watching him say his goodbyes to Ace is when I lose it. Every time my eyes over fill with tears. This year has been about dreams, sacrifice, giving, support, love, and so much more. I'm getting a bit emotional just writing this. This mountain seemed unclimbable and here we are almost to the peak!

Watching the Olympic trials has been rejuvenating and energizing! It has been amazing watching dreams come true for many. After watching many hours of track and swimming I thank the Lord above for me playing a team sport and us being chosen in Sept! My heart breaks for the many who have given so much just to have a shot on that one day. That one day they have to be their best. Less than a second, less than a centimeter, there were so many emotions in the trials this past week. I have a really close friend who was there competing for her one shot, she has given so much, faced an injury 2 months before the trials, fought so hard to overcome, she was so very close. My heart ached for her this week as she went through the trials and came up just short. She will remain a champion in my mind. Watching her face this past week just makes me realize how many belong and gave so much but yet will not be in Beijing physically but are with all of us that are. We are better and who we are and will carry them with us as we represent the US because of all these amazing athletes. It reminds me how grateful, blessed, thankful, and incredibly special this is. We have been grinding daily getting ready for this our whole lives and its only 32 days away.

EXCITING NEWS... Casey has been chosen to the top 60 players list to have a shot at the US Baseball Team!!! We are overwhelmed with joy, pride, happiness, excitement, and so much more. This would be icing on the cake and yet another dream!!! We are keeping our fingers crossed hoping. Lord willing we will both be in Beijing having the greatest honor there is for an athlete competing for our country! We are trying not to get too excited but its a little too late. Either way we are just honored having Casey be in the running. We will know in about a week!

Well Ace is shouting movie... its bed time! He isn't too happy about me being on the computer. He continues to fill our lives with such unexplainable joy! Daddy got him his first bike last week, its green and just adorable. Sure enough less than 10 minutes and he was riding around solo. Just amazing. He is growing so fast. We are soaking in as much as we can! We love it. It was absolutely so cute at lunch a couple days ago I think he hugged and kissed Casey over 10 times. He adores his daddy! He is such a loving little boy. We are so blessed! Enjoying parenthood to the fullest!

Keep dreaming & believing!