Here we are excitingly loading up on the buses in downtown Chicago anxiously waiting are arrival to Oprah. We kept shouting we are going to be on Oprah, this is the day! This has been a big want of mine for a long time, to meet Oprah and it was finally happening. Better yet we were able to do it as a team and with many other medalists from the Games. Oprah was having a welcome home celebration and invited the Olympic medalists to Chicago. 
Here is our one and only Laura Berg, our Michael Phelps! The only USA softball player to have 4 medals! We added a few for fun. This is how giddy we were to see Oprah. We arrived and had a lovely spread of food and waited for the show! I did an interview with Gale, yes Oprah's BFF! It was becoming more real. We were introduced and ran up on stage through the audience. There she was... glowing with a halo. Oprah! Tash and I were off the ground floating up to see her. We are both huge fans! Shouting the whole way we love Oprah!!! It was early but no excuses we were like little girls going to Disneyland! Stomach in knots and all. It was so fun, confetti, Oprah, a huge crowd, we watched and relived Beijing all over again, oh, and was on stage with Oprah. It was a lot of fun. We all moved up on stage and listened to many of the Olympians speak about their Olympic experience. 
We were able to meet her and get a team picture with her! Look how cute she was in her red and blue! Bergy put her medal on her for the picture! We were so excited! We were warned not to "Bergy Punk" Oprah, plus there wasn't any chalk around! It did cross Bergy's mind of course. Oprah, is just really fun and outgoing the whole time! Make sure to watch the show... Monday the 8th! Monday the 8th! She has so much energy and passion it exudes her!
Here we are after the picture letting Oprah know that we need her help. We need Oprah on our side to get softball back. Hey anything can help, right? Oprah can do anything. She was very interested and willing to help. She wanted to know why and hear our story. She's behind us! Fingers crossed if Chicago gets the bid what better city to have softball reinstated than Chicago!
After the show we loaded up on the buses and returned to the hotel. It was like a parade for us. People were lining the streets cheering for us as we drove through the city. What a birthday! I was able to catch an earlier flight out and head home to my Aces! The day even got better. I pulled up the street was greeted by pack of coyotes, crazy! Pulled into the driveway, got out and I hear, "Happy Birthday!" I look up and there is Ace on the steps holding a card shouting, "Happy Birthday Mommy, card!" It was so cute and once again my heart did melt! What a day! We just hung around the house enjoyed each other! Thanks so much for all of your birthday wishes and kind words. I don't know how all of this came about but I'm amazed each day by all of this love and this amazing life!
Dreaming & Believing! (I met Oprah!) :)
#27
12 comments:
looks like you all had fun! good thing you had good weather on the day you were here, because once you left it turned south. its been rainy and cooler.
cant wait to watch the season opener on monday.
take care,
sheri
SOOOO jealous.
i don't know if you actually read all of these posts, but i hope somehow you see what i'm writing.
i just want to say that i think you are an amazing person. a few days ago i saw your interview for the 700club. the way you live your life and take on the huge responsibility of being a role model to millions of girls and women is just amazing. hearing you talk about your faith and absolute trust in God really got me thinking about how i want to live my life. you have been a light for me, just as i'm sure you have been for many others. you are such an inspiration to so many people and you truly deserve every little bit of love and admiration you get from all of your fans.
Hi Jennie - happy birthday! Happy to hear it was a good one.
I stumbled across your site while I was looking at Brianna Glenn's blog. You've done a fantastic job with this so far, and I'd love to talk to you about blogging on Yardbaker.com alongside our many other star athletes. (These include Donovan McNabb, Greg Oden, and Baron Davis, as well as Brianna, who just joined.) Please shoot me an e-mail if you're interested!
--diana@yardbarker.com--
Diana
Happy belated Birthday Jennie!!! Sounds like you had a great one haha, so I don't think I have to say, "I hope it was a good one." I guess any birthday where you meet Oprah...has to qualify as a GREAT birthday! I can't wait to see the show and you all together again...although it's not on the field playing a game, I'll take what I can get :) You all are amazing!!!
Cant wait for your softball camp.
Happy B-Day! I hope you had a good time on the Oprah show. I visited Chicago during the summer and loved it! Especially the Hershey Store! Please click on to my profile and view My Web Page for a special message (I made for you).
My name is Makayla and I will be attending your camp in Folsom, CA :)
Wow! Looks like you had a great time!!! Thanks for sharing!
ill be sure to watch it ☺
ill be sure to watch that ☺
Hey girl! I am glad to hear that you had such a great birthday. You definately could not ask for anything more. Thanks so much for sharing and for everything you do. You are one awesome woman!!!
Tiffany
Thanks for sharing your Oprah experience, Jennie. I'm sure it was awesome. Hey, could you or your agent please give me a call at work at your earliest convenience (317)806-1221? I am the Chairman of the Board of Play Ball Indiana, and we have invited you to be our guest speaker at the Sandlot Lunch in Indianapolis on Nov. 5. I understand that you have agreed, but we need to finalize the paperwork so we can start promoting the event ASAP. I can't wait to meet you! Thanks, Julie R.
Hey Jennie! Thought you would find this inspirational. Have a great week. Sorry it is so long! =)
A Sure Thing
============
Of course, I wanted the best one to win, but I also wanted to
see a great story become even greater.
We watched the Kentucky Derby.
I don't know a thing about horse racing, but I know plenty about
winning and losing.
As the odds changed and the tension mounted, I paid little
attention to who owned what and how much they made in the past
three years. The odds makers were having a field day with all
the possibilities. I am sure there was a small fortune to be
made if you had the right combination and your horse came in.
From what I remember the winning horse would bring a hefty five
million dollars to the owner.
As the horses approached the starting gate, the announcer read
all the statistics, but none of it made any sense to me. All I
saw were horses and people. As the camera scanned along the
line, I wondered what each jockey was thinking. They all have
won races before, some even won the Derby, but each race is
different, new, and fresh. They weren't there to lose.
They started the race as winners.
There were to be 18 horses in this race, but a few were "scratched,"
dropped out for whatever reason before the race was announced.
One by one they took their places.
"They're off!"
It was a muddy race track, "sloppy" they said. As they bolted from the gate I saw the crowded field tighten up as each rider fought to get their position. They were literally touching sides, some six or seven deep. That is until they suddenly
slipped into place.
As they headed into the first turn I focused not on who was in
the lead, but all the horses that were behind.
The leader was clean and almost untouched by the mud and rain.
All the horses behind were soaked and dirty. I saw that as the
first obvious advantage of being the leader in the race.
I know it doesn't always work this way, but I've discovered that
the one in the lead early on often times burns out too soon.
The great story, the excitement in the race happens when a horse
lost in the crowd suddenly bursts forth.
Life is like that race.
I know many who started out in the lead and because of all too
many bad turns, poor positioning and perhaps foolish pride, are
headed for the finish line falling far behind.
Still others were scratched from the race all too soon.
Life happens that way.
I'm not sure how long the race I'm in will run. I'm certainly well past the first turn. But then again, I could also be in the final stretch.
I can tell you I've been in the lead and I've been the very
last. Right now I'm running with a lot of mud in my face somewhere in the middle.
No matter where you are, the race isn't over until the Great
Announcer says it's over.
That means whether you're running second, last or somewhere in
the middle like me, there's plenty of room to find your place.
But you don't have to be number one to win. You see in life,
never giving up, finishing no matter how long it takes, having
had the chance to run at all, makes you a winner.
Win, place or show, if I were a betting person, my money would
be on you. You see, God only makes winners, so you're "a Sure Thing!"
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