These hockey players are from china and Madeline traded some pins with them. The guys let Madeline and Jacob try on their gold medals and pose for a picture. What great examples of heroes for our children.
We were at the Medal's ceremony for South Africa and loved the fans cheering on Stephen's second home.
Here is a speed skater from Japan. His family was sitting by us and cheering him on. I can still here them saying "go Yugi".
Got Gold?
This cute skater, Katrina, won first place for the US. Scott Hamilton put her gold medal on. What a great day to see these amazing athletes with such determination and yet amazing dignity and courage. They were so fun loving and the pure joy that they had at competiting and being among their peers. I've learned through the Special Olympic experience how "abled" these athletes are and how "disabled" we are. They are abled in patience and we are disabled in patience. They are abled in being courageous and we are disabled ,often, at being courageous. They are abled in pure joy we are often "disabled" in finding the joy in everyday. 
Marissa loved to perform and skated to the song "Dancing Queen", and was she ever that!
Here is a picture of Richard, Tim Shriver (Arnold Schwartinager's bro in law) Stephen, Madeline, and Jacob.
Here are the kids with Michelle Kwan, an olympic skater. She and Scott Hamilton were presenting the medals and they were waiting on the ice below us so I said "kids, let's go get some pictures with two olympic athletes!" 
Madeline and Jacob with Scott Hamilton.
Here is the cool torch that the company "women of steel" made for the torch ceremony. the flame burns here. you go girls!
This was a very cold chair... thank goodness it wasn't in a long TIME OUT. It was a cool ice sculpture that was useful and yes, my pants were wet.
This olympian was so adorable. She did an awesome job ice skating and when she skated off the ice her coach was over cheering her on. The athlete jumped on her coach like a little child does into the arms, it was so precious!
