Kayla......as Olympian!

What started out as a dream this week….quickly became an obsession. The Olympics were at full tilt! I was awake many nights past 2 in the morning, sitting on the edge of my bed watching the competitions. The more the hours went by, the more excited I became. The competitions were more than exciting…they were thrilling!! The girls representing us in gymnastics, in the most focused competitive of modes,were master technicians executing skill after skill and showing no signs of fading. This was more excitement than I had seen in some time. These girls were driven to compete on a higher level than we had seen in some time. They were determined to bring Olympic glory and gold back to the US of A!!!

I started thinking. Could there not be a thrill or two right around the corner for ME in London in 2012?? I mean, I have been looking for a reason to return to the Mother Land. This might just be the inspiration I needed..….with a real possibility of glory!! OK, so I am not Bela Karolyi, but I like the occasional challenge and I think I am up to this one!!

I looked at Kayla….she looked at me. Could I possibly assume the role of Coach over Granny-sitter? Would I be able to convince her that we were answering to a higher power on this trip together over the next 4 years? Would she learn to trust me? Would she accept my grueling schedule of early rising for gym workouts , carbo-loading and weight training? Would she respond to my demands? Would she still let me change her diapers and put her down for naps? Could she become the human gymnastic machine that I envisioned?

Would she get past the incessant infantile questions…..”Grandma, does my butt look fat in these pants?”

I think she can succeed. I see her future before her. I see us travelling around the world together meeting challenge after challenge….accumulating gym bags full of medals…standing on risers listening to the stirring sounds of our National Anthem.

For now……we work together….facing the future with chills running down our spines….wondering if we too can become another famous gymnastic team…like Bela and Nadia…..Bela and Mary Lou……Bela and Keri…

We will become the famous Grandma and Kayla….. Olympic trainer and Olympic medalist.

For now…it’s back to basics….

Kayla! One and a two and a three and a lift, lift…lift!!!! Good Job!!!!