The 2008 Summer Olympics have come to an end, but moving stories of life, achievement, and persevering just keep rolling in…

Natalie du Toit is a 24-year-old South African amputee, who fell victim to a life-changing motorcycle accident. With a prosthetic leg and a lot of courage, du Toit went out to contend for a medal in the marathon swimming games (Yes! And, she actually did it after removing the prosthetic.). Now, she didn’t win (came in 16^th), but she was excited about actually just doing it. She said she left it all in the water.

She didn’t focus on her disability, rather she just went into the open water and sojourned. Best of all, she was an Olympian.

Go Natalie… can’t wait to see you in the 2012 Olympics in London!

Now that we’re in Week 2 of the 2008 Summer Olympics, I’m looking forward to the Track & Field games… which are you tuning in to see?

While watching Michael Phelps continue to make Olympic history, I heard a story about him that made me say ‘hmmm’…

In the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Phelps beat out his, then, rival Ian Crocker in the 400 meter medley (a.k.a. they switch swimming styles of each leg). As a rival and teammate, Phelps chose to forfeit his spot in the finals (Yes, the finals is where he would’ve picked up his gold!) for Crocker so he would have a chance to redeem himself. And guess what? Crocker brought home the gold… (Mike is something else, huh?… I may have had to think on that a bit more. LOL!).

I brought this scenario closer to home as I thought on times when I was in a position to be selfless. Sometimes it just isn’t that easy… You know, the type of selflessness that really costs you something. Well, I thought about Hubby and how someone once told me to wake up every day asking myself how I can put him first (You know, above my own selfish tendencies…)… Wait!… (I am actually cracking myself up because, Honey, some days are better than others. LOL!).

Anyway, sometimes you can find an opportunity within your relationship to give up your goals-big or small-for the one you love most. It’s a priceless feeling that builds as you await the next opportunity.

Isn’t Michael Phelps, a forerunner in Men’s Swimming, showing such skill and passion in Beijing as he competes at the 2008 Summer Olympics? It is so exciting to watch how committed he is to his sport and to his teammates. It speaks a great deal about his character and quest for gold.

Karen Blaha

What also caught my eye was how Phelps, after winning and standing there at the three-tiered podium (on the top tier of course), scanned the stadium seats for his mom. No matter what was going on, you didn’t see comfort in his eyes until he spotted “that” face.

It was the face that raised him, that encouraged when trouble was all around him. It was that face that he could rely on to be at every meet and to say just the right thing that would console him after a defeat. It was the only face that he looked for and could you blame him?

A mother’s love is as empowering as it is powerful. Go moms (And, oh, yeah, go for the gold, Mike!)!

Today is the opening ceremony for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. So,…

If your were competing in the Olympics, in which event would you win gold?

What! (Who me? You’re asking me?)… I would seriously win the gold for sleeping (The Long Sleep would be the category!).

Hubby and I were discussing our favorite Olympics’ events. He said his fave was swimming, which was actually a surprise to me. Hubby admitted his fascination with how fast these people could swim-often time really looking like fish. Mine would definitely be track and field. Those events are crazy… running, jumping, throwing… What could be better than that?

With the 2008 Summer Olympics right around the corner, what is your favorite event and (of course), your significant other’s pick, too?

Surprisingly enough (or maybe not that surprising), there are a lot of families participating in (or extensive family support throughout) these 2008 Olympics in Beijing. I believe (especially if it’s feasible) that there are plenty of memorable times that can be made even more special when there is family involved.

What special times can you remember (maybe long time ago or just today) that involved you and a family member? And you know what?… It can be big or small, sports related or not. What matters is that it was special to you!

Man… I’m sitting here thinking how to even begin this story. Just when you think you’ve seen or heard an amazing story, another one just crashes through. And, no matter what your stance is on this story, you’ll have to give this guy his propers (Bigups!) for such a passionate display.

This 24-year-old guy, Eric Shanteau, competed in the Olympic swimming trials, coming in at second place. With his finishing time, he was able to grab a spot on the 2008 Olympic swimming team. A once in a life time event being held in Beijing, Shanteau was presented with a choice (or maybe he didn’t think of it as a choice at all). He was diagnosed with testicular cancer a week prior to the trials and with this news, this champion decided to continue his quest for gold and go on to Beijing (Wow, right?).

Shanteau will have to face surgery, but it will happen after he comes back home. Maintaining that he’s not being naïve about the matter, Shanteau is having doctors monitor him closely during his time away. Apparently, his feelings are that the Olympics may be his once in a lifetime experience and he doesn’t want to miss out on that…

A courageous one indeed, what is your stance on Shanteau’s decision and have you ever found yourself in a once in a lifetime situation (It doesn’t have to be sports related.)?