Winter Olympics

I absolutely love the Olympics. I get super excited for them every two years and I have been anxiously awaiting these games for months now. I love how patriotic everyone becomes during this time and it always serves as a good reminder of what a great country we live in. Plus, it's nice to just set all that political crap aside and focus on the amazing athletes from all over the world. These athletes work unbelievably hard dedicating their entire lives to get to this point, for just a few moments of Olympic glory. I love hearing their stories and sharing in their triumph.    

The Winter Olympic Games are being held in Sochi, Russia this year. While it looks absolutely beautiful there, I highly doubt that I will ever actually travel to Russia in my lifetime. I know a lot of people have been concerned about terror attacks, safety and the conditions of the accommodations for the athletes and visitors attending the games in Russia, so I pray for the safety of everyone involved for the remainder of the games.

My favorite part of the Opening Ceremony was when they incorporated ballet into their storytelling of the history of Russia. As a former dancer, I love a good ballet. If I did ever travel to Russia, the number one thing on my must do list would be to see the Russian ballet.

Of course, figure skating is my absolute favorite sport in the Winter Olympic Games. The team competition for figure skating has definitely been the best part of these games for me thus far. Obviously, the skaters from the USA are my favorite, but this 15 year old girl from Russia, Julia Lipnitskaia, is out of control. I'm not really a fan of her performance quality because she skates with very little emotion or facial expression. She doesn't really get into character or act while she is skating, she just goes through the motions in a very serious manner. She is purely technical; however, she is virtually perfect in her technique. Watching her tricks and unbelievable flexibility is completely mesmerizing. Her two amazing routines this weekend helped Russia win gold in the team competition. She skates again next week for individual medals.

My favorite figure skaters of this Olympic Games are a pair that has been skating together for 17 tears. Representing Team USA, Meryl Davis and Charlie White are amazing and very entertaining to watch. Not only are they incredibly talented skaters, but they are so good at portraying a character and being emotionally involved in every performance. They did a fantastic job in the team competition, helping Team USA win a bronze medal. I can't wait to watch them skate again this week and hopefully win a gold medal because they are definitely the best pair in this Olympic Games.

Watching the Olympics is a little sad for me this year because it is missing two of my favorite things, wine and girlfriends. For the Olympic Games in the past, I always spent my evenings snuggled up on the couch/bed with a bottle of wine and some awesome girlfriends watching the events and cheering on the good 'ole USA. One of my favorite memories of living in my sorority house in college was watching the Olympics with my sisters. I vividly remember a group of us rushing into my room every night and piling on top of my twin-sized bed with our plastic cups of wine (yes, this was one of very few occasions in which I actually snuck alcohol into the sorority house. Sorry, Lori and Kelley). It was such a blast. In fact, to this day whenever I see anything that has to do with the Olympics, I think about those girls and that memory.

During the most recent Summer Olympics in 2012, my sister-in-law, Erika, was living with us. This totally worked out in my favor because her and I would always out vote Jared on what we should watch on TV every night :) Poor guy had to spend the entire summer watching gymnastics and The Bachelorette. During the Olympics that summer, Jared would come home from work to Erika and I camped out on the couch with a bottle of wine and some snacks getting overly excited about whatever event we were watching. We got especially rowdy when gymnastics was on.

Now, this year I am all alone in my love for the Olympics. I just have to sit here and watch all by myself while Jared works on his MBA school stuff at night. No wine and no girlfriends. Sad face. I did get to watch two nights of the games with my mom this weekend which was fun. And on the nights I'm at home watching by myself, Erika and I usually text back and forth throughout the whole thing so it's kind of like we are watching together. The Olympics hold a very special place in my heart. I get so overly invested in people and sports that I know absolutely nothing about, but I love every minute of it.

I can't wait to see what the remainder of this Olympic Games will bring...hopefully a lot of medals for Team USA! Go America.