SPECIAL OLYMPICS at PENN STATE, JUNE 9, 2007
Hi everyone...I wish I had Andria's stamina for blogging!!!! Bet she burns more calories than I do working my ass off at the gym.
The Pennsylvania State Games were this weekend. Aric really showed for himself!!!
He started out with the 200 meter
freestyle! He sat in the pre-staging area for 30 minutes.....he then advanced to the "real" staging area....then off to the
"your next" seat......behind the lane that he is about to swim in!!!
Anxious parents and their families wait while their children progress thru these "gates." A volunteer follows them thru each staging area....who then hands the athletes over to other volunteers who talk to them in their "your next" seat. THEN...the timers and the extra volunteers standing around the timers, talk to the athlete and get them prepared and guide the athletes to the starting block......YEP their heading to the starting block....Parents perk up!! Kids take their position ON the block!!!!! Some get in the water to start...FORWARD FACING of course. Everyone is pointed in the right position...... Accept Aric....He's in the pool.....positioning himself for the
BACK STROKE....... HE IS CLEARLY GETTING READY TO DO THE BACK STROKE.
My
heart pounds......
"Oh my G...! Someone get that kid out of the water....Yo, mister...you....and you...or you...HEY....Mr. Gun-man, who's gun is up in the air!!!!! Wait.....don't shoot....look aat that kid is is about to swim the back stroke......he is handicapped....someone turn him around."
They dont hear me.....the obnoxious mom...screaming above 500 mentally handicapped kids and even twice as many volunteers....
The GUNMAN yells...."Swimmers, 200 meter freestyle, 8 lengths of the pool FREESTYLE....take your mark.
KABOOM!!!!"Aric shoots up into the air...advances 1/3 the distance of the pool under water on his back.....finally he surfaces and begins his backstroke! The volunteers are looking...the gunman looks perplexed.....HOW COULD HE BE PERPLEXED....HE ADDRESSED ALL OF THE SWIMMERS.....including aric in the water.....Sue arrived.....at the pool side...(she and John and Kaitlyn & Jake volunteered the entire day and helped at the pool)...she glanced at me and inquired about turning him around.....he was coming back on his 2nd lap.....she got his attention and turned him around.....(just a mere 10- 15 seconds......good thing he didnt shave his head to improve his time!!) ......He acknowledges her....turns around and he swims as HAPPY on his belly as he did on his back!!!!!! No he wasn't disqualified......ITS FREESTYLE!!!!!! HE was the ONLY athlete who took advantage of this broad definition. Yepper.....he is hap-happy!!
Then he came into the finish. The other swimmers were out of the pool. He looked around....no swimmers....He looked at the clock.....He then throws his arm up into the air with his pointer finger in the
"Im #1" position. It was
PRICELESS!!! I'm such an idiot parent!!!!
He truly earned a GOLD medal for his
100 meter IM!!! (butterfly, backstroke, breast stroke and freestyle). He looks like Mark Spits for the first 20 yards of butterfly....then he sinks quickly!!! I love to watch Aric swim.....It was a great day!!!
Kaitlyn has no idea how much it means to Aric that she is standing by his side!!!! Thank you Kaitlyn!
Check out the suit!!!! I grilled Aric before he left....
"Aric...you must take good care of yourself. You need to shave and look nice everyday. Wash your mouth after you eat and dont foget to brush your teeth. PLEASE Aric wear these (red compression) shorts under your clothes and shorts...under everything....ok?? Its important Aric...you don't want to be "hanging out all over for people to see you...wear the shorts!!!"
Wasn't exactly what I had in mind.....(his new speedo over top of his red compression shorts)BUT HE LISTENED!!!! No wonder he wants to move in with Betsy!!!
Volunteering feels really good!!!!!
Thank You John, Sue, Kaitlyn and Jake for volunteering your day to Special Olympics!!! I am sure that Aric thinks State Games is all about ARIC LARSON. You made his day!
Me and the Coach
Jimmy, the coaches son!!!!
....Amie just thinks Jimmy is the best!!!! By the looks of it...the feeling is mutual. Check out
his face in the picture below!!!! If we could read his mind it would go something like this......
" Good thing thier related or I wouldn't have a chance!"
SUCH A GREAT PHYSIQUE
ARIC and UNCLE JOHN
This little hand/foot shake was invented by pop and alex!!!
Body banging!!! Aric thought this was great fun!!!
NICE JOB IN THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS ARIC.
MY GOLD MEDAL
Fun in the afternoon with Marcia and Brendan in the pool.
Lunch on the water in Long Branch's Pier Village.http://www.piervillage.com/ 
A stop at Asbury Park to see the Kite Festival!
Cooking up a storm!
Enjoying the morning in the gazebo.
She Loves STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!!!!!
WHAT A SPREAD!!!!!!!!!!
MOM ALWAYS SAT NEXT TO NANA WHEN THE TWO OF THEM WERE TOGETHER. 
Nana and aric. she always oooo'd over him!!!!!!!!!!!
Linda and Connie at the Mann with the Philly skyline in the background
John talking to Sue keeping her abreast of the happenings in the big game.
Connie checking out the bad call of the umps against Jake!!!
Coach and mom mom at a party talking!
