Sunday Smiles from Las Vegas

I am smiling today because I know that the Lord blessed me this week.

I was the recipient of His "Tender Mercies"

I am thankful.

...

My stomach was misbehaving last Thursday.

I felt yucky....but we serve in the temple each Thursday.

I prayed that I would get my IBS under control so I could do my temple shift.

...

I was blessed and I made it through my 6 hour shift just fine.

I know that was an answer to my prayers.

I am smiling about that.

...

My 13 year old grandson, Johnny, was in an important National Gymnastic meet

this last Fri. in Las Vegas.

I called my daughter, Lynell, Thursday morning

and told her that I was sick and we probably could not make it to Vegas.

However, after making it through our temple shift Thursday,

I prayed that I would feel like traveling to Vegas the next day.

I woke up Friday morning....feeling better...so we started our drive to Vegas.
When we arrived there about 4 hours later I was feeling fine!

We made it to the gym just in time to see all of Johnny's meet.

I was really smiling!

This was the Blackjack Winter Cup.

It was the first time that Johnny has competed at level 9.
It was really an exciting meet for Johnny because he got to watch the

US Olympic team practice and complete there.

He was competing against 65 other boys from all over the country in his division.
It was the first National competition Johnny has been in.
He did well enough at the state level to go to regional last year.

He did well enough at regionals to compete at the National level.
I am so happy that we could be there to support him.
His mom, his sister and John and I made up his cheering section.


This is Johnny on the high bar.
Lynell took better pictures than I could get.
I will post those when I get copies from her.
I was not that close so you have to look hard to see Johnny.

...but if you really try you can almost see him in his red gymnastics's
suit up on the rings.

He did his best routine ever on the rings.

He also got his best score ever on his vault and floor exercise.

However, the competition was fierce....

...a fraction of a point was all it took to place or not place.

He ended up getting 2nd place on the rings....

...and fifth place on the vault.

We are so glad that we could be there to enjoy this special event.

We think it is great that he got two medals at such a big competition.

However, Johnny might have been a bit disappointed.

He is used placing in every event.

I know he tried his best.

I think he would have placed on the high bar ...

...but...

he went for a difficult release move where you let go of the bar and flip over

and catch it again.

None of the other boys I saw tried to do that move.

Unfortunately, Johnny's fingers just missed the bar after his flip and he fell.

He got back up and finished his routine well but

that fall knocked him out of competition.

He probably would have won if he had landed that move.

He can do it when he practices at his gym at home.

It is harder to do in a big competition.

I wonder...

...Is is better to do a solid routine and not fall....

or go for the gold and give it all you've got even if you take a chance of falling???

What do you think?

Our little 597 was one tired boy after the meet.
Needless to say...
We are very proud of him.
...
I have more to tell you about our Vegas trip.
I will do that next time.
I was feeling fine until we started driving home last night.
My dumb stomach started misbehaving when we were about an hour from home.
I was pretty sick again by the time we got home.
I was able to go to the first hour of church today and then
I came home to curl up in bed.
However, I have to smile.
I felt this bad last Thursday morning and thought I would have to stay in bed all day....
but I was blessed to get well enough
to be able to go do my temple shift..
... and go to Las Vegas to see Johnny's meet.
I am thankful.
I have a funny story to tell you next time when I feel better.
I hope this finds you doing well.
Hugs, Lura