STRUGGLING WITH SERENDIPITY
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white house invitation

9/18/2019

6 Comments

 
Picture
 On September 17th, Team USA paraded into Beijing's Bird’s Nest. 

At the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, 547 athletes from 62 countries competed in 141 medal events. 

All the countries assembled, and we watched more stunning performances that created magnificent scenes with thousands of performers, young and old. As the Closing Ceremony ended, athletes danced with performers on the stadium floor, and Beth found herself blue eyes to bellybuttons with pink cows. 

The cow costumes caused visual problems for the wearers. 

“After Closing Ceremonies,” Beth wrote, “at least a hundred of these cows stormed the floor of the stadium. They kept running into us and running away. They would also begin to deflate, so volunteers would run up and herd them off the track to get blown back up. My teammates and I were literally crying we were laughing so hard.” 

Back home, the U.S. Paralympics team joined Michael Phelps and the other Olympians to meet President George W. Bush at the White House. 

​Beth shook the President’s hand and smiled for the pictures. Later, athletes congregated at the hotel lounge. Flirting with Olympians on the men’s swim team marked the official end of Beth’s four-year plan and the Beijing experience. 
​
Real world adventures in Beth’s future would be equally exciting. 

Next: October's Serendipity Newsletter! 
6 Comments
Val link
9/19/2019 03:16:38 pm

Wow! Meeting the president at the White House is exciting. Very happy for her!

As always, I enjoy your writing and hearing about Beth's determination and perserverence. She is a remarkable young woman!

Reply
Cindy Kolbe link
9/19/2019 06:37:55 pm

Thanks so much, Val! More visits to the White House are ahead on my blog. ;-)

Reply
Amy Henry link
10/2/2019 01:12:13 pm

Whoo, Beth seems WAY too young for the Geo. Bush admin. I was sure we were talking Obama when I saw your header.

Reply
Cindy Kolbe link
10/8/2019 05:57:35 pm

It's also me being WAY too old. ;-)

Reply
Jason Rhode link
10/2/2019 07:32:27 pm

The picturing inflatable cows tripping over chairs had me rolling.

Cool to meet the pres!

Reply
Cindy Kolbe link
10/8/2019 05:59:51 pm

I don't think the inflatable pink cows were intended to be comical, but they really were! :-)

Reply



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