I got home not too long ago from the
Iowa Mid-winter Special Olympics Tournament where our oldest boy Leslie competed in the Powerlifting competitions -- both bench-pressing and dead-lifting. There were tons of athletes competing at this event. We ended up being there from 8:30 AM until nearly 2:30 PM, but it was worth it. Leslie ended up earning two gold medals at the event. Check out these pics:
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| Leslie bench pressing |
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| Leslie bench pressing |
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| Leslie after winning his first gold medal |
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| Leslie dead lifting |
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| Leslie winning his second gold medal |
If you look in the mirror of the fifth picture, you can see me taking a picture of Leslie while he's dead lifting. I'm wearing what I grudgingly refer to as my "Target Shirt." I have no clue where I actually bought it, but every time I wear it while at Target, customers flock to me and demand that I assist with their shopping needs. Not cool. But I digress...
Even though there was a lot of downtime, it was a pretty fun experience. I got to visit with some of the other parents and Leslie got to hang out with some of his best friends outside of school. Plus, this was his official "back to Special Olympics" moment.
He quit competing back when D'Angelo moved in with us. I'm not sure why. I think he just needed time away from the organization. Eight years later, he and his friend Jake decided that they wanted to give Powerlifting a try. Now they are talking about getting back into Track & Field. Hopefully, they will follow through with this idea. Special Olympics is a great opportunity for keeping fit and active, but it also gives them a chance to show off their skills and to meet new friends.
