Saturday, July 12, 2008

The USA Transplant Olympic Games

The Transplant Olympic games are in Pittsburgh, PA this year and our dad is going! This will be the second time he has attended the games. Two years ago they were in Louisville, Kentucky! Hoomans who have had transplants (kidney, heart, lung, bone marrow, liver, etc) and donor families attend these games. Mom has never been to them and the last time in 2006 our sissy went with dad and she said that it was AWESOME!!! Two years ago our dad won the bronze medal in the discus event!

Mitch has dad's medal on and I'm modeling this years t-shirt with the logo for Team Connecticut on it! It's a lighthouse!
Our dad is participating in 3 swimming events, the discus and the shot put! This is the discus! We're not sure how much it weighs but 2 years ago dad threw it 75.3 feet so we're hoping that he tosses it even farther this year! Maybe dad can give Mitch a few pointers and he can throw it for Lenny's paw-limpics!

Dad would have never won this medal if it wasn't for Coach DaveyDo! He made the hour trip down to train with dad every single week! Dad's coach is a true friend and a great trainer! Dad's gonna make you proud, Coach DaveyDo! We wish you could have gone to the games with him but we know you'll be with him in spirit!

This is the shot put. I think dad said that it weighs 12 pounds! Doesn't it look like a fun ball to play with? It's VERY heavy! Can we add this event too, Lenny?!

The transplant games have an opening and closing ceremony just like the olympic games that we're all familiar with! The opening ceremony is today and then it's - let the games begin!

One of the fun things that the team members do is exchange pins. The object is to try and get as many pins as you can from each state that's represented at the transplant games! This years' pin is the blue one right over where it says Team Connecticut on the cap. It's a blinkie pin and when you turn it on the lighthouse flashes like the real thing! It's very cool! Last years pin is under the Team Connecticut. It's a long covered bridge that's located in the town of Cornwall (about an hour from us).

Wednesday morning we dropped dad off at the Aireport. He left a bit early to visit with friends in the area. The Games start today and dad has swimming events on Sunday and his field events on Monday. He wasn't home for my birthday but he had already taken us out to the Glenwood for burgers and hotdogs and fries and onion rings and we had ice cream a couple of times before he left so dad has already treated us pretty darn good for our birthday, right, mom?!

Dad called last night to let us know that his hotel overlooks the football field where the Pittsburgh Steelers play! Too bad football season is still a couple of months away!

If we get any updates from Pittsburgh, we'll let you all know how dad is doing at his events!

So until next time..........

Love ya lots,

Maggie and Mitch

40 comments:

  1. Your dad sounds like a true athlete!!
    I bet he wins another medal this year!!

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  2. Hi, Maggie and Mitch -

    This sounds like a lot of fun. And there is even Team Connecticut? We'll be rooting for your dad to win - we'll be looking forward to hearing about his adventures.

    Love -

    Hershey and Kaci

    P.S. We love the medal and T-shirt.

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  3. G'day Maggie and Mitch

    I just know you Dad is gonna give his best and have a lot of fun. I can't wait to read an update soon.

    Cheers

    Charlie

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  4. How exciting! Best of luck to your dad!!!
    Tail wags,
    Storms

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  5. Yaaaaay Dad! Maybe Maggie and Lacie should go and be the official Cheerleaders. We know Lacie is lookin for a reason to wear her outfit again. hehehe

    gussie

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  6. Waouw, Maggie & Mitch you can be proud of your Dad....what he is doing is just fabulous !
    Kisses, Faya

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  7. Wow Maggie and Mitch! We will be rooting for CT!! We didn't even know your dad gota transplant. We are so proud of him and happy for him and can't wait to hear what medals he gets!!!!

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  8. Wow Maggie and Mitch! We will be rooting for CT!! We didn't even know your dad gota transplant. We are so proud of him and happy for him and can't wait to hear what medals he gets!!!!

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  9. YAY Maggie and Mitch's Dad!
    You're Dad is going to do Great! I just know it!
    -Bolo

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  10. Woof, Maggie and Mitch

    Tell you dad good luck and that we're pulling for him. We hope he wins a couple of gold medals.

    Desert Pups,
    Scuba, Keiko, Norman and Toby

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  11. We think your dad will get one of those gold medals this year.
    You sure had a wonderful birthday.

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  12. We are on Team Dad!!! Please keep us updated so we know when to cheer!! We will send all our Aire vibes to him.
    Those are some pretty heave thingys he has to throw but we know he can do it.
    Yeah TEAM DAD!!!!!
    love,
    Willow & Pillar
    oh and the cats too

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  13. w00f's Maggie and Mitch, wish ur daddy luck fur us...tell him to bring home the gold!!! but most important to haff fun...

    b safe,
    ~rocky~

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  14. Good luck to your dad!! I know he will do great and have a lot of fun! We will be rooting for him!!
    Love Clover xo

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  15. I didn't know your dad was so famous!

    I can't wait to hear how he does, but no matter how many medals he brings home, we already know he is a winner!

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  16. MAGGIE! MAGGIE

    OMG! OMG! OMG! This is the most excitingest ever thing ever! We are so excited for your DAD and for you and Mitch and your MOM!

    Love,

    Putter

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  17. Hi My name is Eduardo, I'm a snuggle puggle I added you to my page, I hope you don't mind please visit my blog!
    Hugs & Snugs,
    Eduardo the Snuggle Puggle

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  18. Bone Marrow!!! Yummy. Will your Dad bring some of that back? or will he forget, like the cake?
    Love 'n' Best of Luck to your Dad in his events.
    Love 'n' Snuufs to you two.
    George

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  19. DANG good luck to your Dad and tell him to enjoy the 'burgh! Say hi to my Stillers for me!!!! I hope he enjoys his time there, its a fun city!

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  20. Love the pictures. Falcon said He wants a t-shirt like that.
    thanks for dropping in seeing how I have grown.
    HUGS
    Falcon

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  21. That is great that your dad gets to go. We have our paws crossed that he brings you home a few metals..
    Wow Steeler staduim that would be great if they were playing...
    Good Luck Dad...

    Big Sloppy Kisses
    Gus, Louie and Callie

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  22. Good luck to your Dad on the event.

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  23. Good luck to dad!!! That shot put looks heavy.

    Slobbers,
    Mango

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  24. Wow! Good luck to your dad, and keep us updated!! I think shot put would fall under the "ball" category, but maybe we should add a discus/frisbee event!

    Your friend, Lenny

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  25. Your dad sounds amazing! My humans like to run away from something called "race," but that doesn't sound even a biscuit as cool as throwing stuff and getting your belly wet swimming! Is your pa sure you can't come along? I'm sure you'll be helpful!

    Good luck to him!

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  26. Sounds like your human dad is already a true winner. I'll be sending my best wishes to him and his team. Go Connecticut!

    Levi's mom

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  27. Hey, Sweet Maggsie & MitchMan!

    I've been catching up on your blog and am a little jelly with all the cool stuff you've been doing and for not being able to spend your birthday with you! Sorry I've been away. My girl's a lazy butt and I've missed you TERRIBLY!

    It's very cool that your dad is at the Transplant Olympics! I bet he is a fierce competitor! Can't wait to hear all about his adventure. (Are you guys getting all kinds of junk food while he's gone? I bet you're mama's having a junkfood feast every night!)

    You are one loved girlie, Maggsie! I can't believe you are 10 years old! You are so wise and bootiful, but seriously, you don't look a day over 3. And, your luxuriously curly beard is GORGEOUS! I'm so happy you felt the love of your friends and that the celebration continues!

    Goober love & birthday smooches,
    Stanley

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  28. wow ....could you please give you dad our best wishes on his games....whoooohooooo go dad....i hope everyone that participates has a most enjoyable time...i will jsut lie here in my sunbeam and enjoy my day...

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  29. Hi, Maggie and Mitch!
    Sure you Dad is going to do it great! I can't wait for updates!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

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  30. We'll be rooting for your dad to win in every event! So...he's in Pittsburg! Is he going to visit Scruffy, Lacie and BabyStan? If he is, he better wait until after the games. Surely they would break his concentration!

    Aire-hugs,
    Poppy, Penny & Patches

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  31. Oh wow!!! So cool. Good luck to your dad!

    Lots of Licks, Ruby

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  32. We know your dad will be amazing! And we're sure you're helping him LOTS to train. Good dogs!

    Kisses,

    Nanook and Pooka

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  33. I am sure he will be bringing back more medals this year. I can swim but cannot compete cos I will freeze when I see many dogs doing what I am doing.

    Luv
    Snowball

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  34. Tell your Dad that we are rooting for him! That's amazing he could throw the shot put 75.3 feet! I don't think my Mom could throw it 10 feet!

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  35. Gee M&M,

    We were watchin' the news reports of the Transplant Olympics on TV last night.....hope yer Dad does well in his events...it was supposed ta rain a lot taday but it didn't so any events scheduled fer outside should have been fine. Our earthdog practice went on without a hitch. How long is yer Dad gonna be here ? We're not too far from the place where he's stayin'...we could say Hi...There were lots of tears on the news reports when some of the recipients met the donor families fer the first time.....'n we saw Larry Hagman givin' out some of the awards too.

    Best of luck ta yer Dad....

    Dewey Dewster here....

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  36. we hope your dad wins every event he is in.

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  37. How did dad do? I hope he had fun. I'm sure you really missed him.

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  38. Hi Maggie & Mitch!
    How wonderful and kind your dad is!!!
    (I'm catching up tonight, so I hope there's a post about how he did!)
    I hope he had a great time!!!!!

    Smooches,
    Winnie :-)

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