The perfect ending

Although my countrymen and women might make me take the American out of my title, I have to say it...today's game had the perfect ending. It was the perfect ending to an amazing Olympic experience for all of us here in Vancouver and for many around the world, I think.

These past two weeks have exceeded mine and probably a lot of peoples' expectations. There was a lot of hype leading up to these games. Could Canada pull it off? Would it be a success? Would Canada's athletes perform to a standard that would satisfy their country? I think the answers would have to be yes.

Canada let it be known that they are a force to reckon with in a big way these Olympic games. Some amazing feats accomplished:

• Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada's very first gold medal on home turf. Little did we know that this was the first of many!
• Canada broke the world record for most gold medals won at a Winter Olympic Games.
• Team Canada won both the men's and women's Gold Medals-with my home country coming in with the silver in both!
• Vancouver managed to do the impossible, create something out of nothing-where snow was concerned! They had to truck it in from hundreds of miles away but they did it!
• We managed to have one of the most beautiful and SPRING like February months on record and STILL host the WINTER Olympics!

The final game was intense. I have to admit, up until Sidney Crosby made that final goal in overtime a little part of me wanted the USA to win it all. I mean, it would have only been fair, they took it away from us in Salt Lake 2002. I was on the edge of my seat. I was home alone, watching the game by myself. My little munchkin was napping and my husband had made his way downtown with a bunch of buddies to watch the game in the thick of things. I actually shouted out loud when the US scored their goal at the end there, but I was shouting to no one!

When Sid the Kid scored that golden goal, though, I knew it. I knew that this was the perfect ending to the past two weeks. Thanks to that gold medal win, Canada broke the record of 13 gold medals held by Norway and Russia. They also broke the record for the most gold medals held by a host nation. To end the game any other way would have been...well, wrong. Canada had a big "own the podium" push going these games. I think they definitely succeeding in doing that, and in the process I have watched Canadians all around me jump on the patriotism train in a big way. I can only liken it to being back in my home country of the USA. Since I have moved here, that is one of the things I have noticed. I didn't see the same patriotism in Canadians that I saw at home. They knew that they were a good country, they were all nice and polite, but they didn't have that Canadian FIRE burning within them. They do now!

It was a game that simply summarized the entire experience of these Olympic games, and I'm so glad my husband could be down there in the thick of things for this win. He is celebrating among the mosh pit even now. I just got off the phone with him, and could hardly hear him due to the crazy crowd noise around him. He's in the middle of the crowd that is celebrating a two weeks full of making history. He's making memories of his own that will last forever.

Canada, you can be proud. I'm proud of you. After all, although this is not my home and NATIVE land, it is my HOMELAND now too. It was a great two weeks Vancouver! Thanks for the amazing memories! I guess it's back to reality now!