Medved Mania

When I was driving home from the bus stop today heading to job #2, I realized I needed to get gas. I drove past the gas station with a sick stomach. $4.10 for ONE gallon of gas? Are you kidding me? I am not sure why I didn't get gas, because I knew I was going to have to get it at some point today.... but I guess I just wasn't ready to face it. My work pays for a large portion of my bus pass every month. I only pay $14 a month, while $14 will only buy me 3.5 GALLONS of gas... that's about a quarter tank for you trying to do the math. I have never been so thankful to be a bus rider!

On to a completely different topic... I posted on facebook today that my family was selected to be the 2012 First Family of Sports Award sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Commission! This is such an incredible honor. My dad is #8 of 12 kids... 9 boys and 3 girls to be exact. My grandparents and each of the children are being honored at a banquet in June, which I am already so excited for!

I looked up on the Tacoma Athletic Commission's website today what they said about the award and this is what I found:

The First Family of Sports Award recognizes the contributions of parents, foster parents, or guardians who instill and help maintain athletes' successes.

From the "Hi Mom" TV wave at a sports event to more formal acknowledgement of family interest in and encouragement of sports from generation to generation, athletic achievement, whether in team or individual sports, is fostered by and also can nurture family life.

Playing a sport was sort of mandatory in my family growing up, which was no problem for my brother and I.... but my sister HATES working out. So this didn't thrill her at all. Like my grandparents, my parents knew that playing sports was about much more than playing the sport. It was about learning the rules, FOLLOWING the rules, working as a team, keeping good enough grades to PLAY a sport, and of course, how to win! And if there was a rare occasion of a loss, to learn not to be a sore loser. :)

Proud doesn't even begin to explain the feeling and emotion my grandparents would feel. I wish so badly that they were here to receive the award, along with my uncles Tom and Pat, who were also great athletes who have passed away. But don't worry, there won't be a shortage of Medveds at the event... Shortage and Medved are two words that don't come together very often. I have 11 uncles and aunts and around 30 first cousins.... JUST on my dad's side.

My dad's oldest brother, Ron, played college and professional football, and his son played professional soccer. He played on the Sounders before they were cool. My dad's youngest brothers, who are twins, both played college football, while my aunt Karen played college soccer. All of the rest of the siblings and most of the grandchildren played sports as well.

And you wondered where my competitiveness came from?