Laura's Dreams Come True Part Two

I have done some planning for school and can now finish with my figure skating story. Scroll down and read Part One first if you haven't already.

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One day I moved to Nicaragua and my parents and brother (thank you thank you thank you!) bought me skating tickets for my birthday/Christmas. A year went by. The time approached. I realized I was more excited for figure skating then for Christmas. I made sub plans and left my students. I flew to Omaha. Nationals had arrived!

I know no one wants to read a blow-by-blow account of my adventures (except Suzi), but I will write them anyway. I am sure one day I will appreciate them. 

By the way, I had a couple of goals for Nationals. 

1) Have the best time ever.

2) Meet Kristi Yamaguchi (I knew that a lot of past National champions normally attend the event to watch, do commentating, or mentor the skaters. A couple of days before the competition, I read an Omaha World Herald article that said Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, Sarah Hughes, and many others were at the event.)

3) Meet Evan Lysacek (2012-2013 was going to be Evan's comeback year after he took some time off after the Olympic win. A couple of days before the competition, I learned he withdrew due to an injury. My plan was foiled! I had a small hope he might go to watch the competition, but with my normal string of bad luck, I figured it wouldn't happen.)

Thursday

I had no competitions to attend that day, but I had the itch to get to the rink. Nationals was going to be my first live competition! I headed down to the rink by myself and thought I would just watch some of the free practice sessions. My plan to stay for an hour turned into four hours, and I kept having to move my car from the two hour parking spot. From afar I saw Tara Lipinski! There was Scott Hamilton doing an interview! Jeremey Abbot was a few feet away on the practice ice. This was the real thing! I may have called my mom four times and texted Suzi and Shannon to update every couple of minutes. Soon I met Brian Boitano. Snapped a picture. Left the rink quite happy. 

Friday

Shannon and Suzi joined me for the competitions. We saw the ice dance and men's short program. I love watching skating on t.v., but it was a million times better in real life. Speed, artistry, quads! As we were watching the men competition, some people sat down in the seats behind us, and we overheard some of their conversation. We quickly realized that someone famous was sitting behind us. We didn't want to just turn around and look and be obnoxious. So we waited and later realized Sarah Hughes, the 2006 Olympic Champion, was sitting right behind us! My only question: Where was Kristi Yamaguchi? We saw some pretty decent competition that night, with my favorites to win, Jeremy Abbot and Davis/White in the lead. Left happy again. 

Jeremy Abbot starting his short program

Saturday

Saturday brought a very long day of competitions, and after a couple of outfit changes, I knew that I needed to wear my red pants (aka the party pants). If there was ever going to be a party day, eleven hours of figure skating was definitely going to be it. I donned the red pants, and let me tell you, things happened that day. 

A few minutes after arriving at the practice rink, the event happened: Kristi Yamaguchi walked in! Suzi, Shannon, and I beelined in her direction, and a few minutes later, we had a picture and autograph to prove the event. The best part was that Suzi cried. She was so happy for me that she was literally crying as we walked away. Thanks for loving me, Suzi. 

You know that is Kristi's autograph on my American Girl skate!

Competitions hadn't even started for the day and I was content. Goal #2 was completed! We headed to the competition rink and watched the championship programs for the ice dancers and pairs skaters. Suzi kept covering her face thinking the skaters were going to fall on all their throw jumps. It certainly looked more dangerous in real life than on the t.v. Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the Olympic silver medalists and our favorite ice dancers, were spectacular. I had seen them at shows, but never in a competition. Go youtube them if you haven't seen them. 

As soon as the competition was over, we skirted over to the autograph line to meet some of the top men competitors. Suzi and I were going through the line when Max Aaron (the up-and-coming skater who would win the gold medal the following day) striked up a convo with Suzi. Suzi, although she had no idea who he has until the day before, was slightly star struck and nervous. She was talking so fast that even I couldn't understand her. Suzi has always been a fast talker, but this was at a speed I had never witnessed before. Blab-blah-lalala-Davis and White-I love figure skating-blah-blab was all I heard. I am sure it would have won some sort of record. Anyway, we didn't know it, but we were meeting the man who would be coming the champion. 

Suzi with her nervous face, me with my red pants, and Max Aaron signing autographs. 

That night was the ladies competition. The crowd was packed. The ladies competition always draws the most fans. Not my personal favorite, but I was ready for four hours of exciting competition. It turned out the actual competition would not be the best part at all. An hour or so into the competition, the seats directly behind us filled up again. This time Brian Boitano was occupying one of the seats. Not long after Sasha Cohen (2006 Olympic Silver medalist), Kristi Yamaguchi, and Michel Weiss (3-time National champ) filled the seats behind them. We decided that we had purchased excellent seats! Suzi was trying to get a picture of Sasha Cohen on her iphone when Brian B. purposely stuck his head in the photo. Conversation ensued. 

Suzi: "Hey, do you ever run into Evan Lysacek?" 

Brian: "Oh yeah. I just saw him last night."

Suzi, grabbing Brian's hand like they are best friends: "Last night? Are you saying that he is here?"

Brian: "Yeah, we were doing some promo event last night."

Suzi freaked out. Not just a little freaked out, but shaking/hyperventilating freaked out. Goal #3 (meet Evan) might happen after all!

Suzi, still grabbing Brian's hands: "You don't know where he is sitting, do you?"

Brian: "No, but I'll ask." Turns behind him, "Hey Sasha, do you know where Evan is sitting?"

Sasha: "No, but I'll text him." 

So we had figure skating celebrities on the job of finding Evan for us. It wasn't enough for Suzi. Her hands were shaking with excitement. She forgot to watch the competition. 

There was a break in the competition while the zamboni went to work. All of a sudden Suzi punched me in the arm. Suzi doesn't have a hard punch, but this one was pretty good. 

Me: "WHAT?!"

Suzi: "I think I see him. I think I see Evan!"

Me: "WHAT?!?"

Suzi points: "Up there! It's him! No it isn't! Yes it is!"

I looked. It was him. Evan Lysacek was in the building. The same building I was in. In the same seating section. Only one problem: he was up in the box seats. How were we going to get to him? 

Suzi started to blow up facebook with excited posts. She believed the world must know that we had spotted Evan. 

We formed a plan. We made our way up the stairs. There was no way to get to him. Too many people. A wall. 

We headed back down. Suzi had officially lost her cool. She was crying. Again. 

We finished watching the competition. Well, I watched, Suzi had a nervous breakdown. There was some exciting performances. If you want to see the future of U.S. women's figure skating, go look up Gracie Gold. She earned a standing ovation and a very close second place finish behind the repeat National champ, Ashley Wagner. 

The competition ended and Suzi and I knew that we couldn't leave the building without meeting Evan. Thankfully Shannon is my best friend and was willing to put up with our ridiculousness. As people cleared out, we realized we could climb up on the chairs and could possibly meet Evan that way. We climbed. Shannon was ready with the camera. We may have created a little scene. We shouted. Evan came down, met us, shook our hands, signed autographs, and took pictures. Suzi talked just slow enough that I could make out what she said, "Evan we love your skating so much you have no idea Laura and I have followed you for years we went to Kansas City and Chicago and here and -" I had to cut her off or I knew I would never get a word in. Looking back, Suzi doesn't even remember me cutting her off. 

Here it is. THE PICTURE. 

When we finally went back to our seats, we immediately called my mom. Suzi was crying. Again. We decided that it was officially the best day ever. We saw three championship competitions and met Kristi and Evan. Goal #1, 2, and 3. Check, check, check. The red party pants had indeed been a good choice.

Are you bored yet with this story? You do not have to read on. 

Sunday

Suzi barely slept the night before from so much excitement. She also came to the conclusion that our picture with Evan (see above) was not flattering. She had been crying, and it was a weird angle. Any guesses on what Suzi wanted to do to solve that problem? You got it. She wanted to find Evan again and get a new picture. 

We went to the competition early so we could get in the autograph line for the ice dancers and ladies champions. We met Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold! We met Davis and White! Suzi made them a sign and they put it right in front of them. It later ended up on their facebook page. Go Suzi! 

The men's free skate was next, my favorite competition. I was focused on the skaters. Suzi was on the look out. Her hard work paid off. Evan was spotted in the same seat as the night before, and this time the seats in front were not occupied. We went up and explained our situation to him. He said that he was glad we found him again so that we could get our picture. Suzi is much happier with these ones. Also, she has asked me to mention that she was much calmer the second time around. Indeed she was. Clear sentences and no shaky hands! 

The men's competition was a blast. Max Aaron won and Jeremy Abbot, the reigning champ, came in third. We were able to see some beautiful quads (four rotations in the air!) and some new skaters on the podium. 

Max Aaron after winning his Free Skate

That night we returned to the rink for the gala. No judges, just fun competitions by all the winners. Shannon and I both caught t-shirts that the skaters threw into the crowd. I never catch t-shirts! 

So that's the story of when my sister, best friend, and I went to the U.S. Nationals. I hope you didn't get bored. 

A couple of shout outs:

Thank you Mom, Dad, and Billy for the tickets. 

Thank you, Shan and Suzi, for going with me. 

Thank you, Jesus, for the opportunity to live out a dream, for money to travel, and a school that lets me take time off to have fun. 

It was the weekend of a life time, and one I wont forget. 

Much love,

Laura