This year has been -- dare I dip into sugarcoating? -- a magical one for me in regards to skating. I don't know how to describe my year without resorting to cliche or gushing. My life had become richer through this sport, because of the amazing people I have met through participation. Many of you here have had a lot to do with it.

- there are all of you I met and cheered for and cheered with at Adult Nationals. I'd repeat the experience if only to do the hokey pokey in the lobby at 3 am again.

- my skating friends in STL and here in MI. How lucky I have been to live in such close proximity to such great clubs. Spreadin' the love to the St. Peters FSA (and Heartland Interclub Assc.) as well as Greater Grand Rapids FSC. Much love to my girls on Sapphire Ice.

- What a great feeling to have renewed and re-established friendly contact with all the adults who compete ISI at ACs this year. So glad I was able to check another state on the list of places I've skated in.

- Many thanks to all the judges who helped me through the trial process to get me where I am now. Somehow I am managing to balance and love skating from both sides of the boards.

- Coaches! Thanks for the flip, lutz, camel, combo spins and INSANE footwork. Besides my primary coaches in MO and MI, I've had a synchro coach, off ice instructor and instructors in freestyle and MIF class. Hard to believe not a bad apple in the bunch. Lucky, lucky.

Merry Christmas to all, and please count your blessing this year, you'll be surprised how many pile up.

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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

For me the biggest blessing has been daring to take to the ice again after 20 years, despite arthritic knees and being very overweight.

I am grateful that I can still skate a bit. I am delighted that my 8 yo daughter is coming skating with me. And it is just so nice to be part of it again, the people, the joy of it all.

And I am extremely grateful to have found this forum, I have learned so much already, and it is nice to know there is somewhere I can go to ask questions.

Happy holidays all

Karen

Mel, thanks for this fantastic topic! It HAS been a wonderful year!

Thanks so much to all of the marvelous friends and acquaintances at AN's and Mids! Burt, don't think I could have gotten through Mids w/o you and the can of whoop a$$! AN's was a fantastic experience as always and I count my blessings that my grandparents in their 80's were able to see the best performance of that FS program ever before I put it to bed!

Thanks to my great people I skate with everyday and my fabulous training partner for kicking me in gear when needed!

And my coach! What can I say about her? Intermediate MIF passed, a great program last season and an even better one this year complete with IJS friendly stuff! For never accepting "I can't" when putting together the footwork and layout of the program, spoins, or on the double toe that is finally consistent and the double loop placed late in the program...

For M&K's Parabolic blades that have helped my spins 1,000,000 times over! LOL!

For my husband who puts up with my passion for this sport.

I'm thankful that my health has held up and allowed me to "kick it up a notch" this year

I'm thankful for the resources, friends, laughs, and tears the people on this board have provided-we are not alone! (crazy, yes!) And I got to meet friends in person (finally) at HC!

I'm thankful for my wonderful new coach-she has solved the salchow mystery, and is untangling the loop with me, no matter how long it will take (I'm glad she is younger than me, as I'll be collecting social security when it's solved, I'm sure )

I'm thankful for my husband-that he enjoys skating with me and works hard at it and is finally understanding why I do it

I'm thankful that my daughter is old enough to watch her brother so I can get to the rink, or my husband and I can go on "skate dates" when we need to get away!

I'm thankful that after 30+ years of talking about it, Delaware finally built a rink in the lower part of the state (now if it would just stay open all year long)

I'm thankful that my boss allows me to re-arrange my schedule so I can skate during the day, when sessions are cheap and not busy! He doesn't understand skating but he understands athletes (that's what he calls me )

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!