Red, White and GOLD!

We were ready to share in the collective Canadian experience today - watching the gold medal hockey game - wonderful finale for two weeks that have captured our hearts.

I've revelled in these Olympics, loved sharing the moments with Canadians across the country and around the world, all the while struck by the fact that these games could very well be the last Olympics in Canada in my lifetime. I wanted to make it a remember-when-experience for Julia. We've worn our red mittens, sported our Olympic gear, seen the torch twice, sang along with the "I Believe" theme song in the car, oooed and ahhed during the opening ceremonies, cheered with our family in Sarnia for the first home-grown gold medal, and enjoyed many a medal-winning performance after that. This week, I have stayed up long past my bedtime to watch the skating competitions, and beamed as the women's hockey team captured their gold. There was sorrow too with the the news of the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian luge athlete and the great loss that Joannie Rochette suffered with the death of her mother.

Along the way my Olympic tears have puzzled Julia --"Why are you crying now?" My sister, Carmel knows why. I don't know if Julia will ever get it, not being a crier herself. I cry because I'm proud to be Canadian, proud to feel part of the experience, proud of all athletes and all their work and dedication. I know that we weren't the only ones crying. (By the way, of course, I'm crying NOW while I am typing this as the Olympic highlight moments are being recapped on CTV.)

This afternoon we got ready to hopefully celebrate the hockey gold, the last gold, the gold that would mean a world Olympic record for gold medals won. Out to the Canada Day bin I went for our decorations so we could deck our halls to match the sea of red and white that we were seeing on the wide shots on the tv.

At first Julia said that she wasn't sure if she liked hockey.

She changed her mind.

Julia wore her CHEER-io t-shirt that we got back in the summer in preparation for the games. It's signed by the Olympic athletes, part of the Paint the Town Red campaign.

We are ready to cheer on our boys.

As we got to the end of the third period - with the 2-1 win within our grasp, Julia was ready to do her outdoor victory run with the flag, just as cousin Jack had done 8 years ago. With one minute to go, we took the flag down off the wall. Then I got the video option on the camera ready with 30 seconds to go -- and then at 20 something seconds to go -- well, it happened. The game was tied. Julia's face says it all. The entire nation, I'm sure, felt it all in the pit of our collective stomachs. She told me "If they don't win, I'll kill myself. I'll stab myself in my hand." She's got her mom's sense of hyperbole, I see.

She decided that we had to be positive.

Even Butterscotch got into the act.

And it worked! Sidney Crosby got his overtime goal, 

Canada got the gold,

and Julia got her run.

The goal is already being compared to Paul Henderson's goal of 1972 - I told Julia this is a moment that she could well remember for the rest of her life. She told me that she was glad that she didn't have to stab her hand.

So as the Olympic closing ceremony is about to begin, no one cares about the hydraulic malfunction of the opening ceremonies. (LOL as the fourth tower made its way up with the help of a clown -- just like the Canadians to poke fun at themselves). The British news reports about these being the "worst games ever" seem silly now. It's been 17 days of great challenges, great sorrow, and great victory. Canadians believed and showed their pride. The moments to come -- Joannie Rocette carrying the flag tonight - more tears for sure. I've loved it all.