September 2005
September 30, 2005:
Today we had our club regional team exhibition/critique. It was so much fun! I loved skating my program and I felt really good about it. After the critique/exhibition we had a small send-off party where we all got goody bags. There was a cake that Hy-Vee grocery store donated and Denise brought her yummy popcorn cake. We had our team picture taken. The judge who did our critiques gave us a little talk that was very motivating and then we all had to run to Kitty Lee's dance studio to do off ice "jump" class. I can hardly wait until regionals!
September 28, 2005:
Today I found out from Dr. Crabb that my MRI turned out pretty good...no tears...YEA! So, I guess I'm dealing with a sprain. I go in on Monday to possibly get a shot to help me get through regionals. I'm also going to be living at Dr. Phil's with physical therapy for awhile. I should be taking time off but this is the wrong time of year for that so it will just have to wait.
Friday our club is having a critique/exhibition for the regional team. We get dressed up in our costumes and skate our program in front of a judge and get a critique. There should be alot of people there watching because we have been inviting everyone. After the critique/exhibition we are having a small party.
School is going great! I love my new program with the Jubilee Academy. (www.thejubileeacademy.com) It's alot of work but I like it that way.
Gotta go for now. My neighbor friend, Cheyenne, and I are baking cookies. We are baking some halloween chocolate cookies. YUMMMM!
September 23, 2005:
My doctor appointment did not go too well. I am having an MRI on Monday and the doctor said there is possible meniscus tearing. We are suppose to have the results of the MRI within 24 hours of the test. I'm nervous about the test. I need to get through regionals. This next Friday our club is also having a critique/exhibition and I want to do well then, too. We are also having a regionals send-off party after the critique. I'll make sure and have lots of pictures taken to share.
September 21, 2005:
Yesterday I picked up my new skating boots and I love them! (Thanks Jack!) I actually did double doubles the first time I skated in them. Can you believe it? I'm so happy to be in the new boots. Skating with that tongue ripped out and always having to make sure it stays in was terrible. Anyway, it's great to be in the new boots. They really aren't bothering my feet as bad as I thought they would.
Tomorrow I have a doctor appointment with the sports doctor about my knee. It isn't too bad when I have the knee brace on but I can tell there is weakness in it. We'll see what the doctor says tomorrow. I really want to make it through regionals without problems. I am so excited and can hardly wait to go to Texas and compete. I love competing and especially at regionals.
I've also finally gotten through my first week of homeschooling with The Jubilee Academy (www.thejubileeacademy.org ) I absolutely love it! It's an online Christian school and it is so much fun. Check it out!
September 18, 2005:
I just got back from the Colorado Springs Invitational competition and it was really an awesome experience. I had alot of fun!
My mom and I rode with the Mitrofanov's. The trip went by quickly as we mostly watched movies along the way. I think we broke a record because we drove from Omaha to Colorado Springs in 8 hours and 23 minutes! We had alot of fun together.
My first practice ice was scary because my knee gave out and I could hardly walk on it. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to compete. That night Misha's dad gave me some Russian medicine to put on my knee and I took ibuprophen to help but my knee was still hurting the next day. My mom went to the store and got me a knee brace that I wore under my tights. It really helped with the pain. My short program did not go that well. I fell on my flip and not because of my knee but just because I didn't do my entrance right. Then I fell out of my final spin combination, which I have never done in my life. It was so weird. I can't even tell you why it happened. I placed 7th. I was disappointed in myself. Misha, who is an 8 year old preliminary skater was such an inspiration to me. On the day he did his FS he told me he was going to land his axel if it was the last thing he did. He has not landed an axel in competition before. When he did his FS you could just see the determination on his face and he landed both of his axels in his program. I was so proud of him. He was my motivation when I went to skate my FS. I told myself I was going to skate clean with Misha's determination in my mind. Even though I had a knee that was hurting I was not going to let that get me down. I was going to go out and do the best I could and land my jumps. So, I went out and skated my program and did not land on my behind! YEA! I placed third with two judges giving me 1st place. I was so happy! I told Misha he was my inspiration and I am going to make him my skater of the month. Look for his bio shortly.
All of us had alot of fun while in Colorado Springs. We all went to Santa's Village and had a blast on the rides. Some of us went swimming in the hotel pool and one night Ashlie, Rachel and I went to have ice cream at Cold Stone. We all did well and now are ready to start working for our regional competition.
September 10, 2005:
Here it is a week and a half into September and so much has happened already. It has really been a busy month and is going to be busy all month. It's still hot here and I'm just waiting for it to cool down and see the leaves turn colors.
First of all, Hurricane Katrina blew into New Orleans, Gulf Port and Biloxi, MS and some other places along the gulf. It has probably become the biggest disaster our country has ever gone through. The flooding has completely destroyed New Orleans and the other cities and there are so many without homes or jobs or anything. It is so strange that it doesn't seem like it could be real. I think there are about 500 people that have been relocated to Omaha and yet there are thousands and thousands being relocated all over the country. It is really sad! Premier FSC is going to have a regionals critique/exhibition on Oct 8th and we plan to also have donations for the relief effort as well as a sale or auction. We really want to help the Figure Skating Club of New Orleans but we can't find out anything yet about what has happened with them all. It's really overwhelming. I have alot of nice clothes that don't fit me anymore that I want to donate.
This last week we have been getting ready for the Colorado Springs Invitational competition. I have had a hard time because the tongue of my right skate ripped out. It can't be fixed because if it is sewn back in it will rub against my foot and cause more problems. I really wanted to wait until after regionals to get new boots but I guess I'm going to have to try and break in new boots now. We ordered the new boots 3 weeks ago and they still are not here so I won't compete in new boots at Colorado Springs. That is probably a blessing., But, the old boot with the ripped out tongue is killing my foot. I have to try and tie the tongue in really tight so it doesn't slide. There is a hole at the base of the laces from where it ripped out so it really hurts to toe in and to land. UGH! But, I will do my best in Colorado Springs. It will be my first time with my short program. I can hardly wait because I really like that program. Getting through my long program will be tough because of the altitude. But, that's alright. We are basically just doing this competition as a training aspect of getting ready for regionals in Texas. There are quite a few of us going and we are all staying at the same hotel we stayed in when we went there a couple years ago,. It is alot of fun there.
Last week I went to the state fair with my mom and my friend, Katie, from church. We had so much fun. I've taken alot of pictures but I have to take the film in to be developed and then I'll share them online. We did alot of stuff like ride a camel in the Kidz Zone, watch a high flying diving team, pet exotic animals, win a stuffed animal (both Katie and I won a stuffed frog) and of course ride the rides. My favorite was a purple ride that went so many different directions that I can't even explain it. I'll have to show you with a picture. I also liked the Big Ben, a high ride that shoots everyone up high and then drops everyone down.
Today I went to a Pro BMX demo from www.livinit.org that is headed up by Stephen Baldwin. I got to meet him and have my picture taken with him along with an autographed poster. We took Jennifer, David's sister, Taylor, a neighbor friend, and also Jamie and her little baby Emma. It was so awesome! It is a Christian organization and there has been a movie about the whole thing. Check out the website.
After the Stephen Baldwin thing we went to drop off Jennifer at her house and when we were pulling out of her driveway we saw billowing smoke coming from a house close to Jennifer's. We called 911 right away and also drove up to the house and saw the house engulfed in flames. We were worried someone was inside. It was very scary. About 7 firetrucks came and trapped us so we couldn't drive out. There were police cars, ambulance, the red cross and salvation army and also the news crews. I really wanted to go home because it was very scary. Flames were just shooting out of the house. I guess no one was home but then we found out a dog was in there. The owner of the house drove up and jumped out of his car and then tried to run into the house! The firemen stopped him but he kept trying to sneak around to run in. He was trying to get to his dog. Then the wife and the teenage daughter ran up. The wife was screaming for her dog and then a fireman came up to her with her dog...he has rescued the dog and it lived. The lady kissed the fireman and the dog was so happy. I went up to the owner holding the dog and the dog just jumped to me. I held him and he licked me and licked me. He just seemed so thankful! He smelled of smoke. I'm so glad he was rescued. The house was destroyed. We thanked alot of the firemen, who are volunteers. These guys are true heroes...they VOLUNTEER to risk their lives to try to save people and even pets. IT really was an experience and I just know I'm going to have dreams about it tonight.
Tonight the Huskers played....yea...football! They won....YEA! I watched it on TV. Jamie and her baby, Emma, stayed at our house and we watched it together. She brought over pizza and we had coke. It was alot of fun. Emma is just the sweetest baby.
Ok, better go as tomorrow is church and then Monday will be very busy with training. We leave on Tuesday for Colorado Springs. I compete on Thursday and Friday and then we come home on Saturday. Please pray for us. We are so looking for sponsors to help with these competitions. Thanks for your prayers and support!
Love ya all,
Sarah Kidd 
