"It's the Eye of the Tiger and the Thrill of the Fight..."

T'was only hours before the big match

And we were all pretty quiet.

The big event was finally here

After weeks of training and watching one's diet!

Frank was thinking about getting in the ring,

His strategy,

Keeping his hands up and not getting hit in the head!

I kept hearing Drago's words "I must break you!",

As clips of the Rocky movies replayed in MY head!

Anyone who knows me well knows how much I LOVE the Rocky movies:). The story lines, the music, the "feel good" message...so inspiring...and yes, Sylvester Stallone. BIG fan of his back in the day:). Well, we have been living our own little "Rocky Story" in our house for awhile now! Frank started, much to my surprise, taking boxing classes around the time Rachel started Gymboree last Summer. Very cool! A little scary, but very cool! He told us about 5 weeks ago that he was going to get into the ring...with another person! Gasp! Then he wanted Rachel and I to attend! Double gasp! Okay...being a little dramatic for effect here:). It was actually kind of FUN! Of course, I wasn't the one getting hit.

Here are a few things I noticed that were not quite the same when Frank was training as compared to my big screen boxing fave...

• there was no running through the streets of Philadelphia at the crack of dawn
• there was no eating of raw eggs...that I know of
• there was no running on the beach in a tank top...bummer!
• there was no strength and endurance training in the frigid temps of Russia knee-deep in snow (my favorite scenes in Rocky IV)
• oh, and as far as I know...Frank has not been punching any raw meat in the meat locker!
  

Rachel waiting for Da-Da's turn!

Frank was such a good sport, even laughing at me, as little quips or quotes popped into my head as the match got closer. Maybe that's how I handled being nervous? Here are a few he had to tolerate...

• "I think I can, I think I can..." (The Little Engine That Could:))
• "I get knocked down, but I get up again!" - for some reason that line of the Chumbawamba song kept popping into my head even though it is not a boxing song.
• Don't forget to "Float like a Butterfly and Sting like a Bee!" - of course that one was said in my deepest Muhammad Ali "voice"!
• I also had to mention Frank's favorite Rocky quote a few times..."Cut me, Mick!" - thank goodness there was no need for THAT!

In my head Apollo Creed rings the bell..."Ding Ding" and...Frank is IN THE RING! (He is in the red) If only I could have sent him in with another quote from Mick...

"Knock His Block Off!"

So...true story...the place was packed! The guy and his wife sitting next to me thought Rachel was just too cute and kept talking to her/us. So when Frank was in the ring I was taking pictures as fast as I could and also encouraging Rachel to yell "Da-Daaaaaa!!!!" like she has been doing lately. When the guy realized Frank was "ours" he started yelling loudly and cheering him on too. After Frank was done...apparently the time goes much faster for the spectators than the boxers...I turned to the guy and asked, "How'd he do?" He said he did very well! I nodded and said, "Well, he is still standing, isn't he? That must be a good sign."...He just laughed and agreed with me:)...

Ummmm...I taught Rachel to pound her fists together and say:

"Boom-Boom!"...

She loved it:)...

Blowing kisses to Daddy when he came to sit behind us...

Great Job, Frank!!!
We were and are SO proud of YOU!!
I truly admire you for going after a goal the way you did.
You worked so hard and it paid off!
"Yo, Frankie...I love you!"

It's funny because years ago, when we lived in Ohio, I used to ask Frank if we could get a punching bag and hang it in the garage. I thought it would be a great stress reliever as I wanted to just punch something so often back then...for many reasons:). We never got one and I forgot about it. Ever since taking his classes, he has been asking me if I'd be interested in doing some boxing for fitness purposes. I would! My first question..."Do they make pink boxing gloves?" They do! My second comment..."I will never spar or box across from someone...only the bag!"

My final quote:

"Nothing is real if you don't believe in who you are!"

Rocky Balboa - Rocky III (1982)