Karate kids

Hope and Grant have been taking a karate class on Monday nights at the community center for the past six months. I suggested it because it was one of the few sports that they could do together, without having the age difference separate them, and also because it fit with our schedule and I thought they might like it.

Well, they DO like it. They've been practicing and working and really investing themselves more than I expected them to! They have both improved so much. And last week, they had the opportunity to prove it at their first karate test.

Up until then, they had been going to class in regular clothes, but they had to have the little white "gi" for the test. Wearing it seemed to enhance the whole thing for Hope and Grant both. They had a little extra spring in their step, feeling so official.

We were pretty confident that Hope would pass, but slightly worried for Grant, who sometimes forgot his routine and would try to watch Hope to get the moves right. But, they both did great, even though the test was long (while they waiting and watched all the bigger kids) and late (til 9pm on a school night!)!

Their teacher, Ms. Betsy, was tickled to see how well they remembered their karate forms and performed them for the judges. She went above and beyond to get them ready, even teaching Daddy the forms so he could practice with Hope and Grant every night.

I loved seeing how proud they were of themselves! And they had every right to be. They worked and practiced hard, and it showed. They love wearing their orange belts to class now, and are already looking forward to the next belt test.