Good bye Yellow, Hello Orange

I remember the day my sweet girl received her yellow belt.  She was full of excitement.  She was moving up to a new class.  Lots of new techniques to learn.  So much promise...

The reality set in.  The new class had her at the kwoon until her bedtime.  The new skills she needed to learn seemed overwhelming and some nights impossible - mostly because she was too tired.  It didn't take long for her excitement to turn to discouragement.  I tried everything to encourage her.  All of the Sifus in her class also tried everything they could.  Finally the day came when I knew that I couldn't force her to come to class any longer.  She walked away from kung fu.

Now, part of being in our family allowed her to step off the mats but it did not allow her to leave the kwoon.  She tried gymnastics and skating but just didn't find her place.  In the meantime, she sat on the bench during classes or in the changeroom waiting for class to end.  Finally after about 11 months of watching she asked if she could come out on the mats one day during open training.  That day she said something that I never thought she would say.  She was ready to go back to kung fu. 

We did not waste any time.  We had her back on the mats that Tuesday night.  This time around things were different.  She was still tired.  Really, that class still ends too close to bedtime.  The main difference was that after looking through the curriculum, she decided that this time it was doable.  She worked hard.  She stretched herself.  She competed at the Tiger Challenge and nailed her form.  She kept working hard and her hard work paid off.

Her opportunity to shine before Sifu Brinker was scheduled for this weekend.  She was excited and nervous but ready.  Then a brutal cold hit last weekend.  No problem.  She had a week to get over it.  Lots of fruit and vitamins!  Then on Thursday, she started having symptoms that were much more flu like.  Poor thing was so sick on Friday and devastated at the thought of having to wait another month to grade.  Saturday morning came and she did manage to hold down a little food and we decided she could go for it.

Black Dragon Grading February 2016

My sweet girl was amazing at grading.  Knowing how horrible she had been feeling and how horrible she was still feeling, I held my breathe through most of it - especially the squat thrusts.  Really not the most friendly move when you are struggling with nausea and dizzies...  I am so grateful for the encouragement of the instructors.  I am so grateful that Sifu Brinker pushed those squat thrusts to the very last.  I am so proud of my girl!

After grading, she went through her next curriculum and has already started forming her next plan of attack.  After that we cuddled up on my bed and had the best nap ever.  Today she is still running a fever and is having trouble eating BUT she has a bright orange belt that she worked hard for.  She is in the middle of an inspiring journey and I love that I get a front row seat!