The deed is done

Another graduation is done! I am now a blue belt in Songahm Taekwondo. I made it through. Considering in the last month, I have been battling with a big back injury and the continual knee problems, well, I made it through. There were only 3 other color belts camo and up, namely the Indian boy and the twin sisters. The twins went with me, and we were the next to last group to go up, and I was in the last group to do weapons with an orange belt kid. Well, let's see, with forms, I was starting to forget the form before I even got up. Nerves, I'm sure. Some of my kicks were not as good as I would have liked, and I forgot a kihap, but I got through it for the most part otherwise. With weapons, I goofed up at one part. I was a little disappointed in myself for that, because nerves had me goof up, and I had practiced this afternoon. I changed a kneeling move with a weapon toss move. I could pull it off at home, but when it was showtime, I choked. Oh well. Hopefully got I got brownie points for doing something different. I was a little nervous with the sparring part though. I haven't sparred in a month, but felt well enough to try. Fortunately, I got to go up against the taller twin, and she knew about my health issues, and I just told her to take it easy. But if I was going for it, then she knew I was up to it, and she could go for it too. I was going for it, and she tried, but in graduation sparring there's no contact, but I have to say that I think that I would have whooped her butt. ;-) I felt good about that. So, I earned my blue belt! So all that's left is the brown, red, and black recommended, which takes multiple cycles for each of those. I predict that I won't be getting by black belt until at least a year from now, at that rate. Maybe the spring, but I doubt it.

My career in the ATA is moving along too. Before graduation, Ma'am told me that based on what I provided her, she's thinking of having me work from 10-3 daily, and teach 2 Cubs classes and one homeschool class a week during my hours. Sweet! I told her my only hesitation was that being still very green, I didn't know if I was supposed to come up with lesson plans on my own or not, and she told me tonight, absolutely not. She writes them up each week, and hands them out, and I just have to follow them. Whew! That's a relief! So, hopefully after I get Drew started with school, my career as an instructor will be starting, even though I'm kinda doing my apprenticeship of sorts. Big leap in life now! I'm nervous about it, but if you don't try these things, you don't know if you can succeed. Part of the journey to becoming a black belt and moving up in degrees is that you grow as you learn more skills, and hopefully there's a spritual journey in discovering yourself and challenging yourself along the way. Taking on this job is just part of that journey, whether for my bb, or just for me personally. It's time to start making changes like this in my life, and I'm ready (I think), and I'm just lucky that I'm able to make this transition back into the work world doing something that I enjoy, and with someone who has enough faith in me to hire me without an interview or even having looked at my resume, and someone who knows me fairly well in a familiar place. It's still nerve wracking, but that takes some of the edge off.