i will have to post a picture after her belting ceremony but my rachel is now a black belt in karate....Chutoku Ryu Karate...It contains elements of traditional Okinawan Kempo and Shorin Ryu Karate, Japanese Judo and Jujitsu, Korean Tae Kwon Do, and American Boxing, as well as a variety of traditional weapons.
did you get all that? i'm amazed at her. i dont have pictures on the particular computer i am using tonight so i will have to post them later. i have some video footaget that is awesome. she's an awesome girl. she worked hard for this belt & i am so thankful to Jesus that He pulled her through and taught her that she is capable...by the very fact that she did it...no one else did it for her...she worked for it.
i keep considering taking lessons but there is a time factor & a "i'm still nursing a baby" factor. so i guess it will wait..but i do think it would help me tone up & lose weight. they are starting a new class...more of a mixed martial arts thing that is more along the lines of weight loss. who knows. one day....
the other kids are doing well. Elizabeth is struggling with piano. that darned ole' short term memory loss gets her every time. she has to work so hard to lock things into her long term memory. thankfully her teacher understands the seriousness of teaching elizabeth correctly & making sure she understands correctly before moving on so she can work on locking whatever it is into the long term memory. she has to retrain her brain constantly. but she works hard. she is diligent.
abigail...well she is so helpful and smart. i thank God every day for her. she is such a fulfillment of promise. She is 4 1/2 years old. she makes her own bed & cleans her own room...without prompting on most days lately & quite frankly she does as good a job as her 10 year old or 14 year old sisters would do. i can honestly say i am always astounded at her...she has an iniate ability to read people...to judge the mood in the room & work with it. she is a kind child with an encouraging spirit.. she never fails to tell elizabeth..."great job" or tell me "i love you" or "thank you." i will say this though..her fuse is short & she does not suffer foolishness or fools when they get in her way and cause any sort of havoc in her life. i really like that about her.
asher - he is so much a boy..he breaks my heart on a daily basis. he is such a little manchild. he's so masculine. he walks around with the car "lightening mcqeen" in his little hot sweaty hand 99% of the time...even in his sleep. he is spiderman most days...when you ask him who he is anyway...he will tell you "spiderman". and he is very affectionate and loving. he is always willing to share a snack & a smile.
and then my little Esther - well she is 6 months old and doing the GI Joe crawl across the floor. she babbles...and i was just saying to her father...a smile from her is worth the world to me. she has developed a temper though...she gets so angry when she is sleepy. she doesnt suffer foolishness either i guess. we will see who she develops into...i cant wait.
God has truly blessed me... such a responsibility and a privelege to have these special people in my life.. i am humbled.