~ Our yellow belts ~

Last week Nathaniel and Nicholas earned their yellow belts in karate!

During their test, I confirmed that all of the performance anxiety I suffered when I was in high school, performing regularly as a voice student, is still alive and well in my psyche. Only now I've been given the gift of being nervous to the point of nausea on behalf of my children.

Vicarious performance anxiety. GOOD TIMES.

I needn't have worried, as apparently they've been paying attention for the last six weeks and knew all the Japanese vocabulary and all of the techniques they were required to be able to perform on command. They sailed through. All while I was curled up in a sobbing, gagging ball in the corner.

Jake wasn't worried about the testing outcome in the least. All he wanted was for me to tie a white belt on him so he could mimic their moves on the sidelines.

And what Big Brothers do, Little Sister wants to do, too. She was quite happy rolling around on the floor with her own white belt.

And finally, at the end of the class, I got to snap a picture of our two new yellow belts. They are SO PROUD to have moved up in rank and not be at the bottom of the totem pole anymore.

But I've already told Grayson that the next time they test, he might have to take them that night. I'm not sure my heart can take the stress again.