Since Selim and I were the top two ranked students testing, we were in the front row, right next to each other. The warm up, kicks and hand line drills went well. The forms part of the test was my favorite. We both did well. After running through three forms, the white and yellow belts bowed off the floor and left Selim and I alone to do Pyung Ahn Cho Dan. We ran through it twice -- first to the instructor's count and then on our own. One of the black belt judging panel looked up from writing and said, "If that isn't a photo op."
That was the sweetest thing, being up there with my boy. He did so well. I did OK too. The second time we did it, all you could hear was our breathing and the snap of our uniform as we blocked and punched our way around the floor. It was the highlight for sure.
After that, we went on to sparring. And my nose decided to let forth a huge nose bleed. I didn't notice at first until my sparring partner asked me what the big red spot was on my uniform. Oh my. I had to bow off and get down on the floor, with my head tipped back, nose pinched and wait for it to stop. I missed a few techniques, but not too many. But that episode cracked the veneer of strength that I had managed to scrap together and my emotions got the better of me. The next exercise was to react to a sparring move by one of the black belt instructors. My mind left my body and I had no idea what to do. I was embarrassed and started to cry. I felt like a loser! But I managed to react to two of those scenarios and move on.
Next up were front rolls. The left shoulder roll went OK. When I got to my right, I could not figure out how to do it. I stood there looking at the mat. Then I got down to my knees and did a face plant. I didn't have anything left to give. Mrs. Turgeon saved me by taking me off the mat and sitting me in the office and letting me cry. When I calmed down, she got me to laugh and go back out and finish up. So grateful for her intervention.
When it came time to break the board, most of the yellow belts were doing stepping side kicks. Since neither Selim or I had broken a board with that move, we figured that we would be doing that as well. But no. I got up there and was asked to do a turning back kick. I had my doubts but I broke it on the first try. Woo-hoo! Selim got up tried an elbow but couldn't do it. So they asked him to do a hammer fist and he got that on the first try. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of that.
In the end, both of us were promoted. The new belts were ordered but had not come in. So some time in the next week or so we will get our new belts. I won't get a new one; a stripe will be added to the orange belt that I have. But Selim will get a green and his uniform will need green trim around the edges.
I have to keep reminding myself that this karate journey is a lesson in humility -- physically and emotionally. I have come a long way in the past year and I have lots more to learn. The essay I had to write for this test was on the importance of the Five Codes. The word "honor" is in two, Honor Friendship and In Battle, Chose with Sense and Honor. There is honor in trying my best, in finishing a test I didn't think I had the energy to start, and getting back onto the mat after embarrassing myself.
When we got home, Selim and I celebrated with a bowl of ice cream. Before lunch. While he worked on his Legos and watched a movie, I went into the back bedroom and fell asleep.
In the afternoon, I went into the library room and played with fabric. I figured out the fabric combinations for Amy's place mats and I sewed the wavy boarder strips. I had wanted to make these for her last Christmas but I didn't find the time. I'm not sure if I will get them finished before they close up the lake house for the summer, but it will be close.
I'm also trying to decide about the sashing fabric for the bed quilt that I started sometime after I got back from London last year. I had bought two fat quarters at a needlework/fabric in Kew Garden that were the inspiration fabric for the quilt. I found more of it online at a shop in Utah and ordered more for the boarder. So now I need a tonal print for the sash. I bought a pink and an orange in Portsmouth last week and I haven't totally made up my mind. I think the pink ties in more obviously with the boarder fabric, but the orange with the blue squares is also pretty.
I've made progress on the place mats for our house that I started as a trial run before working on Amy's. The four place mats are pinned and ready for quilting. Last week I also bought an 8-pack fat quarter grouping that I will make into another four place mats. The blue, brown and green match up nicely with the four I have already. Even though the new fabric has a lot of pink, I still think that the two sets will compliment each other.
And that is the fabric round up!
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