A New Year and a Black Belt Test from last year...

Here we are starting a new year.  I'm going to try to update this blog thing more often this year. 

I'm starting with an event that took place way back in November.  November 20th to be exact. 

It all started 4 years ago on the first day of school.  Gordon was 9 and in 4th Grade.  Jensen was almost 6 and in 1st grade.  We kept trying to get Gordon to participate in a sport.  He played T ball when he was in Kindergarten/1st grade but said he didn't want to keep doing it.  He said he'd like to try martial arts or something like that.

Okay....

This is Gordon at his very first test.  He earned a yellow stripe on his belt.  Jensen wasn't quite ready to test yet but earned his just 3 months later.

There is a test about every 3 months so if you are ready and you've been invited to test you can earn your next belt. 

Here is the order:
White
Yellow Stripe
Yellow
Green Stripe
Green  
(Jensen announced at this point that Kyuki-do just wan't his thing.  He is now taking piano lessons)
Blue Stripe
Blue
Brown Stripe
Brown
Red Stripe
Red
Black Stripe
Black

Gordon waited a year after earning his black stripe to test for Black.  For one thing, he didn't think he was ready and the Grand Master only comes once or twice a year for Black Belt tests.

We had to make a "Black Belt" book.  It is more or less a scrapbook of his journey to his Black Belt test.  He wrote an essay and we put in several pictures of our family activities and his Kyuki-do pictures.  Fun, but a little stressful to put together. 

4 people were testing.  Two 13 year old boys, one 17 year old girl and a 50 year old man.  Of course, Gordon was the tallest one.

During the test, Gordon had to perform some "forms" that include sometimes more than 35 moves.  He had to perform them as the testers asked.  He had to fight or sparr 3 against 1 and did very well.  I think this is the most nervous I've ever seen Gordon.  It was a little hard to see him under so much pressure at one time.  He did handle it and himself very well.  I'm one proud Mom!  Because he is so tall he often gets put up against grown men.  I swear, no matter how big my baby gets, I'll NEVER get used to seeing grown men kick and punch my son!

At the end of the test all of the students line up and they call your name one at a time.  You run behind everyone and around to the Grand Master and your instructor.  For the regular color belts you shake hands with everyone, accept your new belt then go to the side/behind everyone and put your new belt on with the help of a higher rank.  For the Black Belts, you stand in front of one of the Masters and remove your current belt.  The Grand Master then puts your new Black Belt on and gives a few words of advice and then gives you a hug.  The advice most given?  *insert heavy Korean accent here... "You clean room!  You respect your Parents!  You no drink!  You no smoke!

Now, everyone there has to call Gordon "Mr. Walker" - He loves that part!

After 4 years of 3 nights a week, he is finishing this month then taking some much deserved time off to work on earning his Eagle Scout rank.

My Parents, Grandma and Grandpa Beck were able to attend.  It was so brave of them to sit there through a 3+ hour test!