December 20 – “Hi-Yaw”

We made the long trek into Texas yesterday.  It was just to LaMarque, but it was over the bridge, and you know how difficult that can be …

 

The occasion was a special one.  Ezra was having his very first karate belt graduation.  Noa, Micah and Josiah were graduating as well, but they have been there before.  It was the last Zoom graduation for their school’s program.  At least that is the plan.  They intend to start back doing it all in person with the next series. 

 

Ezra was a little hesitant at first.  I mean, after all, there he was, up there on the TV in living color, all eyes on him.  But his siblings and his Mommy all pitched in to help him through it.  They are old hands at this Zoom thing.  Many of their classes have been on Zoom these past few months.  He soon began to get into the swing of things and was “Hi-yaw-ing” with the best of them.  It was especially cute when he succeeded in breaking his first ceremonial board.  Quite the rite of passage.  Yes, we have it on camera.  In fact, Chris was taking pictures with one camera, and I was videoing with my phone.  I think it will go down in posterity.  Oh, and at one end of the room their computer was set up so that mailman Daddy could watch the proceedings while delivering his route.  Pretty ingenious, this technology stuff. 

 

When Ezra’s session was over, we stuck around.  After all in thirty minutes or so the same event would begin for the other three.  And begin it did.  This time the kiddos obviously knew their stuff, so it seemed to go a lot faster.  The movements certainly did.  Noa’s movements were very precise.  Josiah’s showed a lot of precision, as well.  He obviously knew his stuff.  Micah, being several years older, showed some incredibly graceful moves and high kicks.  It was pretty impressive all the way around.  They each got to break a ceremonial board as well.  Noa broke hers over her knee.  Micah smashed his with his head.  Josiah smashed his head with his board.  Just a shade of difference there, but both ways got the job done.  Christina tied the new-colored belts around each child and they bowed to each other.  Pretty impressive stuff.  You got some proud grandparents over here … again.

 

Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

 

Father, please keep all our kiddos safe and healthy so they can enjoy outside activities like this Amen.