A Lesson in Discipline

I can hardly believe that in just a little over a year Aidan has recieved his Orange Belt in karate and he is only 5 years old. This makes it his 4th belt and I couldn't be more proud. He is the youngest in his class and does amazingly well. I can't believe the amount of information that his young little brain can hold! This obviously wasn't the first belt test that he has done but this was the one that made me the most proud. Part of what they learn in karate is characteristics to strive for such as discipline, and perserverance. He was tested in both of the areas more than we ever would have imagined that day. He had been struggling with his asthma for a couple days but it got really bad the morning of his test. We took him into the Dr. that morning and he had to get a double nebulizer treatment, a dose of steroids, and put back on two different inhalers, and Cingulair. It was a lot of medications for his little body. The steroids make him really volatile and emotional. We let him decide whether or not he felt ready to take the test. He said he wanted to so off we went. When we got to the studio he started getting a little nervous. When he got inside he got a little overwhelmed. There was probably 30 people testing in his group and he was the youngest by a long shot. They test according to level not age group so there was a lot of loud adults testing with him. He has done it before but I think the fact that he felt so crappy and was on so many meds was too much for him to handle. His instructor Mr. Hatch talked to him and told me he was doing good so I went to the studio and waited. When he came in to test I could tell it wasn't going to be easy for him. He was crying and coughing really hard. I didn't get many pictures because I was trying not to look at him too much cause everytime we made eye contact he would cry harder. He did NOT want to finish but he did. He showed me and everyone else what it means to finish something even when you really don't want to and he definitly knows now when it means to perservere. I sure do love this little boy and he makes me proud every day! He teaches me lessons even when I don't expect it.

This is him coming into the room. It wasn't hard to tell how he was feeling when I first saw him.

Trying his hardest to smile. His eyes are saying exactly how he really feels though.

This is part of the belt tradition. After they test they wipe their brow with their old belt and then with their new belt.

Putting on his new orange belt!

This is his amazing instructor Mr. Hatch. He has so much respect for him and I don't think he would have made it through the test this day without him their and supporting him!

Way to go buddy! Love you!